Correcting Warm Fermentation

[brewmeister13]

I just brewed a Hefe and am using WLP300. I was having some problems with my temps and fermented the first 3 days at 69-71F (the cooler was set to 56F), with dips down to 65 or so for short periods of time. I pulled a sample today and it was nearly done fermenting, 1.012 (1.050 was the OG). I noticed a heavy banana/sweetness from the sample and am hoping it's not too late to correct this with the cooler temp. My question is will the cooler temp now help and is there anything else I can do, other than refine my fermenting next batch, to help this brew?

Thanks

 

[chemman14]

That temperature is what 300 should ferment at. Bannana esters are created with this yeast.

 

[chemman14]

Also when you say the cooler was set to 56, what do you mean? Are you measuring the ambient air temperature of a fermentation fridge?

 

[brewmeister13]

The banana is over powering and I was aiming for closer to 66-68 to balance the clove and banana flavors. At the temp I had the banana is overpowering.

By 56 this is the ambient air inside the cooler where the probe is. The temp difference is due to the very active fermentation.

 

[BlackGoat]

yep, banana and clove is what this yeast is supposed to produce. If you don't want these flavors, a different strain next time will help. WLP001 produces a simple clean heffe with none of the traditional bavarian off flavors.

 

[brewmeister13]

I understand the yeast is one aspect to the flavor production, temperature being the other. I have all banana and no clove from the warm temp. I was looking for a balance of the two by controlling temp, however, due to a very vigorous fermentation and inexperience with the equipment swas unable to. I've dropped the temp and am hoping this will work. Does anyone out there know of any other methods for reducing the banana ester flavor after fermentation has 80-90% finished?

Perhaps I posted this in the wrong forum. Should I have posted in general techniques?

 

[BlackGoat]

Age is really the only thing that will help. I would give it plenty of time on the yeast to clean it up (week or two after fermentation is complete) then see if that helps much. Usually some of those strong notes you pick up this early will mellow out a bit.

 

[Yooper]

Once the fermentation starts, lowering the temperature won't do all that much because esters are formed in the first 24-48 hours. It won't hurt, of course, but it may not help.

 

[chemman14]

Also, you should attach your probe directly to the outside of your fermenter, covered by some type of insulation. This will give you more accurate control over your fermentation temperature.

 

[urbanmyth]

For next time, a balance of the banana and clove is better achieved through a cooler ferment. 62F on a dunkelweiss gave me the perfect balance.

 

[dogbar]

First hefe I ever made the same thing happened. It's heresy but ... a wedge of lemon in the glass will cover up 80% of that banana flavor.

 

[brewmeister13]

I was also thinking of possibly using some bitter orange peel and coriander in one of the carboys, or possibly grand marnier, to add a bit of complexity and possibly counter some of the sweetness, but have never worked with either.

 

[brewmeister13]

Also, you should attach your probe directly to the outside of your fermenter, covered by some type of insulation. This will give you more accurate control over your fermentation temperature.

Have you done this? I thought about it, but was worried that the freezer would run continuously until the wort hit my desired temp and then would be so cold the wort would continue to drop. If it has worked for you though I would look into it.

 

[chemman14]

Have you done this? I thought about it, but was worried that the freezer would run continuously until the wort hit my desired temp and then would be so cold the wort would continue to drop. If it has worked for you though I would look into it.

Yes, this is how I control my fermentation temperature. I set my dif to 1 and set the controller to cut in at set point then put my set point one degree above my desired fermentation temperature.

 

[brewmeister13]

Yes, this is how I control my fermentation temperature. I set my dif to 1 and set the controller to cut in at set point then put my set point one degree above my desired fermentation temperature.

I'll give this a try and play around with it, thanks. Do you simply put some sort of insulation directly over the carboy and probe or have a small box insulated with the probe inside attached to the side of the carboy?

 

[chemman14]

I'll give this a try and play around with it, thanks. Do you simply put some sort of insulation directly over the carboy and probe or have a small box insulated with the probe inside attached to the side of the carboy?

I use a section of a bubble mailer and use my carboy carrier strap to hold it against the probe that is against the carboy

 

[brewmeister13]

Thanks Chemman. I switched the probe (and from cut out to cut in at temp) and used some bubble insulation I had laying around. The temp on the carboys is far more stable now and I'm excited to actually have control over my next fermentation the entire time.

 

[chemman14]

Thanks Chemman. I switched the probe (and from cut out to cut in at temp) and used some bubble insulation I had laying around. The temp on the carboys is far more stable now and I'm excited to actually have control over my next fermentation the entire time.

Awesome. Accurate fermentation temperature control makes better beer Are you making starters as well?

 

[brewmeister13]

Yeah, I'm making starters for my batches with a stir plate. I also direct inject O2 to aerate before pitching. The temp control was the only part of fermentation that I didn't quite have full control over, but now, thanks to you, it seems like I might.

 

[chemman14]

Yeah, I'm making starters for my batches with a stir plate. I also direct inject O2 to aerate before pitching. The temp control was the only part of fermentation that I didn't quite have full control over, but now, thanks to you, it seems like I might.

awesome!

 

[Cyclman]

awesome!

+1 you're going to see a significant increase in your beer quality now.

 

[brewmeister13]

+1 you're going to see a significant increase in your beer quality now.

Thanks, I just can't wait to try any of my homebrew. The Hefe was only my 2nd batch. My first was an Arrogant Bastard clone that I am still waiting on to carb up (tomorrow will be 3 weeks in the bottle for half it and 2 for the other half).