Fermentation Temperature Question

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

chucke

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
316
Reaction score
12
Location
East Central Alabama
Does the recommended fermentation temperature refer to ambient temperature or the temp of the beer, which will be 5-10 higher than ambient?

I’m brewing a porter so ferment temp should be about 65 degrees. What should the ferm. refrigerator be set at?
 
The temperature of the fermenting beer is what's important, at 65* ambient your beer will probably be over 70 at high krausen. I'd probably start the refrigerator at 65 for the first 12-24 hours (lag phase), then drop it down to the 60 range and keep an eye on the beer temperature. If you have one of those stick-on thermometer strips it helps.

As the active part of the fermentation starts slowing down, you might want to slowly raise the fridge temp back up a little. You'll probably notice that because the temp in the fermenter will drop a few degrees as it slows down.
 
The temperature of the fermenting beer is what's important, at 65* ambient your beer will probably be over 70 at high krausen.

I have been fermenting in a ~70-degree closet. Does that mean my actual "fermentation temperature" is 75? I have had some off flavors (just finished drinking my second batch) that could be attributable to fermentation temp, I guess. And all 4 batches fermented out in 2 or 3 days with S-04. They did all lose a couple of gravity points over the following two or three weeks, though.

If that's the case, how do people get it done in the summer? My only extra fridge has a keg in it.
 
Swamp cooler!
fermenting.jpg

(stealing Revvy's pic, but he won't mind)

and/or you switch to Belgian brews that like it a bit warmer. I'm making a saison this August.
 
I don't have air conditioning in my house, so in the hotter months I use a water bath to keep my beer at about 65 degrees F. Just fill a water tight container, big enough to hold your fermenter, with water and put your fermenter in there. I use a hard shell drum case for my water bath. Obviously you don't want to submerge the top of your fermentor. I drop a themometer in the water and if the water temp starts creeping up, I drop in a couple of gatoraid bottles filled with frozen water.
 
I don't have air conditioning in my house, so in the hotter months I use a water bath to keep my beer at about 65 degrees F. Just fill a water tight container, big enough to hold your fermenter, with water and put your fermenter in there. I use a hard shell drum case for my water bath. Obviously you don't want to submerge the top of your fermentor. I drop a themometer in the water and if the water temp starts creeping up, I drop in a couple of gatoraid bottles filled with frozen water.

This is what I've been doing, and it works. You can kick it up a notch by putting an old T-shirt over the bucket or carboy so that the cold water wicks up and offers an extra evaporative cooling effect. Even if the water is only 6-8 inches deep it really helps to stabilize the temps. If it's hot I add a couple of frozen water bottles each morning and change them out fresh in the evening.
 
Back
Top