So I accidentally pitched too hot. However, the fermentation is going along just fine, bloop blooping away roughly 36 hours later. I know there is off flavors from fermenting too high (over time), but the initial heat shouldn't be enough to have too many esters/off flavors to notice right? It's a simple kolsch which is fermenting at a controlled temp. I would imagine it to be more sensitive to off flavors than a heavier more complex beer.
Accidentally pitched too hot....
- Thread starter drathbone
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What temp did you pitch at?
You may get some off flavors from the angry yeast but if you brought it down soon after pitching you're probably fine.
Agree with earwig, you may still get some off flavors. The potential is there that you killed off a portion of the yeast, and those that survived were of a particular strain, and will provide a different flavor than a normal kolsch. With that said, its too late to worry about it. Also, there's also the possibility that nothing wrong happens, and it turns out as expected.
Best practice for the future is too pitch the yeast below the fermentation temperature, and let it rise to temp. This reduces off flavors.
Best practice for the future is too pitch the yeast below the fermentation temperature, and let it rise to temp. This reduces off flavors.
two_one_seven
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Upper 80's shouldn't kill yeast cells. It might make them a bit upset as the previous mentioned. It will be fine.
ArcaneXor
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Koelsch yeast starts developing fruity esters when fermented above ca. 65 degrees, transitioning into something vaguely resembling a witbier above 75ish degrees. I would expect something Belgian-esque. Please do report back on what off-flavors you perceive when the beer is done!
You're right, I wasn't thinking correctly about the temp. It has to get over 100F before they start dying, more like 115F.
SwampassJ
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Sorry to thread hijack but what kind of witbier characteristics and which version of Kolsch yeast? Sounds like something worth trying if it doesn't get too "hot" and phenolic.
ArcaneXor
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I only took a sip and thought it was a witbier-gone-wrong before I was told it was supposed to be a Koelsch. I assume it was the White Labs strain, but they are all fairly similar. He ended up pitching Roeselare into the keg.
timewasted
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Don't worry. I brewed an Anchor Steam clone for my first batch and pitched at 91F. I won't do that again, but I can't tell any discernible off flavors and it is one heck of a great beer.
this^ X1000. Kolsch may be an 'ale' yeast, but it's meant to be fermented at lager temps, maybe low 60's at the warmest. i've never tried it above 60, but i've heard it'll start kicking a lot of funk if you take it too far into the 60's. i like to ferment this yeast at ~54, allowing it to warm to ~60 by the end of fermentation, seems to be nice and clean at those temps. i also like to lager Kolsch yeast for ~1 day per gravity point @ ~35 degrees.
two_one_seven
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I have to be honest i pitch in the 80's all the time. If the beer cools the rest of the way in a timely fashion then it's never been an issue. I started brewing in 1996 and stopped in the early 2000's. Restarted in January, just so everyone knows my history. I do agree technically it's better to go lower on the temp and come up to ferment temp (I would reverse this on lagers, so you kick the fermentation off and then bring it down to the actual ferment temp) but its not going to kill your beer.
One reason I think he'll be fine is because it doesn't sound like he used a starter and so the wort was probably at a good temperature before the yeast started working.
How did this one come out?
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