WLP400 (or WYEAST BELGIAN WIT) - temp question

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snailsongs

snailsongs

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I brewed a double Wit ("double" because my efficiency apparently shot up and I ended up at 1.063, nearly 20 points over what I was shooting for...weird) recipe yesterday, and pitched a healthy starter into the stuff at 5PM, it's fermenting like crazy less than 24 hours later. My question is, will going over 72F harm this beer? It IS a belgian yeast, after all. It appears that it will top out around 74-76 during active fermentation where it's at now.....will that be ok, or should I try to cool it down some? thanks as always.
 
I would be careful going too warm with this beer. This yeast has been known to produce sulfur flavor. I've brewed this beer three times and ruined it the last time. It ended very watery and tasting like rotten eggs. I'm sure it could have been a different issue, but one of the differences this last time was a warmer fermentation temp.
 
Just did one with the Wyeast wit (3944), 70* ambient, so peak fermentation temp was probably 73ish?, and got quite a bit of sulfur while it was green, especially if I drank the yeast. After a few weeks bottled, it has cleaned up great. Today I'll try it again with the yeast resuspended. Like doggage, it may not have been the temp, but it's a possible culprit.
 
Cart said:
Just did one with the Wyeast wit (3944), 70* ambient, so peak fermentation temp was probably 73ish?, and got quite a bit of sulfur while it was green, especially if I drank the yeast. After a few weeks bottled, it has cleaned up great. Today I'll try it again with the yeast resuspended. Like doggage, it may not have been the temp, but it's a possible culprit.
Click to expand...

the sulfur smell that people get with this yeast is usually temporary and (usually) arrives when the ferm temp is on the lower end. I was more worried about out of place esters and off flavors with the high temps....many belgian strains are fermented warmer than the average ale yeast, and that is part of their unique character....I just don't want to overdo it with this beer. I like the traditional Wit character and don't want to ruin it.

it sounds like you were in the perfect temp range....I wouldn't worry about sulfur anymore with yours. happy imbibing...and this beer taste better whent he yeast is resuspended....really.
 
snailsongs said:
the sulfur smell that people get with this yeast is usually temporary and (usually) arrives when the ferm temp is on the lower end. I was more worried about out of place esters and off flavors with the high temps....many belgian strains are fermented warmer than the average ale yeast, and that is part of their unique character....I just don't want to overdo it with this beer. I like the traditional Wit character and don't want to ruin it.

it sounds like you were in the perfect temp range....I wouldn't worry about sulfur anymore with yours. happy imbibing...and this beer taste better whent he yeast is resuspended....really.
Click to expand...

I'm fermenting a Hoegaarden clone right now and getting a strong sulfur odor out of an active primary fermentation. It started for 2 days in a 62F ambient area and moved up to a ~67-69 F ambient area (4 days total). The higher temp area is where I really noticed the odor. You say that too low of a temp will cause this smell, should I stay in the warmer area or move back down to the cooler area?

TIA.
 
Im fermenting AHS Belgian Pale Ale with WLP400 (had to use what I had) in my closet at 64F as per fermometer and I have no sulphur smell at all. Am I too low for the yeast range?
 

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