Ringwood Diacetyl rest

I'm brewing ORfy's hobgoblin clone and used ringwood. It fermented out and I hit my FG. However it has a slightly buttery smell and taste. I know I need to do a diacetyl rest but I've come across a range of temps to bring it to. Joy of Homebrewing states that it should happen at 55-60 degrees for 24-48 hours, though my searching on here has lead me to believe that it should be around 70-75 degrees. Where do I go from here?

 

What is your fermentation temperature?

Diacetyl will be re-absorbed by the yeast at regular fermentation temperatures.
The main purpose of a diacetyl rest is to increase the speed of this reaction, since it happens faster at a warmer temp.
At the brewery I work at we will ferment lagers as high as 13C (roughly 56F) and diacetyl rest as low as 17C (roughly 64F).

Without a gas chromatograph the only way you have of knowing whether or not the diacetyl is low enough will be human sensory analysis.
Relax, don't worry, and get your turkey baster. If the beer still tastes buttery.....wait longer.

 

I fermented at 65F. The LHBS told me to rest at 55-60F for 24-48 hours, that seemed to jsut make the diacetyl smell worse.

 

I think I've seen 70-75. I'll be doing that next week with an IPA made with Ringwood.

 

I am using ringwood on my mild i'm brewing this monday and wishing my lbh wasnt out of esb

 

OK so doing a diacetyl rest at a temperature LOWER than your fermentation temperature makes absolutely no sense. Diactyl reduction will SLOW DOWN as you reduce the temperature of the beer. If you are going to do a diacetyl rest it should be at a temperature HIGHER than your fermentation temperature.

The temperature of the diacetyl rest is really not something you should be worrying about. At 65F the yeast will re-absorb the diacetyl rather quickly, and a diacetyl rest is probably a big waste of time and energy. Fankly I wouldn't bother with a diacetyl rest for ales at all, since the fermentation temperature is generally high enough to re-absorb the diacetyl in a very reasonable amount of time.

However if you choose to do a diacetyl rest because you don't want to wait for the diacetyl removal (remember this will happen at normal fermentation temperatures anyways) you will have to raise the temperature. Lowering the temperature will have the opposite effect of what you want, and will be a big waste of time/energy.

Hope that helps.

 

Aprreciate the input! I moved it back to the warmer room and it seems to be getting better, hopefully a week at the correct temp will help it out.

Thanks again!

 

I just used Ringwood but I do this to all beers I brew. When I see activity slowing down or lets says 3/4 of the ways done I start raising the temp. For ales I would raise it to 70 -73 While activity is still going on, not after it is done. For me this works well and I do not have any diacetyl. just made a Bitter with Ringwood and it tastes great.

 

What AshtrayDinner said. A diacetyl rest should be warmer, not cooler than fermentation temp, whatever that temp may be.