Temp Issue

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Hopper31

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2007
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Location
Salt Lake
My last 2 beers have had a bad attenuation % (I have been around 55%-60%). I have the 02 setup so I know my aeration is good. I am wondering if temp has anything to do with it my basement has been really cold lately like around 60 f. would this cause bad attenuation and if so what is the best way to regulate the temp?

:confused:
 
On an ale yeast…it might slow it , but I don’t know that it would stall it.

What kind of yeast was it? What was the recipe…the OG and final?

You could move it to a warmer part of the house and deal with the opposite problem (too warm). Just keep it in a water bath with a towel draped and wicking the water up.
 
Here is the 2 recipes

7 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.68 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 26.32 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer [4.80 %] (60 min) Hops 17.0 IBU
0.50 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (15 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
1.00 oz Tettnang [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
5.00 gal Salt Lake City, UT Water
1 Pkgs German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029) Yeast-Ale

OG- 1.050
FG- 1.020
60%



8 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 61.54 %
2 lbs Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 15.38 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 11.54 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.05 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (90 min) Hops 0.9 IBU
0.75 oz Styrian Goldings [5.40 %] (15 min) Hops 6.3 IBU
1.00 oz Strisslespalt [4.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.5 IBU
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 lbs Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 7.69 %
5.00 gal Salt Lake City, UT Water
1 Pkgs Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) Yeast-Ale

OG- 1.071
FG- 1.030
57%


Thanks for the help
 
I ferment my Kolsch at 58F and get 80% attenuation, without using adjuncts. The main factor is the mash, I do a 90min mash at 148F.
As for the Belgian style tripple, the yeast likes to start cool and warm up, by the end of fermentation it should be around 75F. The cool temperature could be the cause of the poor attenuation in the beer.
You said you aerate well, but do you pitch plenty of healthy yeast?
 
I've just had trouble with a trippel stalling out early - i began the ferment at 62F and brought it to about 73 (temperature controlled throughout) and decided I hadn't made a large enough pitch. Same yeast you're using.

FWIW.
 
Yeah I made a starter for both 3 days in advance. I only did a 60 minn mash @ 150 but I did the iodine test and it looked fine. I can’t figure it out.
 
Here is my Ghetto solution so far it is back up to 72f and I am seeing some activity from the airlock again:ban: I would move it upstairs but the SWMBO said no way!!

IMG_2969.jpg
 
Be careful with sharp increases in temperature like that. I know that everyone wants to see bubbles in their airlock, but I've also heard that a lot of fermentation temperature is keeping things consistent. Yeasties apparently don't like to be chilled and warmed up too quickly. Also, watch out for too hot of a fermentation. It could be worse than low attenuation: it could cause your beer to have weird off smells.
 
Back
Top