fermentation temps

well after having the same off flavor in a few of the last batches I have done I think I have found the culprit, recalled nottingham yeast and fermentation temps around 74. the sourish taste has almost dropped out of the blonde I made by sitting in the keg for three weeks now. anyway i discovered the problem with the yeast Friday while brewing and was forced to use the yeast again as it was all I had on hand. I hydrated and pitched two packs and I am keeping the fermenter in my garage which varies in temp about 10 degrees during they day, 50-60. This seems to be the ideal temp for notty but will this daily temp change create problems for the yeast or make the fermentation stall? I am going on two days now and have yet to see any activity through the airlock. I have always fermeneted inside at room temp in the past, 68-74 and never had an off flavor issue like this. guess its time for some new yeast

74 is too hot for most yeast strain. While you can ferment at that temps, most yeasts will throw lots of esters, hot alcohol, and other off flavors. I ferment all of my ales between 65 and 68 to keep those flavors down.

Airlock activity is not always a sign of fermentation. The yeast may be growing and starting its thing. 50-60 is pretty cold for most ale strains. I do not have any experience with the Notty strain, but this may be too cold for the yeast to do its thing

Sun, I think you are right, you might experiment with more than one type of yeast.

Your temps though are a problem, I think. 74 is, for my brewing, too high for most everything except some belgian beers. And 50 - 60 is too low for most everything except lagers. I don't know that Nottingham will take off if its in temps that low. You could look on the package or the manufacturers website for the temperature range they recommend.

68 is good, imho, for many ales - if you can keep your fermentation there I think that would help you. Get a thermometer strip, one of those stick on things, and that will help you know what you are fermenting at. Also, if you need to lower the temp inside, you can use a swamp cooler arrangement - basically put your fermenter insider a cooler with water and ice packs.

notty is supposed to be active in that range, but its the up and down temp change that i am worried about, i have read about the yeast getting shocked from that type of thing before. guess i will need to make a water tub or something for my fermenters. sucks i have made 8 batches or so with this damn recalled yeast.

sunblock said:

notty is supposed to be active in that range, but its the up and down temp change that i am worried about, i have read about the yeast getting shocked from that type of thing before. guess i will need to make a water tub or something for my fermenters. sucks i have made 8 batches or so with this damn recalled yeast.

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All yeast are 'active' at that range, just not the way we usually want. But when my fermentation fridge went down for the count during the summer....a pale ale I used Notty in ending up fermenting in the high 70s. I got the same FG that I got doing the same brew a month before, but...wow. Tasted like ass. I didn't give a second thought to the product, but realized it was the temp. I can see how it would be a different case (as in yours) where you usually ferment that high. But honestly, it seems your just messing with fire and eventually the high temps will bite ya.

Hammy71 said:

All yeast are 'active' at that range, just not the way we usually want. But when my fermentation fridge went down for the count during the summer....a pale ale I used Notty in ending up fermenting in the high 70s. I got the same FG that I got doing the same brew a month before, but...wow. Tasted like ass. I didn't give a second thought to the product, but realized it was the temp. I can see how it would be a different case (as in yours) where you usually ferment that high. But honestly, it seems your just messing with fire and eventually the high temps will bite ya.

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yeah I think that is my problem. I have never really paid special attention to the temp at all, I always try to keep it in the coolest spot in the house, but from what i have been reading this batch of notty really lets you know when you go over 72° or so. thinking i may pickup a fermentation fridge now. whats an extra 50 bucks on craigslist anyway.

A big step up in my brewing was when I added temp control to my brew haus.

The stated range of Nottingham is 57-70, though they do say that it can "tolerate" temperatures as low as 54. You did the right thing to pitch two packets, since you need to compensate for the low temperatures. I'd say you're just experiencing the natural effect of a low-temp ferment. Even true lager yeasts tend to produce off-flavors at the extremes of their temperature range, or ferment particularly slowly.

I'd say you need to raise the temperature of your fermentation with a water bath and an aquarium heater.