Fermentation Chamber Temperature VS Wort

[7brew]

I've always heard that fermentation creates heat, so if you have your chamber set to 68, your wort will actually ferment at about 69+

I recently bought a Fermostat from Ohmbrew automations, and have my chamber set to 68. However, I have a second thermowell that's actually sitting in the beer through the carboy cap. This way I can monitor the chamber temp and the beer temp.

The weird thing is that the beer is currently 65.

I brewed about 1 day ago, and pitched at 70. The chamber has maintained 68 through the whole day.

TL;DR How's it possible that the beer is dropping to a lower temperature than the chamber?

 

[ol-hazza]

My first thought wouch be to check the thermometers calibration.
Second would be to check the temperature of the chamber in different places, you might not be getting good air circulation (also consider installing a fan in there)
Third would be to check to see if you are actually fermenting? As you are right it does raise the temperature and can be by as much as 10 degrees

 

[ol-hazza]

Fourthly why are you controlling the chamber temp when it sounds like you can control the beer temp directly?

 

[shtoive87]

It's possible because the air will cool and heat much faster than the beer. Just after the freezer turns on, the air will cool down quickly and the air will then cool down the beer. After the freezer turns off, the air will be very cold, but if the freezer isn't sealed well, the air temp can rise quickly.

It is more likely that the thermometers aren't calibrated the same. Pull the thermowell and put it next to the other thermometer to see if they read the same.

 

[7brew]

Well, I figured out a couple things.

The main thing is that it's an upright freezer and my thermometer was placed high up, so the heat was rising and leaving the carboy cool.

To answer the question above about not using the beer thermowell:

I'm doing a saison in the winter (dumb, I know), so have the heater running to raise the temp to 75. However, the heater I chose has an automatic shutoff at some point, then won't turn back on til I reset it.

In order to raise the temp of the center of the beer just 1 degree on a cold night, I have to get the chamber temp into the 80's or 90's, which triggers the heater shutoff. I was hoping to just maintain the ambient temp where I need it, and the beer would naturally (over a longer period of time) become the same temperate.

Turns out it's not that simple!

I've since purchased a different heater, and seems to be running fine without shutting off. I'm also using the in-beer thermowell and so far temp is maintaining fine.

 

[C-Rider]

When you open the door of an upright a good portion of the cold air flows OUT of the freezer and is replaced by room temp air. That could be a problem and why many of us use chest freezers that hold the cold air when opened.

 

[stat]

Well, I figured out a couple things.

The main thing is that it's an upright freezer and my thermometer was placed high up, so the heat was rising and leaving the carboy cool.

To answer the question above about not using the beer thermowell:

I'm doing a saison in the winter (dumb, I know), so have the heater running to raise the temp to 75. However, the heater I chose has an automatic shutoff at some point, then won't turn back on til I reset it.

In order to raise the temp of the center of the beer just 1 degree on a cold night, I have to get the chamber temp into the 80's or 90's, which triggers the heater shutoff. I was hoping to just maintain the ambient temp where I need it, and the beer would naturally (over a longer period of time) become the same temperate.

Turns out it's not that simple!

I've since purchased a different heater, and seems to be running fine without shutting off. I'm also using the in-beer thermowell and so far temp is maintaining fine.

Use a hair dryer. Run it for a while to make sure the outside or tip doesn't get hot and then just wire it in place of the heater. Circulation and heat and it won't shut off at some weird temp.

Saisons in the winter ftw, it's always saison season.

Then again I'm in houston and it was 80 outside a couple days ago