First All Grain. Ferment Temps?

[wizdumb1]

So I pulled off my first All Grain!! In all it took me 5 1/2 hrs. I had the cooler pre heating way ahead of time and had water heated in pots also so maybe more time if you add that in. Everything went fine until cooling it down which took about an hour.

I did have a couple issues though. I forgot the molasses which I'm guessing I can add later?

I forgot to take a reading before pitching yeast so I just left it be.

And I did come up short on the total amount of wort after the boil. I used a calculator online to figure out water but should have stuck with my own thoughts and it would have came out dead on.

I had activity within an hour after 4 it was going good and after 12 hrs it's going crazy.

My question is what temp should I be keeping it at while it ferments?
It's about 72 F right now near the carboy.

Recipe was found online.

10lbs 2 row
1.5 lbs. crystal 60
.5 lbs. carapils
.5 lbs. chocolate
.5 oz. Willamette whole (60 mins)
1 oz. Cascade (60 mins)
.5 oz. Sterling whole (Finishing)

Additional Ingredients:
2 whole vanilla beans (cutup and shredded)
1.5 lbs. 'Rogers Golden Syrup'
8 oz. Molasses

I put everything in except Vanilla beans which I figured go in secondary later on and the Molasses.

No Idea what temp to ferment at and is there any way to figure out the alcohol content now that I forgot to take a reading? Do I just go off the estimated OG?

 

[butterpants]

yeast? anticipated beer style?

you need to have a game plan and take better notes so you don't forget stuff. molasses in secondary.... hmmm

 

[USAFSooner]

I would add the molasses now if you can. What yeast are you using? 72F is probably ok for most ale yeasts

 

[Yooper]

I would add the molasses now if you can. What yeast are you using? 72F is probably ok for most ale yeasts

I don't agree- a room temperature of 72 is probably too high for most ale yeast strains. Generally, a fermentation temperature (beer temperature) of high 60s is about as high as you want to go except for a few yeast strains. It really depends on the yeast strain you're using though. As an example, S05 tastes ok up to about 75 (but a bit fruity) but S04 tastes foul above about 71 degrees.

 

[JimRausch]

What yeast? The recommended fermentation temp. really depends on that.
Looks like a brown ale?
Without taking an OG, you'll have to go with the estimated from the recipe.
Depending on the yeast, you will want to get the temp down in the low-mid 60s. Stick the bucket in a swamp cooler with ice bottles. If you ferment in the 70's you'll run the risk of creating some off-flavors and fusel alcohols.

 

[wizdumb1]

Srry it was a Winter Ale recipe. I used US-05 Says 58-75 if I remember correctly. I did take notes but got rushed towards the end which I planned my time out but was interrupted. Lol...All the reading up and following what I read meant nothing as time got short. Looking at everything it was all done correctly minus some forgotten things I mentioned above. I did take a hydrometer reading before boil though and that was before anything was added. It was 1.058

I'm still learning but the as I go type. I figured I'll never figure it out unless I just go at it and be ready for any result but aim for the best obviously.

So should I try to bring the temp down a little? If room temp is 72 does it mean it's warmer inside?

 

[h22lude]

Exactly what Yooper said.

72 ambient temp means the beer could be in the 80s which is way too high. Fermentation can produce a lot of heat (upwards of 10 degrees). Your best bet is to buy a fermometer. You stick it to your carboy and it will tell you the temp of your beer. From there you can figure out how to cool it, if needed.

 

[wizdumb1]

I had to go to work so all I could do was drop it in a cooler room for now near a basement vent was 8 degrees lower there. Ill have to run out once I get off work and sleep to get another sticky thermometer. I have one on my other carboy but it was in use while I marked the measurements on the one I'm using. Guess I didn't think about the thermometer at the time...lol ill have to plan way ahead next drink.

If it is too high you think sticking it water with a fan is good enough for now till I get a decent temp control system going? Hoping the sitting until I can get to it doesn't hurt it.

 

[h22lude]

Before I got my fridge I put my buckets in a cooler with water and frozen 1 liter bottles. Not the most accurate but it did its job.

 

[Brewnoob1]

The first few days of fermentation is the most critical for temp control. If you're already past that, then you should just let it ride and have a game plan for your next batch. Cooler is usually better in most cases. If you're within the first few days however, dropping it into some water with a fan is better than nothing.

 

[JDGator]

I don't agree- a room temperature of 72 is probably too high for most ale yeast strains. Generally, a fermentation temperature (beer temperature) of high 60s is about as high as you want to go except for a few yeast strains. It really depends on the yeast strain you're using though. As an example, S05 tastes ok up to about 75 (but a bit fruity) but S04 tastes foul above about 71 degrees.

i agree with this too. i have only used US-05 and S-04 and when i get up in the 70's i usually don't get a beer that i love. i try to keep it below 68F if possible. during the summer i do end up some days in the 70's.

 

[dave8274]

Question on this. I've been fermenting in a basement bathroom, because with the door cold and an AC vent in threre, its the coldest in the house. It's down to low-mid 60s during the day and high 60s at night when the AC runs less.

I would like to get a dedicated fermentation chamber, but the first fridge/freezer I can find will be for kegging so it may be a while before I have a fridge for it.

Since the temperature fluctuates in that room, is there a danger of the temp dropping too low, or with that just slow fermentation?

Also, on brewday, is it best to let the wort chill in there for a few hours before pitching yeast? I've always pitched right after cooling, but my hose water only gets the wort down to about 75 in the summer.

 

[JDGator]

you want to pitch the yeast when your temps are down in the range you are going to ferment. if the yeast specs call for 60-70f then pitch the yeast when your wort is around that. plus or minus a few isn't a big issue, but no more then 10F.

if the temp is down in the low 60's it will just slow fermentation down some. not likely much though. you want to keep the temp fairly consistent, but being on the cool side is better then being on the hot.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I would much prefer to have fermentation temps drop low then go too high during peak fermentation.

As for letting it sit for a bit before pitching the yeast, i let mine sit for hours/overnight in the fermenter in my ferm chamber before pitching because my IC does not cool it low enough. no problems there so long as you sanitize your fermenter well. Worst time was when I put it in the ferm chamber and realized two days later that i hadnt pitched (I found the yeast). No infection, no issues at all.

 

[wizdumb1]

I managed to keep the temps down on the carboy....Kept it between 68-70....I confirmed the contents inside stayed the same with a thermometer.
So the only 1 day it may or may not have jumped above. But what I am finding is the beer inside is staying the same temp as room give or take 1-2 degrees. I have it in a cool room in the basement on the floor and the floor I think has kept it the same temp as the room.

My first beer ended up Mint!! Just got a little on the drunk side today...Family loved it so I think it was a winner.. And this current beer was in the same environment so I am hoping that it did stay room temp like I think it did. Back on track and watching it close now.