When people speak of recommended fermentation temperatures, are they referring to the ambient temperature around your fermenter or the temperature inside the fermenter? As I understand it, the temperature inside the fermenter can be about 5 degrees higher during fermentation due to the heat produced by the process. So if you have a suggested temp of 65-68 degrees for an ale, is that 65-68 ambient or 65-68 inside meaning you need the ambient temp a few degrees lower?
Fermentation temp question
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beergolf
Well-Known Member
It is the temp inside, so yes you need the ambient temp to be lower.
temp of the wort is what counts from what I understand.... you'll see numbers from 3~10 deg higher then ambient temp at the height of fermentation as you read though the forums.
My fermentation chamber is digitally temp controlled with the sensor in a starsan filled well that is in the lid and extends into the wort. So I set my temp at what I want in actual numbers, no fudge factor. Before that i used a 5 deg fudge factor and set at the low end of the range.
But hey, Im a new brewer and having my own issues with off flavors right now, so ,,,,,,be fearful of taking my suggestions..
My fermentation chamber is digitally temp controlled with the sensor in a starsan filled well that is in the lid and extends into the wort. So I set my temp at what I want in actual numbers, no fudge factor. Before that i used a 5 deg fudge factor and set at the low end of the range.
But hey, Im a new brewer and having my own issues with off flavors right now, so ,,,,,,be fearful of taking my suggestions..
WoodlandBrew
Well-Known Member
+1
If you use a water bath the temperature of the water will stay within a degree of the wort temperature. It makes an easy place to measure fermentation temperature and increases the thermal mass which stabilizes fermentation temperature.
See here for details:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/search?q=water+bath
If you use a water bath the temperature of the water will stay within a degree of the wort temperature. It makes an easy place to measure fermentation temperature and increases the thermal mass which stabilizes fermentation temperature.
See here for details:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/search?q=water+bath
My Igloo Ice Cube square big cooler is Perfect for fermenting a 6.5 gallon carboy in. Can add either ice or the freezer pack plastic things or both. Just the right size. Can lift the whole thing up if strong like bull.
I am using a water bath. I have the fermenter sitting in a storage tub with a few inches of water and a wet towel around it. I am also keeping a couple of 1-gallon frozen water jugs in the water for good measure. Good to know I can just take the temp of the water and have a good estimate of the fermentation temp. Thanks!
Well, you can't just take the temperature of the water to get fermentation temperature if you have only a few inches of water in it. Then it's not fully in contact with the beer.
Fill the water to the beer level, and then it will minimize any temperature variances between the water and the beer.
Well I have the water at just below 60 and the stick-on thermometer near the top of the fermenter reading 66. Think I need to add more water? I don't want to bring the internal temp down too low.
No, if it's 66 that's fine! I was just saying that for the water bath and the beer to be relatively equal, the water bath needs more mass (ie more water). If you can keep it at 66 this way, it doesn't matter what the temperature of the water bath is!
Ok. I wasn't sure if the stick-on thermometer was showing ambient temp or if it's a good indicator of the internal temp. If it's only ambient temp, I would expect the internal temp to be around 70.
In my experience those stick on thermometers are very good at telling the actual beer temperature inside- within one degree.
Very cool. Thanks for your help!
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