Fermentation temperature discussion

[ColeBeer78]

The best beer I ever made is with a chamber. I couldn't believe the difference it makes. I ferment in my garage in the winter with a chamber and use the lightbulb paintcan trick. Works great!

 

[smccarter]

Looks like I'll be adding a couple of new processes to my next batch of beer.

I've really been over-thinking the fermentation chamber. I have a deep freezer and a temperature controller. I used to keg and used the freezer to cool my kegs. The intention was to build a keezer, but I think I'm going to use the freezer as a fermentation chamber - at least for the time being. I'll also use the freezer to cold crash my next couple of beers to see how much of a difference it makes to the clarity of my beer. I've always moved to secondary and let my beer set there for at least 2 weeks... usually more like 4. My beer is fairly clear, but I'd like to see if I can get it to the extremely clear point.

I've also ordered a 2 liter flask. Mr Malty says I need a starter of 1.57 liters of 1.040 wort to get to the correct amount of yeast to pitch with my next batch.

I live by the KISS principle. The added processes are going to increase the complexity of my brewing process by a fairly large factor. I really hope to see a significant improvement in my beer, which has always been pretty good. Who knows, maybe I'll brew a few really REALLY good beers. If not... I'll probably skip the fermentation chamber and cold crashing. I'll continue making yeast starters. That's something that is relatively simple and just makes good sense.

 

[bierandbikes]

Just acquired a chest freezer that has been converted to a keezer. It is pretty dirty and got a healthy population of mold but I think I can save it. The best part...it was free. It actually has the tower, CO2 tank and regulator, and keg connect. The lines will need to be tossed and everything seriously cleaned, but good timing.

It has a temp controller but appears to only work on the cooling side. Any recommendations for a dual control so I can heat if necessary as well as cool?

 

[philosofool]

Just acquired a chest freezer that has been converted to a keezer. It is pretty dirty and got a healthy population of mold but I think I can save it. The best part...it was free. It actually has the tower, CO2 tank and regulator, and keg connect. The lines will need to be tossed and everything seriously cleaned, but good timing.

It has a temp controller but appears to only work on the cooling side. Any recommendations for a dual control so I can heat if necessary as well as cool?

An STC-1000 Is the DIY controller of choice for homebrewers. Building one will set you back thirty to forty bucks depending on what you already have to build the whole controller. There's a massive thread on these forums, just look for 'ebay temperature controller'.

 

[philosofool]

I live by the KISS principle. The added processes are going to increase the complexity of my brewing process by a fairly large factor. I really hope to see a significant improvement in my beer, which has always been pretty good. Who knows, maybe I'll brew a few really REALLY good beers. If not... I'll probably skip the fermentation chamber and cold crashing. I'll continue making yeast starters. That's something that is relatively simple and just makes good sense.

I think you'd be better off doing the reverse. Fermentation temperature control is more important to the end result than a starter for most beers. While building the ferm chamber is complex, using one is a lot easier and simpler than making a starter: the only added step is setting the temp controller.

 

[dannysk]

Even a single degree F difference can have an impact on the fermentation, e.g., esters, higher alcohols, attenuation, all of which can impact flavor. Without proper cooling control and with inconsistencies in yeast pitching, you are likely getting several degrees of variability. By controlling the fermentation a little more precisely, you might find spectacular results and even be able to drive the flavor profile that you are looking for. I am personally a huge fan of fermentation control (pitch rate, consistent oxygen addition rate, pitch temperature and fermentation/attemporation temperature). Best of all, controlling these parameters will allow you to learn as a brewer how to get the desired outcome.
Cheers.

 

[smccarter]

Spent the afternoon cleaning my freezer. I'm in the process of tuning the temp controller. I had it set on 60 and the freezer got down to exactly 50. I'm waiting for the freezer to warm up again... I set it to 68 to see what temp that would stop on. May need to purchase a more accurate controller.

