Relatively new to brewing (this will be my third batch) and have a question about fermenting temp for a Belgium Blonde extract recipe. The recipe calls for the fermentation to be in the 70 to 75 degree range. My question is, can I get away with brewing around 65 to 70 degree range or will this not get me the desired flavors? It is a 2.5 gallon recipe.
Thank yall
You may end up with a “not so Belgium” tasting brew… Do what you can to keep it warmer… It will also help it finish a bit lower too! Sneezles61
What yeast are you fermenting? What kind of flavors are you hoping to achieve?
Yeast is Safale BE-256. Going for that “belgiumie” taste.
Ok I’m going to get a heat pad I think. I live in the Texas panhandle and the weather is ridiculous. 24 on Sunday, 45 today, high of 75 on Wednesday 
. My beer closet stays a good 65 except at night where it drops when it gets that cold. The fg on recipe is around 1.007 so I’m hoping it finished low. Thanks for the response
OK at the risk of being labelled a pedant… the beer is Belgian like the people…Belgium being the country where they both (beer and people) originate. There got that outta my system.
There are many different kind of belgian beers and taste profiles so you’d need to be a bit more specific to get any worthwhile advice. Generally speaking warmer is better to produce more pronounced esters and fruitiness.
THANK YOU! That’s been bothering me for about 8 hours.
OP, to make this on-topic, your beer will be fine. Yeast character might be a bit muted, but a Belgian-style yeast will still taste like a Belgian-style yeast, even if it’s fermented a wee bit lower than ideal temperatures.
Another thing you can do is use your heating pad to get it to temp and then insulate it well with blankets.
I think Belgian yeast gets a bad wrap in that it has to be 75°+. Many commercial brewers will pitch in mid 60°s and let it free rise.
Lol I feel like an idiot, and I can’t go back and edit the mistake on the name of the thread so it will forever be there. I am going for a more fruity finish (the flavor seems some what banana to me) so I will do my best to get temp consistently up. Sorry for the mix up and thank you for the correction, I won’t ever do that again 
!
Sorry…it’s a pet peeve…not just with me either haha
I’ve never used that yeast but if it’s anything like the trappist yeast, wy3787 for example, you will need to get it warm to get that banana and clove funk going on. When I’ve fermented a patersbier with 3787 at cooler temps it ferments fairly clean. Closer to 80 it gets funkier.
The heating pad is a good suggestion and simple to do. If you can find one of those ones that wrap around your lower back they’re perfect. Plug it into a temperature controller set it for 78 and relax. The temp controller below is a cheap DIY alternative that I’ve had for 3 years. You just have to set it for heat or cool and put a cord and outlet on it and you’re in business.
They were half that price when I bought mine. Looks like they raised their price to match the inkbird one which a lot of guys on here use as well. maybe cheaper on ebay.
Ok I went and got the back warmer yesterday. Will look for the temp control today. When using the warmer, should I wrap the fermenter or sit the fermenter on top of it? Thanks for the insight! I’m pretty new and really enjoying the process
Belgiums YUM
start at 65 and ramp up two or three degrees per day to 75. Let set two weeks in fermentor prior to packaging
I would wrap it and secure it with a towel or something similar. It doesn’t take much to get the temperature up a few degrees, and the convection from warming one side of the fermenter will mix it well enough to have a fairly uniform temperature.
Ok I want to secondary as well. Figured after week 1
OH CRAP, now we’ve got… “to secondary or not to secondary”… controversy … 
In the same fermenter or…? Sneezles61
Haha I tried to avoid that by saying “I am” instead of “should I” but here we are!! Different fermenter. I just want the clarity no other reason.
Don’t bother…leave it on the yeast cake for 3-4 weeks. I don’t subscribe to the ramp it up a couple degrees per day philosophy either though…with a belgian chill it to 70ish, pitch a big honking starter, warm it up to 76-80 degrees, attach a blow off hose and let it rip.
I agree with the high-70’s temperatures for Saisons, but not for other Belgium styles. Saison yeast “prefers” that temp. A Belgium Blonde would not normally call for a Saison strain though.
Very few other beer yeasts produce as-good-of beer with those temps.
Wy3787 lists the optimal temperatures for the yeast as 64-78F (BE-256 is listed as 60-77). Maybe your definition of “as-good-of beer” is different from others but the OP said he wants a funky BELGIAN so pushing the temperature higher will get him the banana and clove notes that the BELGIAN yeasts are known for.
If it is an authentic Belgium yeast, there should not be a problem obtaining those trademark Belgium elements at mid 60’s.
I have made around 100 Belgiums (BGS, Blonde being the most-often-brewed; and also Dubbel, BPA, and a couple Saisons), with a wall full of sweet medals, so I speak from experience. I am a BJCP Recognized rank. Not that that means much. Some judges don’t even brew. Anyhow as I’m not a regular on here I want you to know I’m not Totally ignorant.
I have used various yeasts and they all act differently. But in general, Belgium yeasts like to start mid 60’s and ramp up.
My main point being, it’s pretty much automatic you will get those flavors if you use a Belgium strain, even in the 60’s.
Thanks
