Fermentation Temperature Control vs Fermenting Under Pressure

[mcgimpkins]

It seems in my experience Temperature control is one of the more (if not the most) important things towards brewing a good beer.

Recently for convenience sake I have been fermenting in Corny kegs. This has been making my brewing easier, and I have tried fermenting under pressure usually around 5-10 psi with temperature control. I have been reading around online with several sites saying that you can brew lagers at room temperature under pressure. Or that you can get more lose with your temperature control under pressure because less esters are produced.

Do any of you have experience with this? If so how lose can you get with your temps? Can you brew a great tasting ale at 80F? Has anyone brewed a lager at 70F?

 

[Morrey]

I ferment in Uni tanks affording me the opportunity to ferment under pressure. In all honesty, I cannot determine that a beer under pressure is much different than one produced not under pressure.

I cant readily say that less esters are formed under pressure, but my evaluations are this is less than a well known fact. I do believe, however, fermentation temperature is critical to the success of a great beer. I don't think being pressurized gives very much latitude in the temperature ranges you can get away with, but just my .02 after trying various beers under pressure. Take this with a grain of salt since all of my beers are controlled with a glycol chiller.

 

[North_of_60]

Check this out, it will answer some of the questions you asked.

like you I question what is “room temperature”.

 

[gello22]

I think you still want temperature control. I noticed a definite difference between Voss at 80 and 95. The big difference for me fermenting under pressure has been no noticeable fusil alcohols. My last hazy at 7.5% drank like juice. I’m brewing lager, ipa, and hazies with temps between 60 and 95 depending on yeast my basement is around 60 to 70 depending on wether it’s open window or the air conditioner.

 

[micraftbeer]

It seems like in this case you can't make a blanket statement like "you don't need temperature control any more". However, depending on your system, there can be night and day difference in amount of work required to keep a lager fermenting at 50F vs 65F.

From what I've read, fermenting under pressure isn't like temperature no longer matters, it's just a knob you can turn to tone down flavor profiles you'd otherwise get from your yeast by fermenting warmer.