Low Frementation Temp for Ales

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kingkoehne

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I just finished my first batch in my new place. Went awesome, got my efficiency up to 90%. But now I'm concerned about the ambient temperature in my new place. I cornered off a closet just for fermenting, having a hard time staying about 64degrees. Does anyone know, any good ale yeasts that can frement at a lower temp.? And doesn't need to be lagered?
 
nottingham can ferment a little lower.Is 64 ambient temp or fermentation temp?this would'nt be a bad temp for an ale to ferment at, a little on the low side but not bad.
 
This advice comes from the perspective of a guy with a fridge plugged into a temp controller, but my go-to "house" yeast is WLP004. I try to pitch it under 64 and keep it there for the first 36 hours of fermentation. I bump it up a degree or two a day till I hit 70 at which point I cold crash (if I'm at predicted terminal gravity). I've also used 001 under similar conditions with good success. I do pitch from a starter and oxygenate which will also affect yeast performance.

All things considered, you have a good problem. A lightbulb in a cardboard box will probably fix your temp problem. Bet you could even hit different temps by changing the wattage on the light bulb.

Does anyone know, any good ale yeasts that can frement at a lower temp.?
 
I was worried about cold temps in my basement this winter. It is 57 degrees ambient. I have successfully made a different beer under those conditions with three types of ale yeast, 1056, 1272, and 1007. I was worried my attenuation would suffer as fermentation leveled off and the beer cooled down to ambient temps. They never got over 60-61 degrees. Each of the my brews has come in with attenuation on the middle to high end of each of the three strains, so I guess those yeasts will work pretty good at lower temps. I wouldn't worry one bit about fermenting an ale yeast at 64 degrees, unless of course it was an ale yeast that works best at warmer temperatures.
 
I currently have a pale ale with SD Super Yeast that is over 36 hours in at 58 degrees. I forgot to turn on my space heater and it still is fermenting like crazy. Ambient is 48. I wasn't expecting these temps this week living in san diego
 
The ambient in my basement at this time of year is 58 degrees. Works great for most ale yeasts, except for the Belgians and Saisons that I brew.
 
A lightbulb in a cardboard box will probably fix your temp problem.
Yeah, burning to death might be unpleasant but if you die of smoke inhalation it probably ain't so bad and once your dead your problems are solved. NO light bulbs in cardboard boxes would obviously be my recommendation but that's just me. I think even first degree burns are painful. YMMV.

Your temps are not too low. I generally start all of my ales around 55F as measured by a probe strapped to my fermenter.
 
Yeah, after I had an IPA come out terrible bc of a 72 degree ferment, I have done my last 3 at 62. Yeasts were 1272 and 1098. Turned out great.
 
1272 for sure. 1028 also. Light bulb totally works. Use a paint can as a shade, there's a thread here somewhere..
 
In the winter I usually ferment at similar temps...59 to 62. Most Ale yeast will ferment well in that range...with only 2 possible issues:

after the bulk of fermentation has completed...try to find a slightly higher temp or you the final gravity might not get quite where you want it. Slightly warmer finishing temps will also help the yeast process diacetyl...which can be a problem at lower temps
 
kingkoehne said:
Does anyone know, any good ale yeasts that can frement at a lower temp.? And doesn't need to be lagered?

Pacman loves 60-F
 
Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter

would probably be better than a bare light bulb

after 17 year hiatus, I've only been brewing since October, temps in the unfinished part of the basement have been high 50s/low 60s and my ales have turned out great

if I could only get the BigHair to greenlight the purchase of a chest freezer
 
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