Fermentation temp to low?

[neon0107]

Hello all, Newbie here and on just my second extract brew. I am doing a Red Irish Ale from midwest supplies. Brew day yesterday went real well. I have a hard time keeping my temp in the house stable around 75 (live in Texas) with out running the A/C more than I would like. I want to keep my ferment temp around 70. This kit says between 65 - 72. So I don't have the cash to invest in a fermentation chest/fridge yet, so I went with one of the cold brewing bags. It said by placing 1 or 2 frozen liter bottles it could drop the temp by up to 10 degrees. Well this is just day one and they were right. I checked and the temp on the carboy is 62. So now I am wondering what problems if any I would have with a temp under what they suggest? I believe the kit came with yeast Safale US-05. I removed the water bottles for tonight to see if the temp will come up to something closer to 70. Thoughts? I am seeing activity in the air lock and a lot of activity in the carboy. Thanks in advance

 

[RM-MN]

I start my US-05 beers at 62 (ambient, uncontrolled) degrees and they turn out just fine. That lower temp keeps the ferment slow so it doesn't develop fusels or esters. At peak fermentation the temperature of the beer rises to 64-65. If you let it start warming to 70, the activity of the yeast will increase which in turn will raise the temperature of the beer which will make the yeast activity increase..... I'd try to keep it under 70 for at least the first 4 days.

 

[neon0107]

Thanks RM-MN, I will give that a try.

 

[jlinz]

62 is a good temp to ferment s-05 at. Should turn out nice and clean. In my experience, it will start to stall out in the higher 50s, so beware of that.

 

[kh54s10]

I will go further in saying your temperature is good by saying - don't let it get up to 70 degrees. US-05 is best in the mid sixties and not so good if it gets into the low to mid 70s. Higher that that would actually be bad.

 

[neon0107]

Thanks for all the feedback and info. I must say, pretty impressed with how well this Cool Brewing bag is working. House is set to 75 and the temp on the carboy has been reading a steady 61 for past 2 days. So today I am going to go with just one frozen water bottle instead of two and see if I can keep it around 65.

 

[jlinz]

Yes, I used that bag for quite awhile. It was good. Finally gotna fridge and an inkbird though.

 

[SlitheryDee]

The last batch I did with us-05 spent the first week at 62 and I think it fermented completely at that temp. I left it for another 4 days at 68 and then another 3 at 72 just to be sure, but the gravity didn't change during that time. In general I probably wouldn't worry unless you get under 60 degrees. Once the majority of fermentation is done you can pretty much let it free rise to ambient temps.

 

[neon0107]

Yes, I used that bag for quite awhile. It was good. Finally gotna fridge and an inkbird though.

Awe yes!! That is what I would like to get to!! I have to do the keezer first and starting that this weekend. How do you like the inkbird? Which one did you go with?

 

[jlinz]

You know, I haven't even hooked it up yet. Made my last beer in the house at ambient temp (saison). I got this inkbird:

http://www.homebrewing.org/Inkbird-...yI9Ydf5OIDczSDn6b17HEO9u-uCxJ--BoCiqgQAvD_BwE

Also snagged a used fridge on craigslist. Funny thing was, all of this was only about 10 more dollars than the cool brewing bag. I just thought the fridge and temp controller would be a lot more expensive back when I bought the bag.

 

[Hang Glider]

I will add that I have personally measured temperatures 10 degrees above ambient in the beer - when the yeast gets going, the activity goes thermal! Stay on the cool side in your fermenter setup, and you will be pleased with the results.

Happy Brewing!

 

[escalante88]

Also take into consideration that rigorous fermentation will raise your temp. So if you start a bit lower you should be all good.

 

[Lefou]

I will go further in saying your temperature is good by saying - don't let it get up to 70 degrees. US-05 is best in the mid sixties and not so good if it gets into the low to mid 70s. Higher that that would actually be bad.

"Bad" might be defined as peachy esters. That may be something you may or may not want in the style you've chosen.

 

[kh54s10]

"Bad" might be defined as peachy esters. That may be something you may or may not want in the style you've chosen.

Right, but IMO, most are trying to avoid those peachy esters. And if too high they apparently get very pronounced. I say apparently because I always keep to the middle or slightly low side of the recommended range of each yeast with the exception of a Belgian and a Saison that I have brewed.

 

[Lefou]

Yes, I used that bag for quite awhile. It was good. Finally gotna fridge and an inkbird though.

A converted freezer with Inkbird controller is a project I'm looking forward to.
It will be fun experiencing the actual process and bragging I made a "real" lager, despite the Brulosophy stuff I read to the contrary.