I'm getting into using some more specialty yeast. I'm wondering if it's critical to control your fermentation temperature for the entire duration of the fermentation. My thinking is that off flavors from high fermentation temps must come from one of two sources:
1) reproduction of yeast
2) metabolism of yeast.
After a couple of days of active fermentation, the reproduction should have slowed, since the there are already so many yeast cells in the wort. So (1) should not be a problem. Also the yeast should have consumed a lot of sugars already, and so there should be less off flavors from metabolism.
My fermentor is next to the air conditioner. The sticky thermometer says the temperature is 20C. Fermentation temp for the yeast is 15C-24C. What I'd like to do is leave it next to the air conditioner for a couple of days and then put it under the kitchen table (this is where all the fermentors / carboys go). The temperature will probably creep to the top of the fermentation range and maybe a couple of degrees higher. If it gets hot out and the temperature starts heading towards 80F (26C) I'll put it back by the air conditioner. What do you think?
My personal observation is that if I pitch the yeast towards the lower side, the temperature usually is ok, but if I pitch on the high side above room temp, it's not coming down on it's own and will stay up until the fermentation slows.
1) reproduction of yeast
2) metabolism of yeast.
After a couple of days of active fermentation, the reproduction should have slowed, since the there are already so many yeast cells in the wort. So (1) should not be a problem. Also the yeast should have consumed a lot of sugars already, and so there should be less off flavors from metabolism.
My fermentor is next to the air conditioner. The sticky thermometer says the temperature is 20C. Fermentation temp for the yeast is 15C-24C. What I'd like to do is leave it next to the air conditioner for a couple of days and then put it under the kitchen table (this is where all the fermentors / carboys go). The temperature will probably creep to the top of the fermentation range and maybe a couple of degrees higher. If it gets hot out and the temperature starts heading towards 80F (26C) I'll put it back by the air conditioner. What do you think?
My personal observation is that if I pitch the yeast towards the lower side, the temperature usually is ok, but if I pitch on the high side above room temp, it's not coming down on it's own and will stay up until the fermentation slows.