Fermentation Temps

So I have yet to brew my first batch, but I am getting everything together. I live in AZ, and room temp is usually 70, but it swings a bit higher(75+) mid day even with ac going in my house so I am planning on using a mini-fridge as a fermentation chamber. I got myself a temperature controller, but then the question popped in my head... what temp do I set this thing at?

The first kit I'm getting is a newcastle clone, it comes with:
Safale S-04 Ale Yeast 64 - 75 °F

should I shoot for 64? or somewhere right in the middle, like 70? With the range I'm not sure what would be the best temp.

My assumption would be 70, but I want to do this right and from everything I have read proper(and steady) fermentation temps are one of the biggest things new brewers screw up.

I like to ferment my beers at the low end of the spectrum unless I want estery profiles like when doing a Tripel. If I were doing it, I'd be 62-64 F like I usually do.

anywhere in that range should be fine. Are you familiar with using a swamp cooler? Lower end will limit esters, higher end will allow them to show through.

And you will need to allow for the heat that fermentation produces, so that even if you set you fridge to 62f, when fermentation starts, temps could rise to 68f inside your fermenting beer.

boo boo said:

And you will need to allow for the heat that fermentation produces, so that even if you set you fridge to 62f, when fermentation starts, temps could rise to 68f inside your fermenting beer.

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I tape the probe from my temperature controller to the outside of the fermenter and set it to whatever temperature I want to ferment at. Works pretty well.

EvilGnome6 said:

I tape the probe from my temperature controller to the outside of the fermenter and set it to whatever temperature I want to ferment at. Works pretty well.

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even better is get a thermowell, so that you are measuring the core temp of the fermenting wort.

turtleboy3737 said:

what temp do I set this thing at?

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I agree that anywhere in that range will be fine. Keep in mind the flavor profile will vary somewhat (to alot) depending upon where the beer ferments out. When I fermented on the higher end w/a lot of fluctuation the estery (fruity) flavors were pretty common. Lower temps within range will "typically" give a less estery flavor. However, that will be affected as much by strain of yeast as temp in my opinion. I personally, right now anyway, am shooting for the lower end of the range. Once I gain some more experience I'll experiment with the variations a little more.

Arkador said:

even better is get a thermowell, so that you are measuring the core temp of the fermenting wort.

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That just seems like a little more effort than it's worth, IMO.