Fermenting Temps

[southsidebrewingco]

I have a Hefe going right now with Danstar Munich dry yeast and a light ale with coopers dry yeast. Thought the basement floor was a bit cooler but I have had steady temps of about 73 degrees in the carboys. My question is are the temps really high enough to cause any problems. A friend who has brewed for years said not to worry the beer will be fine but I don't want any undrinkable off flavors. BTW fermentation on both has been vigorous and both required a blow off tube. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[DevilNuts]

The higher temp affects the flavor in some way, but it will still be quite drinkable.

Here's a link to some science I don't yet understand:

http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/questions/5452/can-fermenting-temperatures-affect-a-beers-taste

 

[easttex]

Higher temps will give your hefe a slightly banana taste but it's still drinkable.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Hefe will be fine, thats still a bit high and in the future you should do something to keep it in the upper 60's..find a big rubbermaid at your local good will for a few dollars and put your carboy in that and fill it with cold water.

Research swamp coolers if you want to know more.

 

[Puddlethumper]

+1 to above. Few ale yeasts do their best work above 68F. Some, like Nottingham, like it much cooler. Only those yeast strains designed to make saisons do their best work in the mid 70's and higher.

I'd suggest you try to figure a way to keep your fermenting beer in the mid 60's for at least the first 5-8 days of fermentation. Higher temps after the first few days may do nothing more than drive your FG down. But, as others have said, high temps during the first few days of fermentation may very well lead to some banana flavors in your beer.

Cheers!

 

[worlddivides]

I've been doing a lot of reading on this over the past few days (books and internet articles) and, while apparently the total range of fermenting temperatures for ale yeasts goes from 60 up to 76, most yeasts seem to have their optimal temperature range in the mid to upper 60s (seems most of them are around 65-68 or so).

Just judging from what I've read, it seems that off-temperatures can be produced at the upper range of that, but that fusel alcohol won't be created unless you get a lot higher than that (80s, 90s, and beyond).

In summary, what I've read suggests that temperatures above your yeast's recommended range can create a great-tasting beer, but that it will probably taste different than what it's supposed to taste like.