is my wort to cold

[alexs2]

i am brewing a coopers ale and have used the yeast provided and started the wort off at around 22 degrees but the wort has very slowly droped in temp and now sits at 16 degrees. the wort kinda got going as i could see it foaming and bubbling away but it never really bubbled through the air lock, no douht because it has cooled off. my question is has it worked has it fermented enough to make beer. has anyone had a similar experince?

[Matty A]

use your hydrometer to take a reading. The airlock isnt really a good indication that it is brewing. 16C may be a little too cold but I normally brew around 20C.

 

The best way to check if it is fermenting is to take a hydrometer reading and then see what it says. Take another one a couple of days later and if the readings are differant then it is working.

 

If not then it could have stalled or is finished.

[Muddy Waters]

+1 for what Matty said.

 

Additionally, what type of Coopers Ale are you making?

[alexs2]

im brewing a pale ale. I have read some where recently that if you brew ale yeast at larger temp. you get a clean crisp beer anyone tryed this?

[Matty A]

That won't happen because the Ale yeast will go to sleep because lager yeast likes to be brewed at around 10C.

 

The Cooler end of the temperature scale will give you a better, cleaner beer (around 18C to 20C)

[Muddy Waters]

Hi Alex,

 

The Pale Ale comes with a lager/ale hybrid yeast so if it is healthy it should be able to handle 16C however like Matty said I'd aim for 18-20C.

[Guest]

Alex - Watch Muddy's signature..... i.e. IGNORE THE AIRLOCK [rightful]

 

Better still, get rid of it altogether and just use glad wrap. [ninja]

[Matty A]

I must admit life has been alot simpler since I have moved to the glad wrap method.

 

No more worrying about the stupid piece of plastic farting.