Holy Moly - a 10-degree increase after pitching yeast!

[ChadLeBald]

The details:

I brewed an all-grain amber with a SG of 1.055.
Pitched WLP007 (starter) at 70 degrees.
24 hours later, the probe inside the conical was up to 76 degrees.
48 hours after pitching it was at 80 degrees.
(for context: the room's temperature is around 68-70.)
Gravity reading at 48 hours was 1.021 - some busy yeasties.
72 hours after pitching, temperature back down to 75.

Anyone ever had that kind of temperature increase - due to what would seem to be simply the fermentation? Just curious...

 

[mbobhat]

yea boi...the yeast are doing a chemical reaction that goes from more complex molecule of sugar to smaller lower energy ones of ethanol and CO2...that gives off a $#!% load of heat!!!!

I typically put my carboy after pitching in a large plastic container about a quarter up the carboy filled with cool water. Then sometimes put a clean T Shirt on it to help wick even more moisture.

 

[Gtrman13]

I've certainly experienced large temperature increases during vigorous fermentation. It's simply a product of your yeasties doing their job. I mean, when you work hard you get hot and sweaty too, right? For certain styles this is a desired effect, like in some saisons. More often, 80 degrees is going to get you some unpleasant off-flavors. For an amber ale, mid 60's would be a better range to shoot for. I'd look into start fermenting in a swamp cooler. You'd be shocked at the difference it'll make. Brew on, my brotha! :rockin:

 

[cmybeer]

Wow! That might get you some increased yeast flavors/esters in that beer because those temps are pretty high. I really try to drop the temp before pitching yeast because that first day is probably the most important in terms of flavor.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Yeah, fermentation is an exothermic process, as in it creates heat. This happens with every fermentation, thus the reason most brewers use some sort of temp control to maintain temperature as opposed to allowing the beer to warm itself up.

 

[kh54s10]

I'm not sure of the temperature increases since I use a swamp cooler. I do know that usually on the first couple of days I change out ice bottles more frequently. Sometimes 2 or 3 times in 24 hours.

So I am not surprised.

 

[JonK331]

Yup. An ambient temperature near your target will not work. It has to be quite a bit cooler to account for the temp increase. So you have a conical but no temp control? I tape my temp control probe on the side of the carboy inside the fridge or chest freezer and set to around 64 depending on the style. This prevents it from getting too warm.

 

[ChadLeBald]

Lemme clarify a bit:

I've done a couple dozen beers in the conical in the garage at that ~ temp and have never had THAT sort of increase (usually I'll get 2-5 degrees increase from what I pitched at). 10 degrees just seemed shockingly high.

So maybe it's just that strain of yeast (WLP007) that goes so hot & heavy?

The good news is that the flavor profile is shaping up nicely. No off flavors detected at all. But for sure, if I use this yeast again in the future I'll know to put the conical in the spare fridge to keep the temp down!

 

[mbobhat]

I guess you would have to compare numbers as well, such as if you got a fresh pack or made a starter, but yea I could imagine that different yeasts take off at different speeds.

WLP007 if I recall likes their wort shaken, not stirred...