Primary fermentation temp schedules.

I have recently purchased a CF and a digital controller, but I am not certain how to prepare a temp schedule since the wort is exothermic.

I have heard time and time again to just set it and forget it at 68, but that can't possibly be true since fermentation is an exothermic processes. I'm operating under the supposition that I should be setting it around 62 (to compensate for a 8-10 degree temp spike) and adjusting it the ambient temp to 65 once the wort stabilizes. However, without the use of a thermowell, I'm not certain how to predict a turning point.

Alternatively I'm thinking of cooling the freezer to 60, priming the wort at this temperature for a couple hours, then pitching the yeast. After which allowing the temperature to gently rise to 70.

Obviously the temp schedules will vary from recipe, but what are your configurations? What are your temp schedules? General guidelines are pretty much what I'm looking for so I can adjust accordingly. Thanks everyone! :fro:

When I first got my temp controller and freezer, I tested the temp of the kraeusen over the first few days. It was consistently 4-5*F over what the controller was set at. I don't generally increase temp at the end of fermentation unless I don't hit my target gravity, then I'll increase temp a few degrees at a time over a few days until I hit my target FG.

I ferment in carboys in my ferm fridges, using Ranco controllers. I place the Ranco probe against the side of the carboy around mid-wort height, under a palm-sized slab of 1" thick closed cell foam. I then apply a single tight wrap of duct tape around the carboy to hold it all in place.

Using this I can set the Ranco controllers to whatever ferm temp I want for the particular style and yeast used, set the differential to 1°F, and it will bring the wort to that temp and keep it right there through even the most vigorous fermentation (checked against both an LC stick-on thermometer as well as an infrared thermometer). And the compressor will actually cycle less often than when the probe is just placed on a shelf...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

I ferment in carboys in my ferm fridges, using Ranco controllers. I place the Ranco probe against the side of the carboy around mid-wort height, under a palm-sized slab of 1" thick closed cell foam. I then apply a single tight wrap of duct tape around the carboy to hold it all in place.

Using this I can set the Ranco controllers to whatever ferm temp I want for the particular style and yeast used, set the differential to 1°F, and it will bring the wort to that temp and keep it right there through even the most vigorous fermentation (checked against both an LC stick-on thermometer as well as an infrared thermometer). And the compressor will actually cycle less often than when the probe is just placed on a shelf...

Cheers!

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This.

I have mine set at 63F. If the sticky thermometer on the side is correct its fermenting at about 65F.

Just finished my eBay controller and am fermenting my first beer.

The recipe called for 68 so that is what I have it set for.

The stick on therm strip says about 70, even though my temp controller probe that is taped on and covered with insulation is set at 68.

Should I always set it a couple degrees cooler? At least it is consistent.

Sent from my Android, please excuse my grammar.

I don't think the stick on therms are that accurate. Some of mine read spot-on with the setpoint, others read a little off.

kable said:

The stick on therm strip says about 70, even though my temp controller probe that is taped on and covered with insulation is set at 68.

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One of them is wrong... Sounds like you need to calibrate.

For this batch, I'd consider dropping the Ranco temp another degree to split the difference, but let it continue fermenting as is.

After this batch is complete, take the Ranco and the fermenter into a temp-stable room with little air movement, get at least one additional thermometer (preferably a properly-calibrated and accurate alcohol or mercury thermometer), and see which two of the three agree. It's not a perfectly accurate test, but should be good enough for your purposes since the two are a mere 2 degrees apart.

I set mine to like 65 or so for the first couple days. The stick-on indicates 70ish at the beginning. If I set my chiller to 68-70, then the beer warms up too much.

Then I set it to 68 for the rest of the primary fermentation, where the exothermic effect is not significant. Near the end of the two-week primary, I stop putting ice in my chiller so the temperature converges to room temperature (72-74F) but fermentation is 'over' at this point.

Taping the sensor to the bucket would be better, but I don't feel like retaping all the time.

BetterSense said:

[...]Taping the sensor to the bucket would be better, but I don't feel like retaping all the time.

