First Brew!

[Rodeno]

Just thought I would share that I brewed for the first time today! Right now my thermostat is reading 66 degrees, what kind of fluctuation can the beer take, and is 66 degrees acceptable?

 

[Math0]

If it is 66F then its perfect! You should check with the kind of yeast you used what is the temperature range for fermentation. Most of them are around 60-70F. Also, fermentation is an exothermic reaction. The temperature inside the carboy will be a bit warmer

 

[gdbrewer]

Just thought I would share that I brewed for the first time today! Right now my thermostat is reading 66 degrees, what kind of fluctuation can the beer take, and is 66 degrees acceptable?

Congrats! What kind of beer is it? If it's a lager you need to be prepared to drop to the 50's. If it's an ale, you're good.

 

[Rodeno]

Thanks! I am doing an IPA...

 

[boydster]

You're at a great temp for most ale yeasts. Do what you can to hold it at that temp, it will generate some heat of its own when the fermentation really gets going. When it slows down (after 5 days or so) you can let the temp start creeping up to 68-70 to help the yeast finish the job.

 

[Rodeno]

I got home from sales calls today around 3:00 (pretty much 48 hours after I sealed the fermenter) an I was pumped to see activity in the airlock!

 

[ElJefeBrews]

Congrats! My very first batch is finally ready to drink after the longest month of my life. I'm pretty sure it fermented too hot because it had off flavors (it fermented in 74 degrees). But everything else turned out perfect and getting so close on my first shot just got me that much more excited about trying again. About to start my second batch which will be an attempt at a pumpkin ale.

 

[Rodeno]

Yea I was worries that my temp would be too cool, but it has held solid at 62/63 degrees. Any type of recipe is all about trial and error. I already can't wait for another batch!

 

[Adaman05]

If you're at 66 ambient, you may get some esters from fermenting a touch too high, depending on your yeast strain. Fermenting beer is usually 5, sometimes up to 10, degrees hotter than ambient during active fermentation. What was your yeast?

 

[mrphillips]

Haha! I love the excitement! If you don't feel that way with your first homebrew, you need to do two things:

1) Check your pulse.
2) Go to store and buy some Bud Light.

I WOULD like to know what yeast/grains you used, and what kit you used. If it wasn't a kit, then an even harder pat on your back is due

Make sure to post back when you taste your brew. To answer your original question, anything below 70 will be perfect. What method are you using to keep it cool? Personally, a large plastic container and an addition of 4 trays of ice once a day does a nice job of keeping the temp. at 68. And as always...

Happy Brewing!

 

[Rodeno]

Mrphillips, I couldn't agree more. I use an IPA kit from my local brew shop. To keep it cool I'm just keeping it in y basement and since it's been around 45 degrees here in Pittsburgh and I don't have a completely underground basement (house is on a hill, shocker here in Pitt!) it has stayed very consistent.