Fermentation Temp Control

[Reymez]

Hello All. I'm Angel from the San Francisco Bay Area. I started brewing just a couple of months ago. Today I brewed my 6th batch. I've learned quite a bit by reading these forums.

With my 5th batch I started to try to control the temperature during fermentation with a swamp cooler. My question is...how important is it to control the temp throughout the entire fermentation? Would it be ok to completely remove the fermenter from the swamp cooler after active fermentation has been completed? Should I keep it in the swamp cooler, with a towel over the fermenter so that the evaporation will still slightly keep the temp down? Or should I leave the fermenter in the cooler with a towel over the fermenter and continually adding frozen water bottles?

It's been a bit warm and humid here for the past few days.

 

[Jaybird]

Some say total temp control is going to best for the entire duration of the ferment. I tend to agree with them. Some say give it a week at the perfect temp and the character of the yeast is set I stone (or beer). I really think if you have temp control, use it. If you don't well then brew Belgians...LOL jkjkjk.... But the fermentation is going to create heat so maintaining that constant temp early and during the active parts is critical.

Ohhh and welcome to HBT

Cheers
Jay

 

[C-Rider]

I got tired of playing w/blocks of ice and bought a chest freezer and a temp controler. Now I ferment bout 65* for 3 weeks then condition in bottles at 70 for 3 weeks. Beer comes out pretty dam good according to friends.

But that don't asnwer your question. Some will agree w/your statement. That is letting it warm up after active fermentation is over. The question is what will that new temp be?

 

[stevedasleeve]

I can fit 2 carboys in my chamber, I tend to stagger the fermentation so that for 10-14 days fermentation is controlled at 65 f, then I put the carboys in my laundry room, ambient temps 67-70 f, and put the new beers in the chamber.

 

[duboman]

In reality, every batch will be different but in general once fermentation subsides and closes in on it's FG temperature becomes less an issue. Some strains will benefit from a slight raise to help finish. There really is no way to designate a true time table because all yeast behave differently each batch. In addition, you really don't want to take a beer form 65F straight to 80 either, a gradual raise is ideal

 

[JimRausch]

The 1st phase of fermentation is when the majority of fusels, esters, diacetyl and other 'flavor compounds' are formed. This is when you have to be rigorous on temp. control. Looking at the first couple days. After that, temp. control is not as critical. With me using a swamp cooler with ice, I add ice the first 3 days, trying to keep my temps in the low-mid 60's. After that I stop the ice bottles to let the temps rise slowly.