I am using a temperature controlled freezer for fermenting for the first time. I have the temperature set at 60 degrees. I made an American Wheat that has been fermenting in the freezer for two weeks. Lately I have just kept the beer in the primary for 4 weeks rather than racking into a secondary. My question is will I gain anything by keeping the carboy freezer at 60 degrees for the next two weeks? Or can I take it out and let it sit at room temperature at 70 degrees for the remaining two weeks?
Brad
Fermentation is likely over at this point so removing it wouldn’t be a big deal. In the future you can use that chest freezer to cold crash it for clearer beer.
I was kicking that idea around, but should I do that to a wheat beer? In the near future I’m making an Oktoberfest and the freezer will come in real handy for the lower fermenting temperatures. what is your thoughts on cold crashing a wheat?
I would skip it on a wheat. The yeast and wheat haze give it character that you want.
^^ yep, you want yeast haze in a wheat no reason to drop out the yeast from cold crashing.
thanks fellas for your thoughts. I’ll keep it in the 60 degree range for another week, maybe bring it out for the last week before starting the FG checks.
Brad
Welcome to the world of “Beer not Homebrew”!
This will be such a great pick up for you, zero’d in temp control honestly makes a bigger difference than going all grain or IMO rapid chilling.
I will give a bit of my experience as I have the same setup as you - On my last 20 batches or so (for ales, at least), I have been fermenting at pitch temp in the freezer - 66, 64, whathaveyou…then after 4-5 days, sometimes sooner (like on a saison), I will bring the fermenter out of the chest freezer, and let it ferment at ambient for the last week to ensure the yeast finish out. This is assuming ambient on my first floor is above that pitching temp, which is usually is - usually around 68-69. I’ve been getting great attenuation and really clean ales. You really want to ensure ferm temp is controlled, but it is most critical during the first few days when ester/phenol production is at its height. After that, you can remove the beer if you need to free up your fridge.
One question for you though, is the ambient temp of the fridge set at 60*, or do you tape/insulate the probe against the fermenter?
Thank you Pietro. I have the temperature probe touching the side of the carboy about half way down. It is reading ambiant more so than beer temp. Man I thought that with lower fermenting temps I would not have a blow up, not true. After two days that carboy puked out something fierce. It stunk in that freezer so bad. I pulled out the carboy and cleaned everything up and had to soak the brew hauler in PBW over night to get the crud out. We will see how things look after work today
Wheat fermentations are notorious for blowing off. To more closely measure ferm temps use an ace bandage and wrap the probe against the carboy. The bandage will not only hold it in place but it will provide insulation from the ambient temps in the freezer.
Truth. I use a spare piece of styrofoam over the probe.
Thanks I’ll give that a try. I should have something to use as a wrap for the probe. Going to brew an Oktoberfest next. Never did a lager. This should prove to be interesting. Oh yeah, the Brew hauler turned out great. When I came home From work I gave it an inspection with the old sniffer. I can put it back in service 
Man what a sticky stinky mess that thing was. Word of warning, if ya got to lean over and stick your head down in the freezer to clean the bottom of the freezer because of the mess from a blow out, watch out for low O2. Hard to breath down in there with all that fermented gunk! Whew!
all the co2 produced during fermentation displaces the o2. Try lighting a match and lower it into the freezer during fermentation, the match will go out from lack of oxygen.
NO WONDER!!! :!:
