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View Full Version : My Virgin batch! Too warm?


84runner
02-13-2006, 04:37 PM
(sorry a bit wordy)...
Ok, let me start by saying Im stoked and can't wait to drink the fruits of my labor, (I think I've already discovered the hard part will be the waiting).

My question; is it ok that the wort when cooled may have been a bit higher than 80*? Probably like low 80*'s? And the temp didn't lower down to the 70*'s till about 10 hours later?

It started last night when I finished my first batch of "California Pale Ale" and used a cooling coil, (I was told saves time, which I now see) which cooled the wort down in less than 10 minutes. This was where I may have made a booboo.

I took the coil and the temp probe out at 80 degrees, (I thought) however after syphoning the wart and adding the yeast and slapping on the temperature sticker, (you know the stickers for the side of the glass jugs), never read a temperature, (it only reads up to 78*). I figured it was still right at 80ish*, so we went out for the night with friends, came back about 4 hours later at midnight and in the 65 degree room the wort still hadn't started to foam or bubble and the temp still wasn't reading!

Well at 7am it was finally at 76 degrees and there was a bit of foam, and now at 3pm it is about 72* and there is a nice 2 inches or so of foam and the 1 was valve is bubbling away.

Yee Haa, anyway I believe what happened was that when I thought the wort was at 80* the temp probe was on the outside of the coil with only an inch or so of wort between it and the side of the pot. This area was most likely cooler than the inner much larger area of the pot so it was actually warmer than 80*.

So again, it does appear everything is going well now, but is the fact that the yeast was put in at higher than 80* for so long going to alter anything?

Cheers,
Jeff

DecoJuicer
02-13-2006, 04:50 PM
As long as your airlock is bubbling, you should be good to go. That means that your yeasties are alive and well, and doing their job. It is possible that you could experience off flavors, HOWEVER, from everything that I have read it is unlikely.

84runner
02-13-2006, 06:30 PM
Cool. Yes it is bubbling and there is a nice head of bubbles on the wort. And since that it happening the process should keep going, but I wonder if there will be different or off flavors since it may have been higher than 80 degrees for about 12 hours with no foam action going on?

Kyle_Draven
02-15-2006, 11:33 AM
At being a little over 80 it should be fine. Since its bubbling you didn't kill off all of the yeast. If the yeast were designed for a much lower temp range you might have a slower fermentation. Just so you now it is normal for their to be a lag time from introduction of the yeast to the visible signs of fermentation. With the warmer temperatures you might get more esters out of the yeast so your beer might be a little more fruity than normal. All in all just relax and wait.

HogieWan
02-15-2006, 12:52 PM
My first few batches all got pitched around 80-85. They may have been better if I got the temp down more first, but I didn't care.