Another US-05 experiment... temperature fluctuations

This weekend I made my first 15gal batch of a Summer cream ale. They go toward gifts mostly to friends for summer trips and such. I decided to play around with some fermentation temps to see how this yeast reacts. It is my house yeast for the most part, so I've been curious to see.

Each batch is exactly 5 gallons in 6 gal glass carboys. I used 3 packets of US-05, mixed dry and divided evenly into 3 (in case 1 pack was over/underattenuating), and rehydrated with 1 cup water each at 90 degrees. All were Oxygen infused for 1.25L per carboy of concentration. The yeast was pitched at actual fermentation temp, so there should be no variability in initial temperature swings.

Fermentation temp- 60 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 14.
Fermentation temp- 64 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 12.
Fermentation temp- 68 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 10.

It was pretty neat to watch how the temp changes how they lag. Both the 60 and 64 degree batches are showing the same rate of airlock activity (1 bubble/second), while the 68 degree batch is blowing off.

Once high kreusen is reached, I'll start taking daily gravity readings of each. In the future, tasting notes will be taken as well.

Reason for this experiment of sorts? I've always fermented on the cold side of the spectrum for all yeasts. It was in my old school of thought that colder fermentation temps curb some of the phenols that I personally find unpalatable. Then I read Jamil's book on yeast, and read that US-05 often has the opposite reaction to temps, and I got curious. We'll see if there's any merit to that...

Writing here so I can be sure to check back. I'm interested to hear what you find.

Look forward to future updates

Subcribed because I am going to use this yeast for the first time next weekend..

On what I am calling an American Summer Ale.

At the same time I am doing an English SUmmer Ale with "NottY".

They should be very different beers since the grain is way different.

American all is half Munich and the English is half Pilsner..

Subscribed as well.

US-05 is my go-to yeast for all my light ales and IPA's.

I'll be brewing a Summer Blonde this weekend from the washed US-05 starter I made today!

I'm in with this one also. I started using US-05 for most of my stuff too. Not to hi-jack the thread but has anyone found a good place to buy in bulk. It would be nice to able to buy a 24 pack to keep in the fridge.

Edit: I answered my own question with a simple Homebrew Google seach

Subscribed.

Subbed. I have been continually ratcheting my temps down with this yeast, but on my last batch at 59-60 actual beer temp I got the dreaded apricot/peach fruity flavors in the last cream ale I've done.... I'll never go that low again, but I'm curious about your results.

I'd love to hear tasting results from this one. The variation in fermentation activity is pretty much what I expected.

Im_Lars said:

I'm in with this one also. I started using US-05 for most of my stuff too. Not to hi-jack the thread but has anyone found a good place to buy in bulk. It would be nice to able to buy a 24 pack to keep in the fridge.

Edit: I answered my own question with a simple Homebrew Google seach

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Can you post a link to where you're buying?

Subscribing. Definitely want to see the results.

Subscribed

Subscribing.

Thank you for being diligent.

Definitely want to see how things turn out.

Use US-05 quite a bit, can't wait to hear results! I'm in

Today is 48 hours post pitching. Both the 68 and 64 samples are blowing off now, while the 60 still has a couple inches of dead space left. All are still putting out 1 bubble per second, with a nod to the 68 maybe ever so slightly being a little faster. I'd guess the 68 will start to wind down tomorrow. I can't imagine it will go like this much longer given its modest 1.044 sg.

ill take readings of all 3 tomorrow night and every 24 hours until they stop.

Subscribed. This is my house yeast, although I mostly harvest it.

I tend to stick to 66F.


Question...what's the OG for the experimental beer?

I'm in a place with restricted supplies so I can't vary my ingredients by much and will be watching this thread to learn more about how I can adjust profiles but with the same components.

eric19312 said:

Subscribed. This is my house yeast, although I mostly harvest it.

I tend to stick to 66F.


Question...what's the OG for the experimental beer?

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1.044-1.046. It's a session beer for my BMC drinking family members, but it's also a nice summer beer to have around the house.

It's a modified version of Cream of Three Crops Ale-

70% US 2 row
22% flaked corn
8% flaked rice

90min at 152, batch sparged at 165.

90 minute boil

1.5oz Goldings 4.5%aa at 60min
1.5oz Willamette 6%aa at 60min

The hop additions are for a 15gal batch, so adjust accordingly.

