fermenting temperature for wine

[Tinbeers]

I was going to start another batch of wine but the weather is cold. I keep my house between 60 and 68 in the winter. Is this temp ok for making wine?

 

[bernardsmith]

That's the temperature range of my fermenting room, too and the short answer is that it depends of the yeast you are pitching

 

[Mallerstang]

Hi Tinbeers - I think so. Here's my experience - I started several batches of wine in the summer, and since I had some frozen fruit in the freezer (plum and raspberry) decided to try starting a batch in late November on the west coast of Canada.

My thermostat is set to 66 in the day when I'm home, and 59 at night and when I'm at work. The basement is unheated and currently at about 54. I found a yeast strains chart which told me that Lalvin EC-1118 has a range of 49-95, so I used that.

The primary fermentation in the kitchen took longer than usual to get going. I put the bucket over the heat vent a few times to warm it up, and it woke up after a couple of days.

Seven days after pitching the yeast, the SG was 1.010 so I transferred it to a secondary carboy and moved it to the basement. Eleven days later it's still bubbling happily at 54 degrees.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Yeast evolved in the same temperatures as humans, so any temperature then you feel comfortable, yeast will feel comfortable also.

Is it the theoretical "ideal" temperature? Maybe, maybe not, but it will ferment.

 

[Tinbeers]

Thanks, I will use the Lalvin EC-1118 this time.

 

[Mallerstang]

Update! My fruit wine with the EC-1118 is still fermenting just fine at only 52 degrees (11 degrees C).