Ok I have my first attempt fermenting . Pitched the yeast a little warm maybe around 80deg fermented like crazy. I had taped a thermometer to the bucket but and it was reading very warm a lot warmer than my house. So down to the 55deg basement it went. Still read high but fermenting seemed to stop. Went out and got a fermometer and taped it to the bucket and it read 55deg. Back upstairs to warm and started to bubble again. Fine. On day 5 I am leaving for a few days and my house will be set at 58deg. Is that to cold for the rest period. Next beer will be a lager untill it gets warmer in my basement.
Not sure what yeast you used, but 58F ambient should be ok for most. A little on the low side, but not too extreme. After 5 days and having temps rise and drop that much could be a bit of an issue, but nothing you can do about it now. The beer is probably done fermenting. Let it sit at that temp (58F) for another 2 weeks or so then either bottle or keg.
Also, if your basement is only 55F, I would not do a lager. Those fermentation temps could get close to 60F… too warm for a lager. But perfect for a lot of ale yeast.
EDIT: You could use a hybrid yeast at that temp, like a Kolsch. You could make a steam beer at those temps that should turn out nicely.
Thanks, I’m using safale s 04 in the caribou slobber. I’m going to throw in a couple oz of cascade that I grew and froze as a dry hop. Ill take your advice about not doing the the lager. I’m going to try the chinook ipa and look at using a colder temp yeast. Maybe a light bulb
What is a steam beer?
Anchor Steam or California Common
Funny I just had an anchor steam porter clone the other day. Quite tasty are all their beers done that way
I believe a steam beer is a beer fermented using lager yeast at ale temperatures.
On the episode of Brew Dogs they did in San Francisco, they partnered with the brewmaster at Anchor. He said the term steam beer came from the fact that back in the early days they fermented in open vats on the roof of the brewery and anybody walking by could see steam rising from the vats when the weather conditions were right, which was just about every afternoon or evening in SF. They even showed a picture or two of it. The term may of course have taken on a new meaning in relation to homebrewing.
