Pitching ale yeast at low temps

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Maddyriver

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I've been cooling my wort down to 62F when I'm pitching different ale yeast with good results. However, I just got my fermentation chamber set up and was wondering if I'm still chilling down to 62F. What temp should I set my controller at? The probe is taped to the side of carboy, insulated. Obviously when fermentation gets cranking it will raise the temp. So should I set my controller initially at 68F? So it hits that temp. Thanks for any input.
 
I've been cooling my wort down to 62F when I'm pitching different ale yeast with good results. However, I just got my fermentation chamber set up and was wondering if I'm still chilling down to 62F. What temp should I set my controller at? The probe is taped to the side of carboy, insulated. Obviously when fermentation gets cranking it will raise the temp. So should I set my controller initially at 68F? So it hits that temp. Thanks for any input.

Oh, my gosh, 62F isn't "low temperatures"! I was expecting "low temperatures" to be in the low 50s!.

I chill to about 60 or so, and then pitch my yeast and allow it to rise up to 64 degrees for fermentation. Yeast LOVE being warmed, but not cooled!
 
Yeah I guess that's not really that low. But what temp should I set my controller for? Should I set it for my target ferment temp?

That's hard to say, but I'd suggest starting lower than your target temp, and rising up if it's not high enough for you. Active fermentation itself produces heat, so it's hard to guess what will work for you. But one thing that makes great beer is fermenting on the lower end of the yeast strain's temperature range, and then raising up at the tail end of fermentation.

For example, if using California ale yeast, which lists 68-73 as optimum, I'd probably start it at 65 and see where it goes on its own. I prefer it at the lower end of optimum fermentation range. Then, on about day 5 as fermentation slows, raise it up to near 72 to encourage it to drop the last few gravity points and clean up any diacetyl created.
 
Also depends on your controller. I have the analog Johnson controller and I have to set it about 5 degrees lower than my actual target. You're not going to hurt anything by setting it too cold, but if it gets too hot and out of control then it's harder to correct.
 
Oh, my gosh, 62F isn't "low temperatures"! I was expecting "low temperatures" to be in the low 50s!.

I chill to about 60 or so, and then pitch my yeast and allow it to rise up to 64 degrees for fermentation. Yeast LOVE being warmed, but not cooled!

Listen to the whip, she has good advice .

It is so easy to control temps if you pitch at a low temp and then let it rise to the temp you want. I you pitch warm and the yeast takes off it is hard to get it under control.

Once a ferment starts it is best not to let it cool.
 
I have a Brewer's Edge II controller. So if my controller is set to 66F and wrapped to the carboy it's my understanding it will keep the carboy in check at that temp. If it reaches 66F. I know that when fermentation begins it will raise in temp, but if I pitched at 60F and the ambient temp in the fridge is 65F or lower. My concern is that initial fermentation doesn't have high enough carboy & ambient temp to get going. Thanks again for all the advice guys.
 
Well my concerns look like they are true. +12 hrs later and carboy temp only 62F and ambient 64F. No signs of fermentation. So I hooked up and mounted my brewers edge heating pad on interior wall and dangled probe in fridge and set controller to 68F to warm up ambient temp. and hopefully wake the yeast.
 
Yeah I guess that's not really that low. But what temp should I set my controller for? Should I set it for my target ferment temp?

Get a temp strip and slap it on your carboy. Or a temp probe and measure the difference between reality in the fermenter and what your controller reads.

For reference, my controller is +2* over the real fermentation temp - have temp strips on every carboy.
 
Get a temp strip and slap it on your carboy. Or a temp probe and measure the difference between reality in the fermenter and what your controller reads.

For reference, my controller is +2* over the real fermentation temp - have temp strips on every carboy.

this!! learn what the temp setting really equates to as far as beer temp. Mine is also about 2-3* off (I set it to 68 if I want the beer at 65*)
 
Got them on there. Between the controller, with the probe insulated on the outside of the carboy, and the strip they're very close within a degree or so.
 
However, I do have a question on hooking up the Brewers Edge heating pad to the controllerII. Do you just plug it into controller and hang the probe in the fridge? Like I've done. Or do I need to change the jumpers in controller since I'm heating? Even though I'm only setting the controller temp to 70F and below.
 
Way too soon for a heating pad IMO. 12 hours is not a long period of time to show "signs of fermentation" If you are talking about a jiggling airlock especially. What yeast are you using? Some yeasts love 62, some (like belgian strains and wheat strains) won't have much activity at all. Maybe it is fermenting, but just hasn't hit critical mass of gas saturation to start bubbling yet.

My british ales all ferment at 60 - 62.
 
Cali yeast straight from vile. I've brewed quite a few all grain batches with this strain, and have always had fermentation begin within 12 hrs. My concern is that this time I pitched at a slightly lower temp, 60F, than I normally do, usually pitch at 62-64F. However, as I type this there is slight action in the blow off growler. I was under the impression that a long lag time is not a good thing. Secondly, I'm concerned that starting fermentation at around 62F that even with fermentation heat up I still might not hit the low end of optimal ferment temp for this strain, 68F. Not to mention letting it get slightly over 70F to clean up. So hence the warming of the ferment chamber.
 
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