Diacetyl Rest for Ales

[CHflyfish]

Just curious to everyones thoughts on diacetyl rest for ales. I am currently brewing an IPA and thought it wouldn't hurt to do a rest period 3 degrees above fermentation temp for a couple of days before a secondary dry hop in my keg. Any thoughts?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Do your beers sometimes have problems with diacetyl using your current process?

 

[GPP33]

Absolutely won’t hurt. I think most people with fermentation temp control bump the temp up a little to help motive the yeast to finish up the job. I wait until everything appears to be stopped, I know some people start ramping up much earlier.

 

[CHflyfish]

Do your beers sometimes have problems with diacetyl using your current process?

Sometimes I do get diacetyl, but usually I don’t. I was just reading literature on using a rest period for ales and thought I might get some opinions

 

[RPh_Guy]

I never get diacetyl... But I let my temperature rise toward the end of fermentation and then bottle condition in the low 70s (~22-23C).

A couple days around 68-70 as fermentation is finishing (before transferring) should help, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[BrewsnBass]

I prefer to d rest both ales and lagers even if i have enough yeast.

 

[dmtaylor]

No d rest required unless fermenting cold like <60 F and even then it's a maybe. That said, raising temperature toward end of fermentation is always a good idea, and I do it with most my beers, both ales and lagers.

Cheers.

 

[kh54s10]

I have never tasted Diacetyl in my beers, I have packaged some without raising the temperature at all and others I have. I never noticed any difference. Though I have never done a side by side test, so who knows.

 

[homebrewer_99]

The only time I've ever gotten diacetyl (twice...doing Speed Brews) is when I racked beer off the yeast too soon (at 3 days).

If you let your beer ferment in the primary for 7 days (under the right temperature conditions) you should never have an issue with diacetyl.