Safale US-05 yeast - temp

[BrettCo124]

Hi all,

I’m curious as to whether you follow the temp recommendations on the back of the yeast packs or if there is a specific temp I should be following depending on the type of brew...

I am currently brewing Conundrum Sessions IPA, and my temp strip on the side of the fermenter reads between 64 and 66 degrees F. I know the temp strips aren’t all that accurate, but it’s all I have at the moment. I purchased a Brew Belt, and I want to use it to make sure I didn’t stop the fermentation process too early since it has been really cold up this way lately.

Is that too cold (64-66 Fahrenheit)?

Is the brew belt even necessary, if not?

Can I accidentally “stop” the fermentation process early if the temps were that low?

Reason I ask is, my previous beer I brewed did not ever make me feel buzzed. I watched a healthy fermentation occur, but I noticed the Krausen came and went within 3 days. I wasn’t sure if that was too soon. Made me wonder whether I did something wrong when brewing, and temp came to mind.

Thanks all.

BrettCo

 

[BrewInspector]

Let it go. You could raise the temp over time if you wish but 05 will work fine at that temp. Getting it too cold will slow yeast activity but activity will resume once the temps rise again.

Most of the visual activity is completed in 3 or 4 days but there are benefits and often continued fermentation after that regardless of foam on top or bubbles in the airlock. The only way to be sure fermentation is done is with a hydrometer. The alcohol content is dependent on the amount of sugars consumed by the yeast. That can be calculated by what specific gravity you started with and where it stopped.

 

[MaxStout]

For US-05, 64-66 is fine. I've fermented that yeast as low as 60 and it worked well, though it took a little longer to finish.

 

[Wyobrew22]

I have trouble keeping my fermentation warm where I live. I put my big mouth bubblers in my brew kettle then fill with water at my target fermentation temp which during the winter is 62 degrees. s-05 does great at this temp imo and after a 2-3 week primary only fermentation the beers are good to go. I pretty much exclusively use s-04 and s-05 and find at this temp and time range for me s-05 takes off harder and faster than the s-04 and clears better but takes a couple of days longer to finish.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks all! Looks like I may not have needed to buy this brewbelt after all. Always good to still have handy if needed for an emergency.

 

[Morrey]

To be sure that brewbelt will come in handy somehow, someday. US 05 is one of the more forgiving yeast strains and the lower end of the temp range keeps the yeast influences neutral. Good choice!

 

[BrettCo124]

Thanks so much! Always great learning from you all.

 

[Ogri]

Isn't US-05 renowned for peach/stonefruit flavours down at the lower end of its fermentation temp range?

 

[Ogri]

To be sure that brewbelt will come in handy somehow, someday. US 05 is one of the more forgiving yeast strains and the lower end of the temp range keeps the yeast influences neutral. Good choice!

Isn't US-05 renowned for peach/stonefruit flavours down at the lower end of its fermentation temp range?

Also, thought US-05 was neutral at the higher end, whereas S-04 throws some off flavours up high but neutral down low.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I can attest to peachy flavors when fermenting S-04 at low temps (high 50s, low 60s). I have have found US-05 to be easier to work with and more forgiving.

 

[Miraculix]

I actually like the "off flavours" the 04 gives within the upper part of the range. Pretty esthers, suits a malt forward beer with lower ibus (around 20) pretty well in my humble opinion.

 

[jdonley]

Isn't US-05 renowned for peach/stonefruit flavours down at the lower end of its fermentation temp range?

Ive had this issue on a few occasions. I have a cold closet in my house that I ferment in during the winter its definitely in the low, low 60's (maybe even high 50's) and US-05 has given me issues when ive fermented in there. The beer almost had like a belgiany touch of clove thing going on. it honestly wasn't bad tasting, people really liked it but its not what i was going for. Boiled / sanatized everything 2 maybe even 3 times made a few beers everything was fine. Then winter came fermented in the closet... same result

 

[Morrey]

The OP made reference that his ferm temps with US-05 were 64-66F (I consider this towards the lower end of the range...but maybe not?) which is actually where I set my system (65F) for US-05 and find this range quite acceptable to produce beers w/o tons of yeast influence. I have never purposely set temps lower than this, so I cant say what happens when you start heading down toward lager yeast fermentation temps. But I can easily see some issues with a yeast that seems to like mid to upper 60's best.

But, however, the OP is part of the way to fermentation control by owning a brewbelt. I saw Inkbird 308 on sale for $28...I think on this site or Amazon. Sounds like the ambient temps may be able to modulate the cool side, while the heat belt with Inkbird would bring the beer to a controlled temp of say 65F or maybe even up to 68F and stabilize it there.