Fermentation chamber question

[ShadyBrewer]

Just built a ferm chamber out of an old mini fridge and an stc-1000. My question is: do you put the carboy straight into the fridge right after you pitch the yeast OR do you let fermentation start and then put it in.

I ask because I put it straight into the chamber (17*c) right after I pitched and here we are 24 hours later and just a few bubbles are rising and it just seems a little slow to take off.

 

[xjmox14x]

No need to wait at all. Put it right into the fridge and slap the temp probe onto the outside of the bucket. Close the door and walk away.

Bubbles only mean the airlock is bubbling, not that fermentation has begun or ended.

 

[ShadyBrewer]

I don't mean bubbles in the airlock, I mean bubbles in the actual beer. Usually come 24 hours later it looks like a crazy whirl of bubbles and yeast inside the carboy

 

[xjmox14x]

Gotcha. Well, typically, you want to get your beer temperature down to it's fermentation temp when you pitch. The first few days are when the yeast is at its highest activity and are more susceptible to giving off flavors at higher temps.

What's the ambient temp you usually leave the batch at before throwing it into the chamber after you see it take off?

 

[ShadyBrewer]

This is my first time using the chamber. Do I leave it in there until I'm ready to either keg or bottle? Or can I put it in for like 2 weeks, then take it out and put a new batch in the chamber
Sorry for the noob questions but I honestly got my hands on a fridge, bought a stc-1000 and made a chamber without really researching how to use the damn thing. I just kept reading how fermentation temp control is super important and a great way to improve my beers

 

[Newsman]

You should leave it in there until the fermentation is complete, then you can take it out and keg or bottle, or if you're adding something (fruit or vanilla beans, etc) you can rack to a secondary for a few days/weeks. Just make sure your beer is not exposed to light very much. As for "fermentation complete" that means at least two consecutive days of the same gravity reading and then maybe another week to let the yeast clean up after themselves.

 

[hou_me]

^^ What he said

 

[xjmox14x]

This is my first time using the chamber. Do I leave it in there until I'm ready to either keg or bottle? Or can I put it in for like 2 weeks, then take it out and put a new batch in the chamber
Sorry for the noob questions but I honestly got my hands on a fridge, bought a stc-1000 and made a chamber without really researching how to use the damn thing. I just kept reading how fermentation temp control is super important and a great way to improve my beers

I understand haha. You can either leave it in there until you keg or bottle, or at the very least until fermentation is complete (as others have said). After you've determined fermentation is complete by way of a hydrometer, you can take it out if you want. Your best bet would be to leave it, but if, for example, you were to take it out of the 63 deg chamber after fermentation is done, and then leave it in a 68 deg room, you'll be just fine. The moral of the story is the the first few days are where temperature matters the most, so get it in there as soon as you pitch the yeast, and then leave it until it is done fermenting. After that, you can swap out for a new batch if you'd like.

 

[duboman]

Sorry to disagree but you can leave the vessel in until fermentation slows and then pull it. Some yeast actually benefit from this method as a slow warm up keeps them active to fully attenuate.

Off flavors are generally produced during the height of active fermentation, once that passes it becomes a lesser concern.

Cheers to you for taking a big step in making better beer!

 

[helibrewer]

I cool the wort to 66F in the chamber (ales) then pitch. As the krausen starts falling I raise the temp to 68F and leave it until completion.

If you can lower the temp to about 35F and leave the beer in another couple weeks it will really help clear your beer.

EDIT: I use an orange carboy hood with a SS thermowell in one opening and an airlock in the other so my referenced temps are internal wort temps.

 

[vinpaysdoc]

I would recommend that you attach the temperature probe to the carboy in a block of styrofoam. The styrofoam is used to insulate the probe from the air temperature in the refrigerator. The probe should sit against the carboy with the styrofoam covering it. I use an elastic belt taped to the styrofoam block/probe so I can slide it on/off the carboy easily.

Settings for the ST-1000 should be:

Temp - Desired fermentation temp + 1
Diff - 1 F (or smallest allowed)
ASD - 15 (or largest allowed)

Reference for the suggestions come from Yeast - The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation White/Zainasheff page 103.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

If you can lower the temp to about 35F and leave the beer in another couple weeks it will really help clear your beer.

This, although if your kegging its not needed really as this will happen in the keg anyways and since they are coned bottom you'll pull any remaining yeast on the first pint resulting in clear beer.

 

[ShadyBrewer]

Thanks for all the great info. Right now I just have the probe kind of dangling in the fridge. I'll fasten it to the side of the carboy as soon as I get home.

Thanks again everybody

 

[RM-MN]

Sorry to disagree but you can leave the vessel in until fermentation slows and then pull it. Some yeast actually benefit from this method as a slow warm up keeps them active to fully attenuate.

Off flavors are generally produced during the height of active fermentation, once that passes it becomes a lesser concern.

Cheers to you for taking a big step in making better beer!

I'll agree with this. The time when the yeast throw off flavors is when fermentation is at its peak. When the fermenttation slows, pull the fermenter out to room temperature, then brew another batch to put in the empty chamber. All you accomplish with leaving your beer in there longer is a slower finish and perhaps a higher FG.