Fermentation

[illomenbrewery]

I know a big problem brewer's have is fermenting in the summer. I am still in primary fermentaion on a Belgian IPA (just about 6 days in), but I have been on the higher side of recommended fermentation temperature (71-72 degrees F). I know now that even though the temp reading on the side of fermentor read 71-72 the liquid might have been a little higher. The yeast did its job, there was a nice krausen within 24 hrs of pitching yeast. Yesterday the weather outside got pretty hot so the ambient temp in my fermenting room jumped up a couple degrees, so last night i used the wet tshirt technique and this morning the temp on the fermentor read 72 again. My question is should I try to bring the temperature down into the 60s or is it too late? I will be racking into secondary tomorrow with dry hops for another 2 weeks.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Unless you are planning to harvest or reuse your yeast, I would just drop your hops directly into primary. I started doing this earlier this year and found that my IPAs taste and look as clean as if I had done a secondary, without the chance to introduce a possible off flavor (from introducing oxygen). As for the temperatures, that really depends on your yeast strain, some of the Belgian yeasts can handle temperatures into the low 80*F range.

 

[grittanomyces]

Higher side or temp range, or above what it recommends? I don't think 72 is going to be anything catastrophic fr a Belgian, could be perfectly fine, but if that's in the temp range then you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[illomenbrewery]

I believe it was Lallemand Danstar "belle saison" yeast, I got too impatient and brewed with the yeast that was in a kit instead of waiting on my all-grain shipment and yeast.

 

[grittanomyces]

I believe it was Lallemand Danstar "belle saison" yeast, I got too impatient and brewed with the yeast that was in a kit instead of waiting on my all-grain shipment and yeast.

Dude, the max temp on that is 77, and thars the recommended temps, you're not even close to needing to worry about it.

 

[illomenbrewery]

Upper temp limits are 87/90 degrees F. So should I just continue at 72? I think I will keep in primary for 2 more weeks and add the dry hops tomorrow as you suggested.

 

[illomenbrewery]

Dude, the max temp on that is 77, and thars the recommended temps, you're not even close to needing to worry about it.

Thanks I got a lil worried since the weather spiked up and the house warmed up a bit. Thanks for the reassurance

 

[grittanomyces]

Thanks I got a lil worried since the weather spiked up and the house warmed up a bit. Thanks for the reassurance

No prob. Just an FYI as well, from what I've read the temps are most critical in the first few days of fermentation. If it did go over, you could correct but it may not make a differences by now.