I’m brewing an amber using Wyeast 1450. Temp range on their website says between 60º-70º F. I’ve currently got it at 68º on a shelf for the first 3 days.
But I have other options around my house:
• In a closet near outside wall – 64º
• Basment - 60º
• in the closet above the heater – 70º
Which option would you choose for fermentation?
70º
68º
64º
60º
If you could answer, I’m curious about why you’d choose the temp you choose. If it’s a matter of style and art, I’d love to hear your opinions…
This is my second batch so all sage advice is welcome!
Oooo! Couldn’t ask for a better person to ask for advice from! Thanks!!!
So given my constraints, would you pick 64° or 60°?
Where should I move it to, Denny?
Basement 60° and likely to get colder at night by a few degrees?
or closet 64° also likely to get colder by a few degrees?
During the recent cold spell, my basement floor was about 59*. I would have picked that for primary since the temp will rise about five degrees. Then move to the closet. Stay far away from 70.
[quote=“masquelle”]560, why stay away from 75º? I believe you – just curious about the reasons.
What happens with yeast ferments to warm?[/quote]
My experience and research indicate that you get much cleaner and crisper beers at temps on the low end of the yeast’s recommended range. If you ferment at 70* ambient temp, during primary the beer temp will likely rise at least 5 degrees. I don’t know all the technical terms, but at those temps you get off favors and a type of alcohol that produces hangovers.
[quote=“560sdl”][quote=“masquelle”]560, why stay away from 75º? I believe you – just curious about the reasons.
What happens with yeast ferments to warm?[/quote]
My experience and research indicate that you get much cleaner and crisper beers at temps on the low end of the yeast’s recommended range. If you ferment at 70* ambient temp, during primary the beer temp will likely rise at least 5 degrees. I don’t know all the technical terms, but at those temps you get off favors and a type of alcohol that produces hangovers.[/quote]
You may get fusel alcohols. Not only responsible for hangovers, but unless you have a strong stomach and no taste buds, an undrinkable brew. I did one. After almost two years in the bottle some of the horrible taste is fading. I’m going to give it another 6 months before another taste.
So, it would seem that around low 60ºs (like 62º) would be the best temp.
What I’m worried about is the yeast going dormant. If the temp is around 60º (ambient temperature) that would be best? But don’t they run the risk of going dormant?
Also, why does the Wyeast packet say that 60-70ºF is the temp range if it should really be 60-65?
[quote=“masquelle”]So, it would seem that around low 60ºs (like 62º) would be the best temp.
What I’m worried about is the yeast going dormant. If the temp is around 60º (ambient temperature) that would be best? But don’t they run the risk of going dormant?
Also, why does the Wyeast packet say that 60-70ºF is the temp range if it should really be 60-65?
Is this stylistic or a basic for decent beer?
Thanks for all the smart advice.[/quote]
Wyeast is correct. Beer temperature between 60-70 will give you good beer. It comes down to preference, but generally the lower the temperature, the cleaner the flavor. If you’re fermenting in a 60F room, the fermentation will generate heat, and the beer temperature will be closer to 65F.
As long as your beer temp isn’t 70-80+, you will be fine.
If you’re worried about the yeast going dormant. Let it ferment at 60F for the first few days. Then move it to a warmer part of the house (65F-70F). Fermentation temperature is most important for the really active stage of fermentation, after that, you have some wiggle room
Maybe they did their own testing and decided you could make good beer at that high temp. Personally, I don’t recommend it.[/quote]
I suppose if they put a narrow temp range on it, sales may suffer because it would turn people off. especially newer brewers sticking to a precise temp range seems really challenging in the beginning. Just thinking out loud no real proof that that would be a factor in labeling yeast but it seems plausible.
With fermentation temperature discussions, I always wonder if we are comparing apples to apples. It’s obvious that the O.P. is talking about surrounding air temperature. But what about the rest of us? And what about Wyeast?
Is fermentation temperature the the surrounding air temperature, the temperature of the liquid, or maybe the temperature of a probe taped with bubble wrap to the side of the carboy? Each of these can be quite different. Which one is everyone referring to?
When Wyeast gives a temperature range, are they talking about the temperature of the beer? If they are then that could explain why their range goes a little higher than most here think it should. Maybe their surrounding air temp is 65 but the beer temp reaches 70 at its peak.
Also, why does the Wyeast packet say that 60-70ºF is the temp range if it should really be 60-65?
[/quote]
With fermentation temperature discussions, I always wonder if we are comparing apples to apples. It’s obvious that the O.P. is talking about surrounding air temperature. But what about the rest of us? And what about Wyeast?
Is fermentation temperature the the surrounding air temperature, the temperature of the liquid, or maybe the temperature of a probe taped with bubble wrap to the side of the carboy? Each of these can be quite different. Which one is everyone referring to?
When Wyeast gives a temperature range, are they talking about the temperature of the beer? If they are then that could explain why their range goes a little higher than most here think it should. Maybe their surrounding air temp is 65 but the beer temp reaches 70 at its peak.[/quote]
When I and most experienced brewers are talking fermentation temperature we are talking beer temperature.
Yep. Temp of the beer itself is all that matters.[/quote]
How do you guys measure the temperature of the beer? Do you use a thermowell, a probe on the side of the carboy, or just assume that it is within 5 degrees of the surrounding air temperature?
Yea those are accurate to within a few degrees of actual beer temp[/quote]
I use them in conjunction with careful monitoring of my ambient temps with a little common sense and experience thrown in. The stick on ones do go bad, so I am careful not to rely on them too heavy
and prefer to run it at about 62.