newbrew129
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I usually use a wyeast liquid activator, I'm just wondering if this is too warm. It's just the usual temp in my basement.
Is 68/70 degrees too warm for primary fermentation?
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davekippen
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Depending on the style, yes. Most ales, yes. Any Lager, yes. The experts say you will actually ferment up to 10 degrees hotter than ambient.
Look up "swamp cooler"
Look up "swamp cooler"
davekippen
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To add a little, once I started fermenting (most) beers at 60, they have turned out soo much better
newbrew129
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davekippen said:
What are the adverse side effects? I've only done about 6-8 batches total and they have turned out good by my standards but that's probably not saying much as I'm a novice!
techbrewie
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the warmer you ferment the beer the more characteristics from the yeast will be presented in the final product. some times you want that, some times you dont. almost all yeasts have fermenting temp ranges that are given by their respective labs. stay on the low end for less yeast character and on the high end for more. always try to stay within the range though.
newbrew129
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techbrewie said:
Is it bad to have the characteristics from the yeast?
what style & which yeast is it?
newbrew129
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Billy-Klubb said:
Liberty cream ale from Midwest, wyeast 1010.
I'd try to drop the temp to lower-mid 60's with ice packs, tub of water with ice, or something similar until you get your temp control under control. I'm sure it'll still make a fine beer though. temp control will become your friend.
I have read so much about this and living in Fl, I brew mostly during the winter and during cold spells. With that said I have a cooler that I can fill with ice and have down two brews one cooled and one at 73 (APA). I couldn't tell the difference. Now that is different than saying there is no difference but not worth the extra work for me.
neat, but not all yeasts will give you the same flavor profile you want at those temps. you can ask the mass produced kit what temp to ferment at, or the large group of people that have a great number years experience & who are trying to help. flip a coin. it's your call.
Effingbeer
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Wyeast site says 58-74F, so you are probably a little past ideal, but be careful of dropping the temp to quickly. Maybe wrap a wet towel around it until it drops to 64 or so. You will probably be ok if you don't go over 70. I would still let it warm back up to 70 after 5 days or so.
meltroha
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You won't get much yeast flavor from the 2 year old package of dry yeast that comes in a Brewers "best" kit no matter what temperature you ferment at. American style ales 64°- 68°, British 66°-70°, Belgian 68°-72° is a good general guide.
Im not disagreeing with what you guys are saying. But i have seen with my own two eyes only a couple of degrees higher during the first couple of days never anywhere near 10 though. Maybe i just have not used many different types of yeast strains yet.
Effingbeer
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Just look up the yeast labs website. They all have easy to read spec sheets. In general, the lower part of the range is good to pitch at, and you want to be somewhere in the middle. Most yeasts that come in kits are pretty clean fermenting because they know most kit brewers don't have digital control ferment chambers. So if you are a little warm, at least you will still have a decent beer. That said, for a cream ale, ideally, I want mine to start out around 60. I let the temp rise to 62-64 depending on what I perceive to be a good rate of activity. I try to hold it there until I see the krausen drop and less activity. Then let it warm up a little more naturally. Hope this helps.
Ambient room temperature of 68-70 is too warm, for the vast majority of fermenting someone would want to do. Fermenting beer is always warmer than the room temp. The temp. ranges are for beer temperature, not room temp., so that is really the key. I would say room temp. of 60-64 would probably keep you where you need to be for the most part.
Also, depending on if you are using a starter or not, could make a difference. If you are not using a starter, your yeast may struggle during fermentation. This sluggish fermentation may not raise the temperature of your beer as much, but could create its own set of problems. A vigorously fermenting beer, in a 68 degree room, will easily go to 72-74 degrees.
Bottom line is that most ales tend to benefit from the lower to middle range of fermentation temperatures ( beer temp./not room temp.)
Also, depending on if you are using a starter or not, could make a difference. If you are not using a starter, your yeast may struggle during fermentation. This sluggish fermentation may not raise the temperature of your beer as much, but could create its own set of problems. A vigorously fermenting beer, in a 68 degree room, will easily go to 72-74 degrees.
Bottom line is that most ales tend to benefit from the lower to middle range of fermentation temperatures ( beer temp./not room temp.)
Well, that's not the first time we've seen bad advice given in the written instructions that come with some batch kits, especially with regard to pitch/ferment temps. Unfortunately. folks who have no reason to think otherwise follow those instructions and then later post on these forums asking why they taste off-flavors in their beer.
Except for a few exceptions, ale yeast will ferment just fine (and give you a cleaner result) if kept in the low 60's, especially during the first week and then allowed to come up into the 65-67*F range (as measured on the bucket) to finish. With certain ales yeasts (Nottingham immediately comes to mind), 68*F should be your top end, never exceed, red line maximum. I've fermented with Nottingham as low as 55*F and will gladly do it again.
+1. Keeping it cooler during the exponential growth phase (first activity through about day 5-7) helps avoid stressing the yeast (which leads to not-so-tasty chemical by-products). Letting it come up a few degrees later into the middle part of the optimal range triggers yeast activity of the sort that lets them clean up after themselves. The result=tastier beer.
two_hearted
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Braufessor said:
Exactly what I was thinking.
Effingbeer
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two_hearted said:
Yes, however you get there (packs,vials,starters,etc) all of the above advice certainly depends on proper pitch rate.
davekippen
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You asked about what off flavors might come out when fermenting too warm, its been my experience to get a "fruity" off flavor, or the dreaded "bubblegum" flavor. You can really taste this if you go to a homebrew club meeting and taste the different beers.
At our meeting last month, Pale Ale was the style. You could really taste the beers with the fruity / bubblegum off flavor, vs. the beers that tasted "cleaner" where only the malt and hops came through.
Some styles like Belgians and Saison really need the yeast to push the flavor. Most other styles do not.
At our meeting last month, Pale Ale was the style. You could really taste the beers with the fruity / bubblegum off flavor, vs. the beers that tasted "cleaner" where only the malt and hops came through.
Some styles like Belgians and Saison really need the yeast to push the flavor. Most other styles do not.
Effingbeer
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Sage advice from the winner of the pale ale competition last month. But can he lager a maibock? We shall see...
I love bazooka joe and I think someday I shall try to discover a beer that the flavor works in. The diacetyl and phenols kill me, but I can't seem to hate the bubblegum.
I love bazooka joe and I think someday I shall try to discover a beer that the flavor works in. The diacetyl and phenols kill me, but I can't seem to hate the bubblegum.
68 F actual fermentation temperature of the wort is okay for most American Ales like pales, browns, ipas, porters. But 68 F room temperature is not. Active fermentation temperature is a bit hotter than the surrounding air temperature.
I personally have seen 10 degrees above ambient temperature during an active fermentation.
Fermenting on the cooler side of the yeast strain's optimum fermentation temperature gives really "clean" results. Fermenting warmer gives some fruity flavors (bananas, peaches, bubblegum) or even "hot" (fusel) tastes. I like a "cleaner" flavored beer without banana or peachy flavor and aroma.
Gravedigger
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Try brewing one batch at 68 to 70 on your stick on thermometer and then brew the same recipe again at low 60's and see which you like better. Or if you have the fermenters split one batch into 2 fermenters and keep them at different temps. Then you can decide for yourself if it's worth the trouble to keep your temps low.