Looks like a great experiment. I'm planning a cream ale for may so ill be interested in your results.

golfduke said:

Fermentation temp- 60 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 14.
Fermentation temp- 64 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 12.
Fermentation temp- 68 degrees- active kreusen appeared at hour 10.

It was pretty neat to watch how the temp changes how they lag. Both the 60 and 64 degree batches are showing the same rate of airlock activity (1 bubble/second), while the 68 degree batch is blowing off.

...

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Man! I hope there is "NO" big difference...

I have been waiting for the wether to warm up and it did, but not gradually.

We were freezing last week and yesterday it was 85 out... I was hoping for so 60 degree weather so I could brew a few batches without worring about the temp...

Weird Spring...

So this weekend I will still go for two batches but I think I am going to have to cover them with wet towels...

DPB

subd. I've had the peach flavor and i did not like at all. This was fermenting around 60F

Subscribed. Cream ale should be a great style to notice any variations in taste in the final beer.

iowabrew said:

subd. I've had the peach flavor and i did not like at all. This was fermenting around 60F

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Yeah, I get that too, it's a little off putting. I ferment in the 64-66F range now.

Subscribed!

Like many, this is my house yeast. I'd love to know the results.

Subbed.

Interesting, even though unsurprising results from todays gravity readings-

72 hours from pitching-

60 degree batch- 1.016
64 degree batch- 1.014
68 degree batch- 1.010!

Some notes- this beer is going to go low. I'm thinking it'll end up around .006 or so... The 68 degree batch surprised me as clearly outpacing the others right off the bat.

There is still regular airlock activity in the 60 and 64 sample, while the 68 has noticeably tailed off.

I'm not sure what to make of it either, but there is a pretty noticeable and distinct sulfur smell from the 60 sample. There is not much nose deviation at all between the 64 and 68 at this point that I can tell.

All beers are still clearly turbid from yeast flocs, and there are no color differences to note.

I'll measure again tomorrow unless something crazy changes.

Cool experiment. I'm definitely interested in hearing what differences you see from the varying temperatures. I like US-05 for it's ease of use.

I am also very interested in the results of this experiment. I have been using US05 for most of my batches recently. During the cooler months, my basement temperature is a steady 62 degrees, which has worked very well.

The weather is suddenly warming up, and I'm wondering how that will affect the behavior of this yeast.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how are you measuring the temperature? Are you measuring ambient temperature, the temperature on the outside of the fermenter, or inside the fermenter?

There are no stupid questions.

The 60 degree batch is in a foamed out basement chamber. My basement stays at 56 degrees in the winter. I have a Lasko personal space heater in the chamber attached to a Johnson controller with the temp probe insulated and taped to the side of the carboy.

The 64 and 68 batch are done inside of a fridge. An STC1000 keeps it at 64, while I use a heat wrap for reptiles on the 68 degree fermentor with a probe inside of a thermowell and another johnson controller controlling that one.

So, essentially 3 controllers, 2 chambers, 3 different fermentation temps.

trujunglist said:

Can you post a link to where you're buying?

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I have been buying from LHS, the best buy on line that I can find is Farmhouse brewing is offering 10% off if you buy in bulk. If my math is right that would take it to about $2.70 a pack.

sub'd. thanks for doing this, looking forward to your results.

bubble, bubble, subscribed.

I too use the 05 as my normal yeast mixing it up with the occasional Notty to change the taste of my house brew. My basement is at around 66 during the winter and my beers with similar OG as yours tend to finish quick. Usually less than a week.

No gravity readings last night, but I did go ahead and remove the blowoff tubes from the 68 and 64 samples and replaced with airlocks. Both have reached high kreusen and are falling.

The 60 sample is different- It never reached the high kreusen point that the other two did. I'd say I have a good 3" kreusen on top, and it's stayed there for well over 2 days, without any sign of falling. It's still bubbling away, but I didn't have that really aggressive fermentation that I usually see with US-05 from 48-96 hours and saw from the other two samples.

Subscribed. Very interested in hearing the taste comparisons.

Can't wait to hear your results

Check it out.

Thats what I love about this site. Its great to have people brewing things and doing this type of "real" testing. Cant wait to see how it turns out. I have an IPA fermenting at 68 right now, using US-05. Good stuff!