Being cruel to my yeast but trying to change my ways

[normzone]

I'm still new and clueless in many ways, so I wanted to run this by you folks to confirm my thinking.

Looking for ways to improve my process of choice, which is making DME-based IPAs with a ton of hops.

My current process includes soaking some grains in a bag, then cooking up DME and hops, then using a cooling coil and adding water / ice to chill below 80 degrees F. Sometimes I barely get to 80 because of Southern California summertime water / air temperatures.

So I recently figured out that I'm taking a yeast starter that is at room ambient, about 74F, and adding it to a wort at about 80F, then trying to get my fermenter refrigerator to maintain something in the mid-sixties for a week of fermentation before I kick it out into room ambient to make room for the next batch.

So my poor yeast are going through a cycle of 74 to 80 to 65 / 75 depending on fermentation activity. I fear that I'm risking sub-optimal fermentation or encouraging off flavors.

Is my best bet to focus on dropping my wort temperature target to 70F by icing more? What about the manufacturer's (White Lab California Ale) recommendations? Or should I just have a beer and find something else to worry about?

Thanks all -
Norman

 

[itsbeeryo]

I'm in So-Cal too; I get it down to about 80 - 84 with my Chiller then move the wort into the fermenter that goes into an ice bath. Once it's down to 66- 68 I pitch the yeast in. You're probably not doing excessive harm but the more consistent you can get it the better. 80 is def on the high side.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

You definitely want to get the wort down to fermenting temps before pitching your yeast.

Why not cool the wort down as low as you can with the chiller then put the starter and the full fermenter in that fridge you mention (separately) over night, then pitch the yeast the next morning?

That's essentially what I do for lagers, just a lower temp.

 

[daksin]

White Labs yeast, is, put simply, the best yeast you can purchase. Unfortunately, someone on their marketing team thinks it's a great idea to give you terrible instructions on the label. What you ALWAYS want to do to get the best possible beer, is to cool the wort to below optimal fermentation temperature before pitching, let it rise naturally, and then hold it at optimal temperature for well beyond the period of active fermentation. I live in S. San Diego Co as well, with ground water temps averaging around 77F. Spend the money on ice (and a plate/counterflow chiller, if you can afford it) and make better beer. I'm not rich but if you want to make the best beer possible, temperature control is more important than any other factor, IMO, INCLUDING recipe formulation.