Temperature affect on fermentation

I know this topic gets overdone, but couldn't find an answer to fit this question. I have been leaving primary outdoors and fermentation has always started in usual 12-18 hours. But now it's getting colder. Last two batches I left out in 60 degree weather. No fermentation for 3 days. Moved into house, 70 degrees. Fermentation started immediately. Luck, chance, real temperature effect, type of beer? Thanks.

Ale yeast I assume? 60 degrees is low for an Ale yeast. If you have only the two options (60 vs 70 degrees) I'd go with the 70.

Sounds like fermentation picked right up once you moved it inside. Sounds like the higher temp helped.

A short answer to a really really complicated question: Depends on the yeast. If you've got a steady 70 deg environment, stick with yeasts like White Labs WLP001, Chico strain. Its sweet spot is 68 to 72.

Gordie

Let me just say, if your managing billions of workers (yeast) to make you beer, you really want to make them happy. You want to avoid a strike, or a work slowdown at all cost. Therefore controlling the primary fermentation temperature to keep them happy is very important. This is in my opinion very critical, higher temperature primary fermentation can add esters and other by products than can change the beer from your intentions.

Different yeast, different temperatures. Lagers can be a true pain because they really need different temperatures at different times to make their best beers. Ale yeast can work at different temps, but 60 is getting a little low for some of the west coast ones.

Keeping your primary fermentation with the optimum range for the yeast strain being used makes a dramatic difference in the beer you make. It is not required, but very important.

Yes, it is ale yeast so I'm going to stick with 70 degrees from now on for that. Thanks all.

Another thing is the temp effects flavor. Lower will bring out more malt - higher more esters of the hops.

Grinder12000 said:

Another thing is the temp effects flavor. Lower will bring out more malt - higher more esters of the hops.

Click to expand...

I've never quite heard it like that...yeast at low temperatures produces fewer esters and phenols and results in a cleaner taste that allows the malt and hops both to come through clearly. Higher temperatures produce more of the esters and phenols from the yeast that are usually described as being fruity.

60*F isn't too cold for some ale yeasts, but it might be a good idea to pitch at a higher temperature (70, maybe higher) and allow it to stay there for a day or two, then bring it down to 60 while the yeast actually metabolize the wort if that's the type of profile you're looking for.

LOL - I try to take everything to two lowest denominator!

all enzyme activity increases with temperature. The problem is that too fast and the enzymes make 'mistakes'...One single mutated protein in the Human body can cause serious problems.

Build a son of fermentation chiller. (Google around for the plans) You can use ice when it's hot and water bottles filled with hot tap water when it's cold, and maintain your temps at a perfect 66*F which is awesome for almost any ale yeast I can think of except most Belgians.

I'm fortunate to have a basement that's around 61°F for most of the year. I brew only ales, pitch between 70-75°F, then just stick the bucket in the basement. When I started, I was concerned about the temperature and used one of the "brew belt" appliances that kept it around 68°F. After I had a few foamout incidents, I just quit using the belt. Now my ales all ferment around 64°F max, no fermentation problems, and they turn out great.