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You only have to tape the active fermenter once

If I ever get the time to hit a crafts store (closest one is a good 45 minutes drive) I'm going to either buy or make a strap with velcro closures at the ends sized to do the job...

Cheers!

Your pretty much on the right track. I have only fermented a few batches in my new chamber but one thing I learned is pitch at the lowest temp you want your wort to be at. If say you pitch at 68 you will be fighting the temp the entire time. I try to pitch at 62-65 and let it sit for 4-5 days until primary is almost done then raise it to 68.

I just did my first brew (ale )so you can take my comments with a grain of salt but I will share my experience. I have a fermentation chamber I built and have a ranco with probe taped and covered with insulating bubble wrap to the carboy.
I pitched at 70 and had my ranco set to 68, the wort went way up to 76-78. Later it was very easy to keep at 68, but of course later than I wanted to achieve that. Live and learn. I would say initially the wort is about 8 degrees warmer than the ambient fermentation chamber temp. Later it will be about 5 degrees warmer. This is based on my fermentation chamber and will vary greatly. Since my wort has been stabilized at 68 the ambient temp inside the chiller has been 62 -63.

My observations for next batch - Initially ranco will be set to 60 then slowly adjusted to desired wort temp. I will also pitch next time closer to 65

I fold a shirt many times and then tape the probe (with the shirt covering it) directly to my fermenting buckets. This helps insulate/prevent the probe from reading the air temp and only the bucket itself.

Depending on the type of yeast strain used, I will typically place my wort in my fermentation chamber over night and allow it to cool to 65 degrees before pitching. Once I've pitched I then hold my wort at 65/66 for 36 - 48 hours or until the most vigorous period of fermentation has passed. Once it begins to show any signs that it's slowing down I begin to raise the temp by 1 degree a day until I reach 70-72 degrees.

My very uneducated reasoning for this is that the yeast will think their job is complete and start to die and fall out with a steady temperature. But with a slowly raised temp they are then triggered to remain active and continue to clean up after themselves which in turn results in a cleaner beer.

I have yet to figure out if this raise in temp simply speeds up the normal process that takes place over a longer period of time or if it truly manipulates the yeast to do what they wouldn't normally but with that said I have experienced the most significant improvement in my beers ever since I started using this method combined with proper yeast starters.

I get my wort as cool as possible with my chiller, usually around 70 this time of year. I put the carboy in the fridge with the temp probe attached and wait till I hit my pitching temp, 2-3 deg. less than my fermentation temp. It only takes 1-2 hours. Then the yeast goes in and I'll adjust the controller up to my target temp. Once the ferment has settled down I ramp it up another 2-3 degrees to let the yeast clean up.

Paul07293 said:

I get my wort as cool as possible with my chiller, usually around 70 this time of year. I put the carboy in the fridge with the temp probe attached and wait till I hit my pitching temp, 2-3 deg. less than my fermentation temp. It only takes 1-2 hours. Then the yeast goes in and I'll adjust the controller up to my target temp. Once the ferment has settled down I ramp it up another 2-3 degrees to let the yeast clean up.

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All the batches of brew I've made, I never thought about the beer actually getting warmer than my pitching temps. I always cooled to 80F, transferred to a vessel, then put it in a cool place (swamp cooler). I bet my temps went above 80F a few hrs post yeast addition.

That makes a lot of sense!

I'll file that tip away!

Diver165 said:

All the batches of brew I've made, I never thought about the beer actually getting warmer than my pitching temps. I always cooled to 80F, transferred to a vessel, then put it in a cool place (swamp cooler). I bet my temps went above 80F a few hrs post yeast addition.

That makes a lot of sense!

I'll file that tip away!

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Almost all the yeast's flavor compounds will be made with the first 72 hours of fermentation. If it takes a day to cool to the proper range, that means 1/3 of the fermentation was too hot. This is why people try to chill the wort as low as possible before pitching.

So chilling enough to put it in the vessel (Carboy or bucket). And let it chill down to the mid 60s then pitch the yeast.

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