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G'day all

I rushed into brewing last night - simple Coopers stout and by the time it came to pitching yeast, I had accidentaly let temp get above 30*.

After stuffing around trying to cool it I vaguely remembered reading that its better to pitch it anyway to avoid infections. Came home from work today to find it had frothed out the top of the fermenter.

my queries:
a) how likely are temps over 30* going to cause damage?
b) after the spillage - what is likelihood of infection? Should I take off lid and try to clean up or keep lid on and keep it contained?

Grateful for any advice - already picked up some great tips from this forum.

I would't stress...
Let the temp drop to where its required & let ferment as normal.
I'd leave the lid on, clean the ouside of the fermenter & top up the airlock.

I dont think infection should be a big worry even if the airlock got emptied by the froth, the brew would be letting off plenty of gass at this early stage as not to let any nasties in.

That's my thoughts

although i am also on my first brew, from what I have read:

i would try and get the temperature down a bit (try putting it outside, its mighty cold at my place at least!)

Dont open the fermenter, it is an invitation for infection. Just clean the outside and refill the airlock. Try putting a crown seal on it, so it raises to let out gas but doesnt let the water go.

you can put the fermenter into a sink of cold water to drop the temp quicky

count_andy wrote:After stuffing around trying to cool it I vaguely remembered reading that its better to pitch it anyway to avoid infections. .

I don't wanna hijack the thread but wasn't sure about this comment. I read in the Coopers Kit manual that it's more important to pitch right away than get the temperature perfect, as it will help avoid infection. However, sometimes the yeast takes a few days to even begin fermentation, so I don't see why you can't wait even a few hours before pitching.

count_andy wrote:my queries:
a) how likely are temps over 30* going to cause damage?
b) after the spillage - what is likelihood of infection? Should I take off lid and try to clean up or keep lid on and keep it contained?

I'm only a beginner, you probably have more expience than me, but I'll tell you what I think anyway.

I've read higher temperatures will result in a poor quality beer, I think you will get fruity flavours if you pitch at a higher temperature like 30 degrees. I'm sure the beer will be drinkable though.

On the matter of the spillage, I'd just leave it as it is.

But you're better off waiting for someone with me experience to reply than listening to me

Here's a tip to help avoid infections at the start of fermentation. I've lately been using a starter made up from part of the wort and yeast in a soft drink bottle. I pitch that puppy when she's bubbling merrily away. As a result fermentation commences fairly sharpish.

If the airlock becomes dry due to froth, there's a REALLY good chance infection won't be a problem. There's positive pressure there preventing bugs from actually making it in. Don't worry. When I have REALLy active ferments resulting in froth out the lock, I simply run a tube from a modified air lock down to a jug of water, making a really big air lock which isn't bothered by the froth!

count_andy wrote:G'day all

I rushed into brewing last night - simple Coopers stout and by the time it came to pitching yeast, I had accidentaly let temp get above 30*.

After stuffing around trying to cool it I vaguely remembered reading that its better to pitch it anyway to avoid infections. Came home from work today to find it had frothed out the top of the fermenter.

my queries:
a) how likely are temps over 30* going to cause damage?
b) after the spillage - what is likelihood of infection? Should I take off lid and try to clean up or keep lid on and keep it contained?

Grateful for any advice - already picked up some great tips from this forum.

Andy....as far as your beer goes....no chance of infection.

Let it go, and go....leave it go til its ready to bottle. Give it another 5 days, take a gravity....take another gravity, next day. Should be around 1.012 for a Stout.

Give it another day, if you are inclined to rack.....rack it. If not bottle it.

Believe me, a month in the bottle, youll have the best Stout youve ever tasted.

Patience.......dont panick !!! Have a homebrew.....or a beer.

Yeah, I'm with Paleman, although I'm not too sure that it will be the best stout you have ever tasted, however it should be no worries. When I started brewing it was all done in my shed, as you can imagine that can be pretty hot here and my main brew has always been bitter and the odd stout, the darker brews always seem to "boil over" a lot more than the lighter ones and I had many do it, never had one that wasn't drinkable, and still had plenty that were great!
As Paleman says, just relax and let it happen.

Thanks heaps everyone

It has settled down to a normal temperature now but not bubbling away as I would have expected. Will leave a few days and see how it goes. Will employ the relax and drink beer approach as it has worked before!

Was keeping it in the kitchen to keep it warm as Canberra winter is kicking in. Might have to get back into brewing the lagers in the cold after this!

Cheers

count_andy,

I reiterate: Worry has caused more homebrew to be tipped down the drain than anything else, including infection.

Sit back, relax, have a beer and wait for your beer to finish fermenting.

Then bottle and sit back, relax, have a beer and wait a few weeks before sampling the first bottle.

In all seriousness, infections (OK, serious infections) aren't that common among homebrewers.

Cheers,

Oliver

Thanks again for the advice

Sampled the stout for the first time on the weekend and it has turned out very well - close to the best I have tasted thanks Paleman!

Despite several possibilities of something infecting the brew or it not working - it all turned out fine in the end. So to fellow newbies, follow the good advice - relax, have a brew, let it happen!

Cheers

Here's how I always manage to pitch yeast at good temperatures. I chill the night before laying down a brew about 20litres of water, so that when I boil the wort , sugars, fermentables etc (usually about 3litres or so there), the fridge chilled water will easily bring the temperature down to about 20celsius.

I don't wanna hijack the thread but wasn't sure about this comment. I read in the Coopers Kit manual that it's more important to pitch right away than get the temperature perfect, as it will help avoid infection. However, sometimes the yeast takes a few days to even begin fermentation, so I don't see why you can't wait even a few hours before pitching.

I think exOja has a point here.
Any thoughts anyone?

TommyH wrote:

I don't wanna hijack the thread but wasn't sure about this comment. I read in the Coopers Kit manual that it's more important to pitch right away than get the temperature perfect, as it will help avoid infection. However, sometimes the yeast takes a few days to even begin fermentation, so I don't see why you can't wait even a few hours before pitching.

I think exOja has a point here.
Any thoughts anyone?

Just because you can't *see* the yeast cake/krausen doesn't mean the yeast isn't there doing its job.

Given how long it takes for such a massive volume of liquid to cool to any significant degree (what change would there be in a couple of hours?), I'd reckon that if you've buggered things up and the wort is too hot, you're probably better off pitching the yeast (provided it's below a temperature at which yeast will be killed) then try and reduce the temperature of the wort as quickly as you can. Do a search for cooling methods.

Cheers,

Oliver