Raising fermentation temp after 72 hours?

While I was searching the net on temp control I ran across a page that said it would benefit your beer to raise the fermentor temp after about 72 hours. Has anyone done this? I usually ferment around 64F for 14 days would there be any benefit of raising the temp after the yeast is done bubbling?

Not necessarily. So long as you are within the proven temperature range for your yeast, you should be fine. If you feel that your fermentation has stalled, you could gently swirl beer to rouse the yeast and ramp up the temperature 5-10 degrees.

However, I would not use this as your standard practice. If you're at 64F, you are good (likely).

I do, as soon as fermentations starts to slow, I start raising temps from 62 to 70. I do this in about a 3 days span. I like to do the 62F ferment at the beginning to reduce blow off. After the risk of blow off is gone and yeast starts to floculate out, I start ramping up the temps. By day 7, I am at 68-70F. I then leave it at that temp for a week.

Important for lager, not for ales. Diacytel Rest

oakbarn said:

Important for lager, not for ales. Diacytel Rest

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I agree, its not important for ales, but it doesnt hurt it to help it finish up. Plus most of the fermentation is over, so no issues with off flavors.

Its no big deal if you dont, just saying this is what works for me and with a controlled ferm chamber, why not. I seem to produce quicker beers this way, from grain to glass 3 weeks. Sooner if I cut cold crashing from 1 week to 2 days.

I think warming up after active fermentation is finished is used inadvertently by a lot of homebrewers to free up a single fermentation chamber but not rush primary. I can't wait for my basement to get over 65F again for this reason.

this is common practice with belgians

JesseRC said:

I agree, its not important for ales...

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So how do you get the big esters/phenols out of a Belgian strain without getting fusels?

I always start my Belgians low and raise them up. Gives low fusel alcohols, big esters/phenols and great attenuation.

However, on my normal beers (English, American things) I just set it and forget it.

AmandaK said:

So how do you get the big esters/phenols out of a Belgian strain without getting fusels?

I always start my Belgians low and raise them up. Gives low fusel alcohols, big esters/phenols and great attenuation.

However, on my normal beers (English, American things) I just set it and forget it.

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Not sure, but I doubt raising the temp after the majority of fermentation is over , will produce esters. I thought raising the temp on High gravity Belgians (after active fermation was over) was done to get the yeast to continue chugging along and dry it out a bit. Everything I've ever read and heard was that ester/fusel alcohols were created during active fermentation at high temps. I'll have to research that a bit further, if so I'll definately keep my temp low for the duration then.

Again, I stand corrected, its not necessary for ales, I'm just saying it doesnt hurt. Plus as someone stated earlier it will free up your ferm chamber for another brew day.

I use s-04 a lot, its a quick flocculating yeast. If I keep the temps at 62 during active fermentation then the beer is actually at 65-66, then fermentation slows and temp of beer starts to drop. By me increasing temp in the ferm chamber, I'm really just keeping my beer at constant temp. What's wrong with that. I'm just compensating for the dropping beer temp and keeping the yeast at the optimum temp without them floculating out to fast.

Thanks for the info I had never heard about this before. So far I've only done ales but I plan to try a lager soon. I have to get my new temp controller finished before I attempt it. Is it normal for a lager to need twice as much yeast? I did a recipe in BeerSmith it was an ale recipe that I converted to lager and bink twice as much yeast.

On a side note I just bottled my first batch of all grain and didn't taste to bad for being warm and flat.

oakbarn said:

Important for lager, not for ales. Diacytel Rest

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Are you saying that ale yeasts don't put out diacetyl, or that they don't need a diacetyl rest?

Rundownhouse said:

Are you saying that ale yeasts don't put out diacetyl, or that they don't need a diacetyl rest?

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They're less likely to need a specific diacetyl rest, as diacetyl cleanup happens better/faster at ale temps. So, with ales, you can just leave the beer in the fermenter for an extra couple of days without having to raise the temperature if they have diacetyl (This is with the possible exception of ales fermented down near 60, if they have any diacetyl.).

Jamil Zainasheff stated in a witbier recipe, however his expalanation is general enough to apply to all beers. It's important to note he recommends this on many of his articles and podcast/videos:



I believe each yeast strain should be handled differently with different starting and ending temp ranges. Always stay within the ranges and you'll be fine. If you dont believe in raising the temp , then atleast make all your decisions based on beer temp and not the ferm chamber temp.