I've got a beer in the carboy. I pulled 1.5 liters of wort from it and have a starter going. I'll pitch this evening. Brewed yesterday. I plan to ferment in the freezer this week at 60 degrees. Then cold crash in a few weeks at about 40 degrees.

We'll see.

 

[smccarter]

I've pitched my yeast. The carboy was at about 62 degrees F. I am looking forward to this beer. I really hope that this one turns out well.

 

[smccarter]

Looking pretty good. The freezer is holding a 1 gallon bottle of water at 61 degrees. I'm assuming the beer is at the same temp, and it's fermenting. Pitched the yeast last night and it had a very healty kruisen this morning.

You folks are a bad influence on me. I'm a lazy man who really likes to keep things simple. In the freezer, I had 4 kegs that have been setting in there for a couple of years. Since I powered the freezer off. I pulled them out and will be cleaning and rebuilding them. I guess I'll be kegging again since I have the kegs now. I'm looking at a Edgestar Kegerator Refrigerator - BR2000BL that I'll probably purchase along with the hardware for a kegerator. I probably won't keg all of my beers, but since I have 8 kegs, I guess I'll go ahead and start using them again.

Problem is... I have 9 carboys. The freezer only holds 2 carboys at a time. How can I ferment 4 beers at once, cold crash 4 at once... etc... That's the real question. I think this is going to cut down on production a good bit.

 

[smccarter]

So here it is... but I do have a question.

In the small 1 gallon bottle I have the temperature probe. I have the controller set to 60 degrees which is the temperature of the water in the 1 gallon jug. I'm making an assumption that the fermenting beer is also 60 degrees. It feels warmer than that in the actual freezer. The question is, is the fermenting beer actually 60 degrees?

 

[BlackGoat]

beer that is actively fermenting will typically be at a higher temp than ambient. This can range from a couple degrees to up to something like 10 degrees. Most people tape their probe to the side of a carboy and use something to insulate it.

 

[smccarter]

beer that is actively fermenting will typically be at a higher temp than ambient. This can range from a couple degrees to up to something like 10 degrees. Most people tape their probe to the side of a carboy and use something to insulate it.

So, what you're saying is I need to set my temp controller to 50 to get the fermenting beer to 60 degrees. And that the 1 gallon jug of water isn't a good representation of the temperature of the 5 gallons of wort fermenting in the carboy?

 

[BlackGoat]

close, I'm saying that you should not use a 1 gallon jug of water at all and instead tape your probe to the side of your carboy and set the temperature to your proper fermentation temp. That should put you within a degree or two of the temperature that you're shooting for. If you have multiple batches going, use the one that is the most recently brewed as the fermentation temperature is most critical in the first few days of fermentation.

 

[itsme_timd]

I'll have some personal input on this in a few weeks! I just started my first beer using a fermentation chamber. Almost every brewer I ask about ways to improve the quality of homebrew says fermentation temp control is #1.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

beer that is actively fermenting will typically be at a higher temp than ambient. This can range from a couple degrees to up to something like 10 degrees. Most people tape their probe to the side of a carboy and use something to insulate it.

Exactly! A probed taped to the side of your fermenter and insulated will match to within 1 degree the internal fermentation temp.

 

[smccarter]

Funny thing about this... I'm checking the fermenter once or twice daily and the smells that are coming out of it are pretty cool. I checked it this morning and I'm getting a ripe banana smell. Still fermenting... slowly.

I'm anxious to taste this beer... even if it is several weeks out.

It's a fairly big beer... OG 1.071. The last three 7+% ABV beers that I brewed, I fermented at room temp ~68 degrees. They all have a slightly harsh alcohol flavor. Brewed them several months ago and they haven't lost any of the harshness. I'm thinking it may be fusil alcohol that's giving it that flavor. I'm leaving them alone for another month or so to see if they mellow out any. The fermentation chamber is an effort to remedy this issue. We'll see... fingers crossed.

 

[kharper6]

Funny thing about this... I'm checking the fermenter once or twice daily and the smells that are coming out of it are pretty cool. I checked it this morning and I'm getting a ripe banana smell. Still fermenting... slowly.

