Is 64° too cool for fermentation?

[LouBrew13]

I've recently moved my brewing into my fiancee's basement. And it's cooler than my previous brewing room in the upper 60's lower 70's. The reason I'm asking is because I have a wheat fermenting for 3 weeks now and still going strong. Having said that, every batch I've fermented down there has started really strong with one lid that blew off the bucket. Almost all of them have had krausen come through the airlock. But they're slow to finish.

Should I finish them in warmer temps after high krausen? And if so should I move them or heat with an apparatus for warming my fermenter?

Thanks and cheers

 

[Pie_Man]

A 64F ambient temperature is good for most ale yeasts. Bare in mind that fermentation creates its own heat, so the temp of the beer is probably closer to 70, maybe even a little higher, during peak fermentation. As fermentation activity wanes, the temperature will be closer to the ambient temp.

 

[Uziyahu]

I keep most of my beers in the low 60's sometimes in the upper 50's (ambient temp) during the peak of fermentation. Remember that the internal temperature can go up to 10 degrees higher than ambient temperature. Make sure that you check the preferred temp range for the yeast you are using. Unless your new room is in the low 50's I would think it's a good place to ferment.

In your case, where you keep the beer depends on the style and the yeast you are using. For a fruitier, yeastier beer, ferment in the upper ranges of the yeast's preferred temp range. For a cleaner beer, ferment in the lower ranges of the yeast's preferred temp range.

 

[LouBrew13]

Most of my beers are wheat or Belgians with an occasional stout or IIPA. When taking inventory of yeasts, I usually only use Cal. yeast, trappist high gravity, or wit yeast. I know a lot of brewers raise temps on Belgians to create esters.

I was just concerned because my beers have been taking awhile to finish. But they're happy I guess.

 

[paraordnance]

Most beers I brew fermented at 62-64F (APAs, IPAs, Hefewizens, Big Belgians, Kolsch, American Wheat) and that is actual beer temperature. You need more like 58F ambient.

 

[jbsg02]

You say it's been going for 3 weeks and still going strong, that doesn't seem right to me. You typically want to pitch and start cool and warm up towards the end of fermentation, not start warm and cool down

 

[SpeedYellow]

Yep fermenting for 3 weeks is no good. You either dramatically under pitched or that yeast don't like it cool. Most ale yeasts love 64F ambient though. Heck this winter I used 1056 in a 56F ambient and it went fine.

 

[skullface1818]

you should be fine. Ale yeast loves temps in that range. Its only a problem when you go below 55 degrees into lagger territory

 

[whitehause]

Going "strong" after three weeks? Something's not right there.

It's not uncommon to have a little airlock activity if you move it(Co2 coming out of suspension) or if you warm it up (it expands a bit causing a little airlock activity).

Have you checked the gravity? Is it at or close to the predicted final gravity.

64 is a great temp btw, I wish I had a room that stayed at 64.
And yes, it's not uncommon to warm it up towards the end of fermentation. It's called a diacetyl rest. It allows the yeast to clean up diacetyl that is produced during fermentation.

 

[tripplehazzard]

Assuming your doing 5gal batches. You are making starters and using yeast nutrient?

 

[kh54s10]

I agree that 64 is typically a good fermentation temperature for most ale yeasts. How are you judging that you still have active fermentation. Bubbles in the airlock is not a good indicator of what is actually happening. As whitehause stated it could just be co2 coming out of suspension.

BTW if you are often getting krausen coming through your airlock you should be using a blow off tube.

I suggest that you start EVERY fermentation with a blow off tube. It will save you from cleaning up big messes.

 

[LouBrew13]

I agree that 64 is typically a good fermentation temperature for most ale yeasts. How are you judging that you still have active fermentation. Bubbles in the airlock is not a good indicator of what is actually happening. As whitehause stated it could just be co2 coming out of suspension.

BTW if you are often getting krausen coming through your airlock you should be using a blow off tube.

I suggest that you start EVERY fermentation with a blow off tube. It will save you from cleaning up big messes.

Lesson learned with the tube. I always think I have enough head space but nope.

It's not going super strong but the krausen is dropping in the carboy. I have a blow off tube dumping into a growler and there's still bubbling.

Assuming that my swmbo wants everything tidy in the basement, should I get a heating pad or something to warm up my batches?