I’m trying to find a location for my fermenter that will keep it in the correct temp range for Safale S-04. I placed my plastic fermenter with 5 gallons of water in a spare bedroom to monitor water temp. The water temp has been stable at 64 degrees. I know that active fermentation generates heat. Do you think that 64 degrees is a good base temp for S-04? I’m getting ready to brew a Chocolate Milk Stout.
That’s about perfect. On average I get a 5° temp rise with active fermentation. If your concerned you can lower the temps by adding frozen 2 liter bottles and even further by draping is with a towel and blowing a fan on it.
Thanks for the quick reply. Great advice. Looks like the spare bedroom will work out just fine. Thank you.
That’s a good spot for almost every ale yeast.
I don’t remember if it was on this forum, or HBT forum, but there was a post a year or two ago where someone did an experiment measuring core temp. vs. the water bath temp. in a water filled swamp cooler. The results were within 1-2 degrees, which makes a lot of sense to me. Thermal mass effect of all that water.
Since then, I have been checking the water bath temp. on my fermentations. And I have been fermenting everything in swamp coolers, adding ice bottles when necessary. I only take the bucket out when I want to warm things up. I suppose I could add an aquarium heater, but haven’t needed one yet.
