60F or 67F (need 65F)

Really wasnt sure what to put for the title of this...

Basically I am going to brew an IPA and it seems that the suggested temp is about 63-64-65 from all that I have read.

I have one spot in the house that is ~67F and one that is ~60F.

I was thinking that the day I brew I could put in the closet (67F) and then the next day after fermentation has cranked, I can move it to the 60F basement and the yeast would bring the wort temp up to where I am shooting to be at.

Otherwise I will have it is the 67 ambient temp and likely bump into the 70s I am thinking.

Or should I just start and leave it in the 60F basement?

Thanks for any input on this!

Start it out @ 60F until the bulk of the fermentation is done & then move it to a warmer location to get it to finish. What yeast BTW? That could make a difference too....

PinkyOFloyd said:

Start it out @ 60F until the bulk of the fermentation is done & then move it to a warmer location to get it to finish. What yeast BTW? That could make a difference too....

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Wyeast 1056- Temperature Range: 60-72F

So you are saying the opposite of what I was thinking? Actually that may ring a bell... is it better to keep the ferm temp low at the start (how long) then move to the 68 closet?

I hope to hear some help on this... Opinions please?

I agree on low then high. Give it a week at 60F, then move it.

david_42 said:

I agree on low then high. Give it a week at 60F, then move it.

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Wow. Ok... that sounds like a plan. When I put it at 60F the yeast activity should bump it up into the mid 60s I guess. Then after a week move to where I got the temp at 66-67ish.

Now, is this because of the situation (brewing an IPA) I am in or should I follow this sort of a procedure with other beers?

And if it is dependent upon the beer... how do I know what temp to start/finish at? Do I find the range of the yeast and then start at the lower end... then move to the higher end after a week?

Anyone with insight, tips, general advice on this would be greatly appreciated. I did search but this question really wasnt answered.

david_42 said:

I agree on low then high. Give it a week at 60F, then move it.

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Yep, me too.

Jamil talks in some of his podcasts about doing just that- bring the temp up at the very end to coax the last few points of attenuation out, and to clean up any off-flavors.

So then is it pretty standard to start a beer at the low end of its temp range... then move to the upper end after a week or so?

jalgayer said:

So then is it pretty standard to start a beer at the low end of its temp range... then move to the upper end after a week or so?

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I think so. I don't always do that, since I don't have a big choice in temperatures at my house. But I know that Jamil has recommended it to me in conversations about this.

This is actually very good practice. The yeast will generate a good amount of heat on their own, and towards the end, that will actually die off, so it'll start to cool back down. The trick as far as I see it is moving it at the right time. You don't really want it to go from 60-67 on its own, back down to 60, and then back up to 67. The yeast will likely just stall when it drops back down to 60, so watch that. But sitting it in a 67 degree closet will give you 75 degree fermentation temps, and that's just too warm.

I think I was a little worried about fermentation STARTING at 60F I didnt know if that was warm enough to get it going...

jalgayer said:

I think I was a little worried about fermentation STARTING at 60F I didnt know if that was warm enough to get it going...

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I would pitch the yeast when the wort is a about 66-68F then place the fermenter in 60F location. The yeast will have a warmer environment to start then it will cool down a bit for the bulk of fermentation. After the krausen falls I would move it to the warmer spot.

rcrabb22 said:

I would pitch the yeast when the wort is a about 66-68F then place the fermenter in 60F location. The yeast will have a warmer environment to start then it will cool down a bit for the bulk of fermentation. After the krausen falls I would move it to the warmer spot.

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You'll make better beer by starting low (60F) & let it rise after a week or so. OP is using 1056 and should be making a starter. The yeast are all happy about getting going at that point. You don't want to tease them with 68F & then shock them by dropping the temp. Or worse yet, stall the fermentation. That's my experience anyway.....

PinkyOFloyd said:

You'll make better beer by starting low (60F) & let it rise after a week or so. OP is using 1056 and should be making a starter. The yeast are all happy about getting going at that point. You don't want to tease them with 68F & then shock them by dropping the temp. Or worse yet, stall the fermentation. That's my experience anyway.....

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+1 on this. Pitch enough yeast via a proper starter and that 68 deg "optimum" temperature is less of a concern. I've fermented 1056 at 60 throughout fermentation with no problems. The temp ramp at the end is always a good idea, especially for an IPA that should be dry.

PinkyOFloyd said:

You'll make better beer by starting low (60F) & let it rise after a week or so. OP is using 1056 and should be making a starter. The yeast are all happy about getting going at that point. You don't want to tease them with 68F & then shock them by dropping the temp. Or worse yet, stall the fermentation. That's my experience anyway.....

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Pitching a liter or so of 68F yeast in 5 gal of 60F wort could result in yeast shock. Placing 5 gal of wort @ 68F in 60F space will not. It will cool gradually.

rcrabb22 said:

Pitching a liter or so of 68F yeast in 5 gal of 60F wort could result in yeast shock. Placing 5 gal of wort @ 68F in 60F space will not. It will cool gradually.

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HUH? You're kidding right?? 1) Cool wort to 60F 2) Decant yeast starter (chilled in fridge) & stabilize at 60F 3) Add a little 60F wort to 60F yeast 4) Swirl to mix well 5) Pitch & ferment @ 60F raising temp to 68F at the end of the fermentation. YMMV!

Update on this.

I went with the 60F basement... The fermentation took a little longer to start (20 hours) than my others where I put into the 67F area which can take 4-6 hours

Also, the fermentation was MUCH more mellow. Solid kraussen and bubbling. Good churning inside. And this was with nottingham which tends I think to be a quick fermenter.

After 3 days I moved it to the 67F closet and the next morning it was going bonkers and was at 70F inside the carboy. And the blow off tube was lucky it was there.

I really moved it more as an experiment to note the difference. I know I could have waited till the fermentation slowed to move it but I wanted (as a newbie) to SEE the difference ... I dont think.... from what I have read that it will drastically change the beer... in fact the recipe says to ferment at 70F.

Very interesting (to me)

thanks all

Keep in mind as well that although your basement is 60* the activity within the fermenting beer probably meant it was around 63 or 64.....which is PERFECT.