Fermentation complete - heat belt of and now what?

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ryanm

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Hi All,

I posted a few questions here before and have had some really great advice. I'm getting there - slowly :)

For the last 3 days, I have been taking gravity readings and they have remained constant for those 3 days. I took my final reading last night actually. When I realised that the fermentation was complete, I removed my heat belt from my plastic bucket. This morning when I woke, I noticed the temperature was sitting around 16 - 18 degrees. I'm using a simple thermometer strip attached to the bucket so I know it's not going to be 100% accurate.

Will my brew be ok to sit for another week at this temperature before I start to bottle or should I consider putting the heat belt back on? I'm slightly concerned that the temperature has dropped too much.

My understanding is that the process of leaving beer after fermentation is called conditioning? From what I understand, I'm able to condition in my primary. When I read anything online about how long I can leave my brew in a primary, they always talk about 2 - 3 weeks but I'm not sure if the fermentation time is included in this or if that time is in addition to fermentation?

Lastly, I'm fermenting in a bucket that has no airlock so I have been leaving a little bit of the lid of the seal. Just ever so slightly to let the gases escape. Recently, I have been leaving the lid on tight then every so often, i would "squeeze" the gases out. Will this continue to happen even when fermentation is complete? i.e will my lid still be expected to be bulging?

Thanks very much. Any help is, as always, much appreciated
 
leave the belt off, sat a week wont be a problem and will probably aid the clarity of the beer..


if it 16-18C without any heat input, i would be tempted to attempt the next brew without heating and just employ a wrap of some insulation (old sleeping bag) around the bucket.. the yeast themselves produce heat.

its all a mater of personal taste, but when yeast ferments in the warmer temperatures it can produce more stronger flavours, and generally produces a cleaner flavour when fermented at the lower end of the temperature range published, so if it has a range of say18-24C aim at 18-20 ;)


the conditioning takes place in a sealed vessel that can take some pressure like a bottle keg or cask, and refers to the build up of fizz or dissolved co2 in suspension in the beer. so sitting in the FV isnt going to condition the beer, that takes place when you bottle or keg and add the priming charge, a small amount of sugar to feed the yeast to generate the condition by creating more co2 which is contained in the vessel unlike in the fv when it was vented off into the air;) it can take 2-3 weeks depending on the beer and the temperature.. just the same as the primary fermentation itself can take 2-3 weeks, in order to test you cant use the hydrometer you have to use a pint glass ;)

Once the beer is conditioned its what some would consider green beer, and in need of some maturing, this is a mater of personal taste, me i like my beers more mature than others.. but once the beer is conditioned its theoretically viable for a sampleing - i would suggest letting it sit in the cool for a few weeks myself sometimes months.. but thats down to you, but imho its worth stashing a few bottles so come 2-3months time you can sample a proper pint, you may end up developing a bit of patience ;)

gas may continue to escape, there will still be some co2 in suspension from the fermentation, just crack the lid tho, the lids job is to stop **** dropping out of the air into the beer ..
 
Theres a positive atmosphere in the fv so as long as it's "Just" cracked there's nowt getting in... :thumbsup:
 
Lastly, I'm fermenting in a bucket that has no airlock so I have been leaving a little bit of the lid of the seal. Just ever so slightly to let the gases escape. Recently, I have been leaving the lid on tight then every so often, i would "squeeze" the gases out. Will this continue to happen even when fermentation is complete? i.e will my lid still be expected to be bulging?

Thanks very much. Any help is, as always, much appreciated

My fv is a £9.50 wilko no air lock jobby so I drilled a small hole (didn't have the right size drill bit) and used a pair of closed scissors to slowly drill/enlarge the hole until a red grommet fitted loosely..When I pushed the airlock in it fitted nice and tight and now my brew blows off regularly..
When my missus asks..
I blame it on the dog :drunk:
 
heat belts are known for overheating a beer. If your going to use it again I suggest you run it via a thermostat. That way your beer wont get that toffee syrupy diecetyl flavour from being fermented too warm If its sitting at 18 degrees now then do as previously mentioned above and leave the belt off next time
 

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