Fermenting Temp Swings

[darth5aint]

I have an american wheat in primary. Pitched wyeast american wheat 1010 smsck pack into 66 wort. Bubbled after 24 hours. Unfortunstely my fermentor reading was at 67 last night but when i got home it was up to 70. I keep my house at 68 at night, 72 in the day( girl doesnt like it colder) will a swing of upwards of 4 degrees back and forth produce a lot of off flavors.

My first brew. Was a constant 74 and im still waiting to see if that heavy alcohol and diacetyl taste fades

 

[gelatin]

Those aren't really crazy temps, but yes you may need extended conditioning time to help with the off-flavors if present. Try using a swamp cooler and aiming more towards 64-68.

 

[Demus]

Room temperature swings won't necessarily produce the same swings in your beer temperature; liquids resist temperature change. Try and keep it in a closet that shares an outside wall and you should be good. Extra fridge's are pretty cheap on Craig's list if you want to think about a beer fridge. Also opens up the world of Lagers... ;-)

 

[darth5aint]

Update. This morning i woke up to find the airlock had stopped bubbling after about only 12 hours. The temp had dropped from 69 to 65 in this time. Is this normal? There also was a sulfur smell, is that common with wheat ale yeast?

 

[Demus]

Update. This morning i woke up to find the airlock had stopped bubbling after about only 12 hours. The temp had dropped from 69 to 65 in this time. Is this normal? There also was a sulfur smell, is that common with wheat ale yeast?

I haven't used 1010 but most of the German style wheat yeasts can produce some sulfur. It should off gas and/or age out; I wouldn't worry about tasting it in your beer. Is the beer in a glass carboy? Can you see any activity? Airlock bubbles or lack there of don't necessarily mean fermentation has stopped, or on going. If the seal is good and you wait long enough I'm sure you'll see a bubble eventually. Did you just direct pitch a smack pack of the 1010? How long did it take to swell after you smacked it? What did you do to aerate the wort?

 

[Demus]

Also, I'd throw some blankets over your fermentor to try and get some temperature stability, and maybe swirl it around a bit to re-suspend the yeast....

 

[darth5aint]

I took off the airlock to look in and there looked like there was a nice krausen though brownish in color, slightly lighter than the wort. I aerated by pouring vigourously back and forth between bucket and fermentor then topped off with sink hose. I just pitched straight starter. It took awhile to swell i forgot to.shake after smacking it, it swelled up more after i shook it two hours later. If i wrap it in a blanket shoukd i do that while its colder?

 

[unionrdr]

I cover my fermenters right after pitching & leave'em that way till bottling day.