Temperature increase after fermentation finishes

Had a question about fermentation temperature, or more accurately, post-fermentation temperature, didn't find any posts in a couple of searches.

How important is the temperature once the active fermentation is completed in primary? I have a beer in primary right now that I used frozen soda bottles to chill while fermentation was active (a pale ale with WLP008 East Coast Ale yeast), keeping it at 65ish. I went out of town, and had to give up trying to chill it, but the primary was complete, or at least at its very end. Now, without the ice bottles, even with a t-shirt draped in water and a fan going, the temp stays around 73. I'm kegging in two days, and will cold crash the night before. What effect does higher temp have on post-fermentation beer still in primary?

 

You should be fine, the first few days is the more critical time. Many people bottle and condition in the 70's (or maybe that's just me) but it comes out great. Once the yeast have done the big job, the potential for strange flavors is pretty much gone. Besides, low 70's is still in the "yellow" zone of fermentation, not in the red yet. Just let it ride, it will be fine.

 

Generally its a good thing to do to increase the temperature a few degrees at the end of fermentation. Provides a deicetyl rest (reduces some unpleasant yeast flavors) and helps the beer attenuate a little more.

 

I usually let a beer "finish" at room temp.

My beers spend the first 2 weeks of their lives (sometimes 3 if I'm feelin' crazy) in the temperature controlled wine cooler. Then I pull them out and let them sit for however long and then either secondary/keg/bottle.

 

Excellent, thanks for the input. I was fairly sure I had read that temp control was mostly a big deal during active fermentation. I'll be taking a sample tomorrow prior to kegging to see how it turned out.

I'm trying to figure out how to convince SWMBO I need another fridge so I can set it and forget it. Might have to start dual hatting the kegerator until then...

 

Like everyone said, you are fine. Post fermentation temps are not nearly as critical as active fermentation temps. Most of my beers ferment at around 68 degrees. Once the active stage is done, they sit at 72-74 untill packaging.


Of course, excessive heat is bad, but anything in the mid to lower 70s is fine.
No worries! Pez.