Question about heating primary fermenter (brew belt, etc.)

My local homebrew supplier sold me a "Brew Belt" to try and get my fermenter (and yeasts) into the optimal 75-80 degree range.

I'm not seeing a lot of activity after 36 hours. Does anyone out there have any experience with this thing? Everytime I feel it, it is cool. I had high hopes of a sudden rush of activity after plugging this thing in but my hopes have been dashed somewhat.

Short of heating the small room that I am storing my carboys in, does anyone have any good ideas as to how to bring the heat up to get the yeasts in the proper temperature range? Electric blanket? Hot water bottle? Heating pad?

Thanks.

Ernie Diamond said:

My local homebrew supplier sold me a "Brew Belt" to try and get my fermenter (and yeasts) into the optimal 75-80 degree range.

I'm not seeing a lot of activity after 36 hours. Does anyone out there have any experience with this thing? Everytime I feel it, it is cool. I had high hopes of a sudden rush of activity after plugging this thing in but my hopes have been dashed somewhat.

Short of heating the small room that I am storing my carboys in, does anyone have any good ideas as to how to bring the heat up to get the yeasts in the proper temperature range? Electric blanket? Hot water bottle? Heating pad?

Thanks.

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Not an answer to your question, but are you sure 75-80 is the optimal range. Seems very high to me. My ale yeasts typically like temps in the mid 60's.

I thought the brew belts just keep that carboy at like 75 degrees range to keep your wort warm warm in a cold room? As far touching it, 75 F does feel pretty cool.

Well, it depends on what you're fermenting but 75-80 degrees is generally way, way too hot for anything. Wine, maybe, if it's a heat tolerant yeast.

Just as an example, if you're making an ale, using Nottingham yeast, the optimum temperature is 57-70 degrees.

Do you have a fermometer? One of those adhesive strips that stick on the carboy or bucket? It's like an aquarium strip thermometer. That will better tell you the temperature of the fermenting liquid inside, rather going by ambient air temperature or by feel. Most people like fermenting in the winter, because it's a little easier to keep the temperatures down, so we don't often have the opposite problem. My house is cold, so I use cool fermenting ale yeasts and generally ferment at 60-62 degrees.

I've never used an electric blanket or anything but I have seen some people use a fermentation box or an old fridge with a light bulb for a heating element.

I have used a heating pad wrapped around the carboy with bungees to keep the temp in an acceptable range. What do you mean by not a lot of activity?

In the dead of winter when my brewery is cold, I'll use the heating pad. Or even when it's not that cold, I'll use it to bring the fermentation temps up towards the end of fermentation so that it finishes out alright (the ester production has already taken place at that point, so there's no worries there). A brew belt seems kinda..wasteful. A heating pad and an old belt do the same thing but for less $$. But yeah, unless you're making a saison (or a wheat, depending on how much ester character you want), you want to keep your temps below 70, not above.

I have a Belgian Dubbel in there now and the optimal temp is somewhere areound 75. In addition, I have two ciders that I just started and those are meant to be a little higher as well. Ambient temp in my basement is probably 62 right now.

But what are you seeing when you say little activity and what kind of yeast did you use? Do you have a hydrometer?

The only time you would ever want to ferment north of 75° is with some Belgian ales, and even then, you're better off starting out cool and raising the temp gradually, after the bulk of fermentation is done. High temps = fusel alcohols = massive headaches and "hot," solventy taste. Frankly, anyone who told you that optimal fermentation temperatures are up to 80° doesn't know jack about making beer.

Off the soapbox.....

EDIT: I see it IS for a Belgian, so I'll back off my statement a little - but still, you're better off starting cool, raising it to the higher temps near the end to get your attenuation up without getting too many "hot" alcohols.

I'm not sure - are brewbelts even designed to get that warm? It's such a limited number of beers that woule want to be fermented that warm...

Ernie Diamond said:

I have a Belgian Dubbel in there now and the optimal temp is somewhere areound 75. In addition, I have two ciders that I just started and those are meant to be a little higher as well. Ambient temp in my basement is probably 62 right now.

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What yeast are you using for the dubbel?

Another question;

Dubbel's are pretty big beers. Didja make a starter?

I made a single batch of starter and to the yeast question; I think it was Wyeast 1762, Belgian Ale yeast but i don't have my notes in front of me.

I thought about pitching a second yeast that was alcohol tolerant to make sure that I had finished fermentation but I never did.

I think the thing to do now is take a gravity reading.

So the concensus is that if I'm at or around 62-65 I'll be all set?

Ernie Diamond said:

I made a single batch of starter and to the yeast question; I think it was Wyeast 1762, Belgian Ale yeast but i don't have my notes in front of me.

I thought about pitching a second yeast that was alcohol tolerant to make sure that I had finished fermentation but I never did.

I think the thing to do now is take a gravity reading.

So the concensus is that if I'm at or around 62-65 I'll be all set?

Click to expand...

Any belgian yeast you use, should be able to tolerate alcohol of at least 10%-13%. How long's it been in primary? Give it atleast 3 weeks, maybe even longer 80 degrees sounds too high, but I don't think 72-75 is that bad. Mostly, just give it time.

I don't know of a 1762, but from Wyeast website on one of their most popular Belgian yeasts:

YEAST STRAIN: 1214 | Belgian Ale™

Abbey-style top-fermenting yeast, suitable for high-gravity beers. Estery, great complexity with very good alcohol tolerance. This strain can be slow to start.

Origin:
Flocculation: medium-low
Attenuation: 73-77%
Temperature Range: 68-78° F (20-24° C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 9% ABV

I'd suggest taking a gravity reading, to see if it's fermenting. If it is, great. If not, I'd enourage you to make a starter of fresh yeast and pitch it around 70 degrees.

Last I checked Brew Belts are NOT recommended for glass carboys...primary buckets, yes, carboys, no.

Besides 75-80F is too high even for a full hit-you-in-the-face-banana Weizen.

YEAST STRAIN: 1762 | Belgian Abby Ale II™

High gravity yeast with distinct warming character from ethanol production. Slightly fruity with dry finish, low ester profile.

Origin:
Flocculation: medium
Attenuation: 73-77%
Temperature Range: 65-75° F (18-24° C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 12% ABV


Notice that 75F is the HIGHEST this yeast wants.