Importance of Exact Temperatures?

[Dave77]

I have a yeast for a cream ale that says it should be fermented in the 13-16C range. I don't have a fridge for tempertautre control, but my cellar is consitently 17C. Will the extra degree matter that much? Or, is it an absolute no-no to stray from manufacturer recommended temperture ranges?

I'm still a relative newbie at this, so your thoughts are appreciated!

 

[doug293cz]

You will still make beer, but you may get more esters than the yeast produces in its optimal range.

Also, fermentation is exothermic (generates heat) so fermenting wort is usually a few degrees warmer than the surrounding air temp. This will put you even further out of the optimal temp range.

You could look at a swamp cooler. A tub that will hold your fermenter plus several gallons of water. You can put frozen bottles of water in the tub to help keep it cool, and covering with a wet towel can also help. It will take some learning to know how much ice to use and how often to change it.

Brew on

 

[Broken Crow]

Hi Dave, good to see you! When you mention 'cellar', I'm thinking Canadian, Toronto-area basement.. Here in Windsor, the ground-temp is such that in what I call my 68° basement, the temp right at the cement is actually lower...usually 62°-64° on the hottest days of summer. I'm not sure what kind of fermenter you're using, but if it's relatively flat-bottomed like a bucket, carboy, or Fermonster, Cream-Ale ferments just fine sitting on my floor.

 

[Red over White]

I have been experiencing great results keeping the temperature in check early on and the letting it free rise on it's own at 50% attenuation. Side by side results with full temperature control is almost imperceptible. Each yeast strain is different, but I'm beginning to think that a strong fermentation with temperature control early in the process is important, after a certain point temperature control seems to have less of an affect. These are just my findings on my gear.

 

[Dave77]

Hi Dave, good to see you! When you mention 'cellar', I'm thinking Canadian, Toronto-area basement.. Here in Windsor, the ground-temp is such that in what I call my 68° basement, the temp right at the cement is actually lower...usually 62°-64° on the hottest days of summer. I'm not sure what kind of fermenter you're using, but if it's relatively flat-bottomed like a bucket, carboy, or Fermonster, Cream-Ale ferments just fine sitting on my floor.

Ok, great. That's pretty much what I'm dealing with. I'll keep a close eye on it, and hope for the best!

 

[AlexKay]

What kind of yeast? For a cream ale you're looking for a clean fermentation, maybe including some light esters. Generally a cold fermentation helps with that, but it really depends on the yeast: some stay clean up into the 20s, some really shouldn't go much above 13 or 16 or whatever. And yes, figure on the fermentation being at least a couple of degrees above the ambient temperature.

 

[Dave77]

What kind of yeast?

Yes, I guess I should have posted that. LOL. This is the yeast: Cream Ale Blend [HB]

 

[hotbeer]

The temperature ranges posted on the yeast are what they consider ideal. And also a range that fits their testing and other specifications given and results they describe for their yeast including flavor and aroma.

So being a little outside may or may not be bad for you. As another noted many yeast give off distinctly different flavor and aroma combinations when kept at one end of the ideal range as opposed to the other.

So just keep notes of the temperature. Both ambient air around the FV and internal temp of the beer if you have a way to do that. Electronic hydrometer's such as the Tilt, Rapt Pill or iSpindle make that pretty easy. But a temperature probe taped to the side of the FV with a layer of foam insulation over it works well. And from my notes, those temps seem to be pretty close to what I'm seeing reported now by my Rapt Pill in later beers being fermented.

Whatever you do, keep good notes. Then you'll be able to see what happens yourself firsthand with beer fermented at high temps over ideal and when not. And have the notes to back it up.

 

[acrowe]

Back when I had a basement, I used a surface temperature thermometer gun to find the coolest spaces in my basement. The whole floor was a few degrees colder than chest height and some areas were notably cooler and warmer than others. I was able to find places to ferment that were 14-15c (<60F) even in the summer.
Now in a non a/c house (but northern half vancouver island) I did the same to find places in my house that were cooler - and I do look at a forecast to see its not the start of a heatwave.
I recently used nottingham (Lalbrew) to make what I think is the nicest pale ale I have ever made just fermenting without refrigeration in my work space - so while it affects your beer not to have control, you can still make very good beer without a fermentation fridge (I only have a serving fridge).