Temp to low?

[BrettPreston]

Hi there.

So, I'm wondering if my temp is to low. I'm brewing ales, extract packs currently. Still new. I've got a export stout made by simply on the go.

I live in a small flat, in the UK. I've got a temp thermometer stuck to the fermentation barrel (came with kit) which is currently showing roughly 14-16c zone. Is this too cold for the yeast to work?

My questions...

What is ideal temp for brewing and the yeast to work, in C?

If my temp is to low, how can I get it up, just slightly?

I have a brew belt but it seems to make the beer to when on.

Could I put towels around it?

Bare in mind I currently have no more room for equipment as small flat. Hopefully will be moving soon!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Black Island Brewer]

That is definitely too cool for most ale yeast, I expect it will floc early and leave you with an unfinished beer. Since you have the brew belt, throw it on and watch the temp. When it gets up to 20C, pull the plug, and if it drops below 18, plug it back in.

Towels or other insulation can help, IF fermentation is active, which is exothermic and can raise the temperature on its own.

 

[BrettPreston]

Will bring the temp up and down like that affect the beer?

My next batch I will move somewhere new again. Hard to find a good spot!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Yes, it will affect the beer. Ideally you want to keep beer yeast tightly controlled, especially if you want to replicate the beer in the future. But, like you said, you don't want any new equipment. So, you get a choice: ferment too cold, or warm it up knowing you don't get to control it exactly. Even moving it to a warmer place will result in variable temperatures, as ambient air temps combined with the exothermic nature of fermentation will cause some pretty big swings no matter what you do. Some guys will put their fermentor into a large water bath to increase the thermal mass, and reduce some of the swings, and some will even use some form of heat control to warm the water as well.

It is tough! But you're moving in the right direction by thinking about it!

 

[BrettPreston]

Ok lovely thanks.

In terms of the brew belt, when I used it I had it around the base of the fermentation and temps got to high, up to 24c. Is there way to use the belt to not cause such high temps?

Place it at the top? Or place something between the belt and fermentation bin? Etc


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Usually the brew belt keeps the temperature a certain amount over ambient, so it is a very imprecise control. With just one piece of equipment, you could dial it in pretty tight: a single stage temperature controller. You'd just set it to the temp you want to maintain, tape the temperature probe to the side of the fermentor and insulate it against ambient air, and plug the brew belt into it. The controller will kill the power tp the brew belt once it's warm enough. If you're even a little handy, the STC-1000 is a great DIY controller, and there are many youtube videos and posts here on HBT that will show you how to wire it. I'm guessing you can get it in the UK.

 

[BrettPreston]

This is the temp, well last night...

So the kind of thing in having..


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[BigFloyd]

It depends on the yeast being used. Nottingham does quite nicely if held at 14-16*C for the first few days. Otherwise, it's hard to go wrong fermenting most ale strains at 18*C with a finish up around 20*C.

 

[big_len]

I brew in a small flat in the UK too!

I quite regularly ferment ales at this temp range, sometimes starting off lower than 16*C to begin with - but that might be heading towards pushing it!

The brew belt is a good idea after the first few days of fermentation, once the bulk of it is over, and the extra heat helps the yeasties finish the job.

For me, I found a water bath using a builder's tub was, and still is, a good method of control temp with not a lot of money and space used. A cheap aquarium heater off ebay (£5) can be put in the water bath to keep the temp up gently. When you feel adventurous you can add an STC-1000 to the mix for actual temperature control for about £10.

 

[judsonp]

It depends on the yeast. I've been using Nottingham at 13 C with fine results.

 

[BrettPreston]

Ok thanks for all your help and feedback. I think for the current batch will leave till the weekend and then bottle.

For the next batch will take you advice and leave brew belt off, wait for fermentation to take place and as it starts to settle down apply brew belt to ensure yeast gets all those then take off and leave to settle.

Thanks guys.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew