Fermentation temps following first week?

This leave the beer on the yeast cake a month stuff is very new to me as we just didn't do that to speak of in the 90's when I brewed a lot. With the temps up around 75F in my house now I have the following question. I know I can keep the initial fermentation temps in the lower 60's by using ice bottles and a muck bucket to put the fermentation vessel in. I really don't have any strong desire to try and keep that up a month though as I am sure I would be out of town part of that time. If I go a week with controled temps to complete most fermentation, can I let the beer rise to room ambient temps for the next two or three weeks without getting off flavors in the beer, or am I better off just bottling after the initial 7-10 day fermentation? TIA.

befus said:

This leave the beer on the yeast cake a month stuff is very new to me as we just didn't do that to speak of in the 90's when I brewed a lot. With the temps up around 75F in my house now I have the following question. I know I can keep the initial fermentation temps in the lower 60's by using ice bottles and a muck bucket to put the fermentation vessel in. I really don't have any strong desire to try and keep that up a month though as I am sure I would be out of town part of that time. If I go a week with controled temps to complete most fermentation, can I let the beer rise to room ambient temps for the next two or three weeks without getting off flavors in the beer, or am I better off just bottling after the initial 7-10 day fermentation? TIA.

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If you leave your beer on yeast, yeast will continue to work...usually within 10 days primary fermentation is complete (as you stated), however after that the yeast continue working to condition the beer...so to answer your question keep your temps in line or you will get off flavors...additionally the earliest I bottle/keg a beer is 2 weeks and strongly recommend that all beers ferment for at least 3 weeks.

After primary fermentation temperature is less important.

I usually take my beer off temp control after the beer starts to drop clear, letting it warm up to the low 70s.

Thanks for the advice. I hope I can avoid too much off flavors as it is a special bitter.

SD-Slim I agree, but the trouble is I just won't be here 20+ consecutive days to add ice to the swamp cooler. About the best I can do is maybe 10 days under excellent fermentation temps, let it warm to ambient for two days to ferment out, and then cold crash in the beer fridge while I am out of town and then return and bottle it.

I take most ales up to 70-75 when the krausen starts to fall to finish attenuating and condition. Most of the flavor profile is set in the first 3-4 days.

If you're making a bitter, I doubt your fermentation is going to last more than a few days. If you aerate properly, pitch the proper amount of yeast and maintain a desirable fermentation temp, you'll be fine.

I only control temps on smaller beers for the first 5-7 days, then I let 'em go ambient. Works great, clean beers indeed. Your beer will be great.

befus said:

Thanks for the advice. I hope I can avoid too much off flavors as it is a special bitter.

SD-Slim I agree, but the trouble is I just won't be here 20+ consecutive days to add ice to the swamp cooler. About the best I can do is maybe 10 days under excellent fermentation temps, let it warm to ambient for two days to ferment out, and then cold crash in the beer fridge while I am out of town and then return and bottle it.

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I would do this if I were you. If you are managing fermentation carefully, I don't think there is any reason to let it sit for a month. This is how commercial breweries that make good beer do it.

Before everyone starts yelling at me, I don't think letting it sit for a month would ruin it. I do it often. But i think there are diminishing(or even negative) returns if your process is good.

I agree with mjohnson. So long as you're not talking about super high gravity brews or brews with really complex grain bills, I've had good success with moving my "average" beers to bottle fairly quickly. It's really a beer to beer thing with me. Give it a taste and go from there.

Do you have a basement/cellar that is cooler than the rest of the house? Typically basements are cooler, and more temperature stable, than the rest of the house. My fermenters currently sit in my friend/brew buddy's basement from brew day to kegging day. On lower ABV% brews, that's 3-4 weeks (that's for anything under ~6.5-7%). Bigger brews get longer in primary and then time aging if desired (I only shift to another vessel if the element it will age on benefits form being off the yeast). Since we normally don't need to worry about temperature control, it's all good. I use a thermowell with a digital thermometer (long probe) to get a reading inside the middle of the fermenter. Far better than the stick-on thermometer strips most HBC's sell.

As an alternative to the swamp cooler you could create a fermentation chamber. You just need a little space to put it (about the same amount as a swamp cooler would take up) and need to get a few items to make it. There are plenty of threads with different designs on this idea. Personally, I'll be looking to make one if my next apartment doesn't have a basement I can put my fermenters/aging vessels in. I'll have enough room in the apartment (going to make sure of that) so a fermentation chamber will be easy.