I'm anxious to taste this beer... even if it is several weeks out.

It's a fairly big beer... OG 1.071. The last three 7+% ABV beers that I brewed, I fermented at room temp ~68 degrees. They all have a slightly harsh alcohol flavor. Brewed them several months ago and they haven't lost any of the harshness. I'm thinking it may be fusil alcohol that's giving it that flavor. I'm leaving them alone for another month or so to see if they mellow out any. The fermentation chamber is an effort to remedy this issue. We'll see... fingers crossed.

This is my favorite part about the fermentation chamber so far. Opening it up and filling the kitchen with CO2 stink and fermentation smell. Can't wait to drink this one. I taped the probe to the side of bucket on the opposite side of the cooling block in my fridge. I set the fridge to "low" so that when it kicks on it won't have enough power to really fluctuate the temperature in places the probe is NOT. I keep it at 62 degrees (kolsch yeast).

 

[butterpants]

My fermentation chamber is in my unheated garage, so I use a dual stage controller, which will turn on a heat source if it gets too cool, and the fridge if it gets too warm. Like BigFloyd, I love being able to let the beer go through a range automatically, so if I'm starting at 62F, I'll set the heat to come on at 61F with a 1 degree variance, and set the cooling to come on at 66F with a 1 degree variance (so between 62F and 65F, it is neither heating nor cooling). I'll pitch at 62F, let the controller keep it from going below 62F or above 65F, and let the heat of fermentation ramp it up to 65F from 62F. If I'm doing a diacetyl rest, I'll manually change my controller settings and raise it up to 68-70F, and then cold crash it. I'm still experimenting with cold crashing - as was mentioned on another recent thread, cold crashing too rapidly MAY produce yeast stress and off flavors. IMO I can't say one way or the other.

Can you describe what you use as a heating element for the second stage? I ask because I'm currently building one very similar to what you describe and not sure what direction to go with the hot side....

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Can you describe what you use as a heating element for the second stage? I ask because I'm currently building one very similar to what you describe and not sure what direction to go with the hot side....

I'm currently using a Brew Belt, which is fine for one fermenter, although I use glass carboys and it specifically says not to use on glass... I'm wanting something that will heat the ambient air rather than directly on the fermentor, so I can have 2 fermentors getting the same treatment instead of one heated and one getting the ambient only. I'm looking at a ceramic heating "bulb" but would love to hear what others use too. The light bulb in the coffee can is just too much risk for me, although if I could pick up an old ceramic light bulb socket, I might try that. I just don't want a fire in my garage!

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I'm doing a bit of a happy dance here, after scoring a free chest freezer on CL! So now I get to clean it up (it is in serious need), and then get another dual stage controller and heat source. I'm so jazzed, because I can do more lagers now without tying up my only fermentation chamber for months!

I checked out the controller from risendeadbrewing.com for $40, wired, but it's a single stage controller. Anyone find a better deal than just getting theSTC-1000 and wiring it themselves?

 

[Magic8Ball]

I'm currently using a Brew Belt, which is fine for one fermenter, although I use glass carboys and it specifically says not to use on glass... I'm wanting something that will heat the ambient air rather than directly on the fermentor, so I can have 2 fermentors getting the same treatment instead of one heated and one getting the ambient only. I'm looking at a ceramic heating "bulb" but would love to hear what others use too. The light bulb in the coffee can is just too much risk for me, although if I could pick up an old ceramic light bulb socket, I might try that. I just don't want a fire in my garage!

About 2 years ago I built a version of this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/new-fermentation-chamber-build-102846/ . I use a ceramic 100w infrared heating element for the heating stage. Its in my garage and it can hold temps in the 80's without a problem. Fire is a concern. I could not find a better alternative for heating the entire chamber. To mitigate the fire risk. I have lined the inside of the chamber with fire treated plywood from the HD. This doesn't make it fire proof, but more so than foam board alone. I put a smoke detector right over the chamber.