Ferment temp control

[carrisr]

OK, after talking to Jeremy, Big T, and Matt last Friday, I think my next step is to have more control over fermentation temps. I'm sticking to ales for now, so we'll keep the scope to those ranges.

Right now, my basement is running between 64-68F. Several people, along with the advice Jamil Z is always running, say to start the fermentation out cool then bring it up after the krausen falls.

But I've yet to hear anyone give specifics on temps. I know it varies some with the yeast, but are there some guidelines I can follow? So how cool should I try to go during the really active stages, and how warm should I go after that? Most ale yeast have recommended ranges of 60-75F.

I'm going to rig up a water bath with a fish tank heater. The lowest the heater can go is 69F. I can use frozen water bottles or just add cooler water to go lower the temp, but it will require a fair amount of babysitting.

Thanks!

[DrPaulsen]

I try to pitch at least 4 degrees cooler than I'm going to ferment. I let the yeast bring the temp up from there until it levels off. To ensure complete fermentation, I will bring up the temp a couple of degrees per day for 2 or 3 days. For example, if I'm using WLP001, I'll pitch at 64, ferment at 68, and then ramp up to 74 after the bubbling slows down (I'll also shake the fermenters to rouse the yeast in this last stage). Once it's complete I like to crash the fermenter down to 29 for a couple of days before kegging and/or bottling.

[tompb]

If Midwest Supplies ever ships the temp controller I ordered the beginning of March I'll be able to do a more controlled ferment! Until then, ya, what the Dr said.

[BrewHound]

Randy, the problem is it is very unique to each session. Much of it depends on how everything goes. Just keep in mind that the idea of raising the temperture is to get the desired attenuation levels while not adding to many undesired esters to your beer. So this is even beer type specific.

The reason I say this, is to tell you to crank it up after 2 days does not make much sense if your beer takes 18 hours for fermentation to crank up. So a lot of depends on how many (millon) yeast cells are pictched, Beer Style, desired ester profile, and many other things. For example in a Heffe Weisse I like to start out on the very hight range of the yeast profile. I personally like as much clove and Banana as I can get into them, some don't. So I try to look at what I am looking for at the beer, then if I want low esters and high attenuation, then I usually start increasing temp after about 1 1/2 - 2 days of high activity. Increasing 2 -3 degrees per day for 5 days, or simliar profile.

[Matt F]

All are correct. Fermentation temp various greatly by beer style and yeast selected. I know I ferment the same yeasts at different temperatures depending on what beer I am making or what flavors I want to impart. You don't need to worry about these details just yet unless you want to. I would say for most ales keep it around 68 and when fermentation slows down you can bump up the heat or just let it rise a bit on its own. You don't want to get caught up in too many details, or maybe you do.

As an example, I ferment most of my pale ales in the mid 60's for the regular California Ale yeast and then raise it up a degree a day to 72 once fermentation is finishing. I also like to cool it down to regular beer fridge temp before I keg as this clears out the beer espially if I have dry hopped it.

[carrisr]

Thanks guys, that helps..

At the basic level, I need some way to have some control over the ferment temp. Jamil and John Palmer both talk about a process much like Lee uses. Their take is that keeping the bulk of the ferment low makes for cleaner flavor (unless you want more fruitiness as BrewHound mentions). Raising the temp later in the cycle doesn't add many esters, according to them, and allows the yeast to do a better job of cleaning up.

I've set up a water bath to set my fermenter in with a fish tank heater and a small fountain pump to circulate the water. Without the pump the heater wasn't doing much. Even without the heater going I should be able to even out the small swings in temp my basement goes through every day.

Longer term I'd like to set up a fridge or freezer with a temp controller. That will also allow me to do lagers.

[tompb]

Longer term I'd like to set up a fridge or freezer with a temp controller. That will also allow me to do lagers.

That's my plan if Midwest ever ships my friggin' controller!

[TappedOut]

I got a temp controller, but end up using my keg fridge to ferment it. It's rather sad taking beer off tap. I got a second dorm-type fridge for fairly cheap that can fit a bucket (but not a keg), if I ever get around to cutting the shelves off the door.

[Matt F]

I am using a digital temp controller with a fridge for the first time and I love it. I chiled to 65 F, pitched and have an active fermentation holding steady at 66 F. I use to start low and most beers would get away from me while I was at work and get in to the 70's well before they should have and I could taste it when it really jumped early.

[Matt F]

BTW "chiled" is when you chilled so hard you only needed one "l".