Fermentation temp.

Brewing an Ale using US05. Is there any off taste created if fermented too cold or is the only trouble slow/stuck fermentation? I brew in the garage and days have been 51-65F and nights in the 30's. It is still bubbling away although very slow (1 bubble every 45sec). Been going for 14 days and kraeusen is still very thick without even beginning to fall. I realize due to temp it will be slow going, but will/could there be off flavors because of the cold temp. OG 1.069. Was a 6 gallon batch with 3lb DME, 6.6lb LME and 1lb cane sugar (plane table sugar).

14 days? Is this a record?Holy lager. Let us know how it turns out when its finished.If you can bring it in at night to control the temps some that way it may help but being carefull when moving it.How many packs did you pitch?

Here is what Fermentis says: http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_US-05_HB.pdf

Fermentis forgot to tell him what do do in a 14 day slow cold ferment.I looked and looked.No mention of off-taste dangers also.

Pitched 1 packet.

Temperature stability is as important as fermentation temperature. You don't want 20-30 degree temperature swings daily like that. If you don't have any FermWrap, you can use a 10-20 gallon trash can filled with water and use an aquarium heater to stabilize the temperature. You can buy FermWrap by the foot at - The Bean Farm and build your own temperature wraps.

Ya if it get's into the 30's you risk the yeast dropping out. I have a triple that is fermenting still after 14 days. In my case, I pitched at 62 and slowly ramped it over 7 days to 72 degrees. I've added two sugar additions which has kept the yeast rockin.

helibrewer is spot on. Yeast don't like temp swings. The fermwrap is a good idea.

I have the opposite problem. I am going to brew for the first time in southwest Florida where the avg temp is 80F. I am looking for a few ideas on making a homemade ferm temp control apparatus. I like the garbage can idea, I have two of those available. I heard that I could use ice blocks in the bath, but that seems rather labor intensive. Any ideas? I do have power available and a limited knowledge of it.

jrcomito said:

I have the opposite problem. I am going to brew for the first time in southwest Florida where the avg temp is 80F. I am looking for a few ideas on making a homemade ferm temp control apparatus. I like the garbage can idea, I have two of those available. I heard that I could use ice blocks in the bath, but that seems rather labor intensive. Any ideas? I do have power available and a limited knowledge of it.

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There is the "Son of a Fermentation Chiller" that works well, for those in warmer climates. If you google that, you will see pictures and directions.

I have a little Yooper Lagerator that works for my climate- it's an igloo cooler with wheels. I took off the original (hollow) lid and made a foam lid. I use a water bath and swap out frozen water bottles as needed. It works for me, but my house never goes above 72 degrees, so I'm not sure how it would work in your climate. I can easily go to fermentation temperatures in the 50s with it, and in the winter in my 48 degree basement, I can lager at 34 degrees with it. Here's a photo of mine:

jtrux said:

I realize due to temp it will be slow going, but will/could there be off flavors because of the cold temp.

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a number of people have reported an apricot flavor from S-05 at the lower end

jrcomito said:

I have the opposite problem. I am going to brew for the first time in southwest Florida where the avg temp is 80F. I am looking for a few ideas on making a homemade ferm temp control apparatus. I like the garbage can idea, I have two of those available. I heard that I could use ice blocks in the bath, but that seems rather labor intensive. Any ideas? I do have power available and a limited knowledge of it.

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I ferment mine in a bathroom that has no windows and 1 small outer wall on the shady side of my house. I keep it in a bathtub of water filled to about 1/3 of the carboy . I drape a wet towel over it that extends into the water. I check to keep the towel wet. This keeps the temp pretty steady. If it starts to warm up, I use a fan to blow air across it. This works very well for me. My biggest concern is the fist 2-3 days of fermentation. I really work to keep the temp steady and in range the first few days.

The good thing about 5 gallons is that it is a pretty big amount of fluid and will take a long time too cool down as you know if you've ever left a bucket outside on a barely freezing night and noticed it didn't freeze at all but there was frost on your car. If your garage hits 35-65 there is a good chance the bucket doesn't cool as far or heat up to the max either, it might never get outside of 40-60.

Ideally you want to keep it in a location that's in the yeast's range like if you have an extra room put it in there and close the furnace vents in that room it should stay around 60 in there if you keep the house at 68 and it's that cold outside.

The big problem with temperature swings during fermentation is oxidation... as the beer warms and cools, it will pull o2 into the carboy and stale the beer. Try to keep the fermentation temps steady if possible.

Thanks Yooper for the advice. We brewed 36 hours ago and we have a cool front coming through and the temp is in the 70's during the day and 50's at night. Seems like the right week to brew in Ft. Myers. I think I'll be using the water bath method as I already keep frozen blocks for the fishing cooler.