Belgian Witbier Fermentation Temp

Hey Everyone,

So my Belgian Wit started fermenting within 24 hours of pitching Wyeast's Belgian Wit Activator and is currently going to work at about 56-58 degrees (ambient, not fermenter). I'm getting bubbles every 5 seconds, is this rate too slow for the adaptive phase? I know Belgian strains can tolerate higher temps but was wondering if the current temp is too slow. It's only been 2 days since activity started, if that helps. Should I raise fermentation temps?

Much Appreciated

FWIW, I've fremented Belgian witbiers in the mid to high 60s.

Ambient temperature doesn't matter- the temperature that you want to monitor is the temperature of the fermenting liquid. You can buy a cheap strip thermometer (like for aquariums) to make is easy.

I don't know if "5 bubbles a minute" or 5 times an hour is normal. It really doesn't matter. Sometimes airlocks bubble lots, sometimes they don't. If it's fermenting, it's fine.

Thanks for the feedback... good to know. I guess I've read about "vigorous fermentation" enough times to make me paranoid when the airlock isn't going nuts. Just don't want to miss out on any flavor compounds Wits are famous for by going too low a fermentation temp. Then again, if it's bubbling, it's fermenting.

Yooper's correct (of course) that ambient temperature and fermentation temp aren't the same, and that if fermentation is happening, it will be ok.

But, in my opinion, you're fermenting too low for a witbier, assuming your fermentation temp is less than 68, which seems likely based on your ambient temps. The witbier yeasts offer a mild spiceness which you may lose at low temperatures.

On the other hand, fermenting it at the low temps might be a good experiment - you might like it!

Good luck!