Hello all!

[FossilHead]

Well, the yeast has been pitched in my first batch of home brew and I thought I should say hello. I have found this forum to be invaluable in my quest for knowledge as I have just begun my home brewing journey. Glad to be here and excited for a new hobby!

Cheers!

 

[flars]

Welcome.
Don't forget that fermentation produces heat. An active fermentation may take your beer over the optimum temperature for the yeast and produce some off flavors.
Do you have a set up for temperature control?

 

[Biscuits]

Welcome to homebrewing! The reason your significant other will leave you, you will always be broke, and you will be proudly dubbed a beer snob amongst your light beer drinking friends.

 

[Fedora]

Howdy, fossil head.

 

[ncbrewer]

Welcome. Hope the brew turns out well.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Welcome!

 

[FossilHead]

Welcome.

Don't forget that fermentation produces heat. An active fermentation may take your beer over the optimum temperature for the yeast and produce some off flavors.

Do you have a set up for temperature control?

Thanks for the tip. I don't currently have a specific temperature control set up yet, but my basement is pretty cool right now. I checked the temp and it's right around 64° F. Just about perfect. I'll keep monitoring it and if it starts to get higher than 70°, I'll get something set up. Thanks!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Thanks for the tip. I don't currently have a specific temperature control set up yet, but my basement is pretty cool right now. I checked the temp and it's right around 64° F. Just about perfect. I'll keep monitoring it and if it starts to get higher than 70°, I'll get something set up. Thanks!

The point is that fermentation creates heat. 5-10 degrees above ambient air is not unheard of. I've seen 15 degrees once or twice.

It's the temp of the fermenting beer that matters, not the temp of the room.

Sitting at ambient of 64 may mean fermentation of 69-74 (or more, especially if you pitch warm), too high for many styles.

Place your fermenter inside a big plastic tote bin, and then surround with water up to the same level as the beer. That alone will restrain the fermentation temp spike (in my observations usually stays the same as ambient, at most 1-2 degrees above) the more water around it the higher the thermal mass and the more stable the temp.

And if you want you can then adjust the fermentation temp by adjusting the surrounding water with either ice packs/frozen bottles of water, or with a submersible water heater.

Boom. Cheap, easy fermentation temp control. I've used this method for years and won plenty of medals in the process. Hard to brew a lager this way, but for ales my money says it's actually more effective than your average fermentation fridge.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

 

[FossilHead]

The point is that fermentation creates heat. 5-10 degrees above ambient air is not unheard of. I've seen 15 degrees once or twice.

It's the temp of the fermenting beer that matters, not the temp of the room.

Sitting at ambient of 64 may mean fermentation of 69-74 (or more, especially if you pitch warm), too high for many styles.

Place your fermenter inside a big plastic tote bin, and then surround with water up to the same level as the beer. That alone will restrain the fermentation temp spike (in my observations usually stays the same as ambient, at most 1-2 degrees above) the more water around it the higher the thermal mass and the more stable the temp.

And if you want you can then adjust the fermentation temp by adjusting the surrounding water with either ice packs/frozen bottles of water, or with a submersible water heater.

Boom. Cheap, easy fermentation temp control. I've used this method for years and won plenty of medals in the process. Hard to brew a lager this way, but for ales my money says it's actually more effective than your average fermentation fridge.

Well, I guess I wasn't clear. I checked the temp of the beer and it was 64 degrees. Cheers!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Well, I guess I wasn't clear. I checked the temp of the beer and it was 64 degrees. Cheers!

Cool, sounds like you're off to a good start.

 

[ncbrewer]

Place your fermenter inside a big plastic tote bin, and then surround with water up to the same level as the beer. That alone will restrain the fermentation temp spike (in my observations usually stays the same as ambient, at most 1-2 degrees above) the more water around it the higher the thermal mass and the more stable the temp.

I mount the fermometer just below the expected beer level, and then fill the tub to about an inch below the fermometer since it isn't water proof. Qhrumphf might be using some other kind of sensor.

 

[Biscuits]

I mount the fermometer just below the expected beer level, and then fill the tub to about an inch below the fermometer since it isn't water proof. Qhrumphf might be using some other kind of sensor.

Fermometer?

 

[yeastylad]

Fermometer?

Yup, it's a temp sensitive tape that shows the temperature of the vessel it's stuck onto.

 

[Biscuits]

I just call it a thermometer...but fermometer is catchy!

 

[Qhrumphf]

I mount the fermometer just below the expected beer level, and then fill the tub to about an inch below the fermometer since it isn't water proof. Qhrumphf might be using some other kind of sensor.

This will work just fine, and I do this with some of my fermenters.

However, as I indicated, over the years I've done direct measurements of both the fermenting beer in multiple stages of fermentation, as well as the surrounding water, and even during peak of fermentation the differences is minimal, within margin of error on reading a sticker thermometer like that. So you could just as easily only measure the temperature of the surrounding water and assume it to be accurate. Of course, if you can actually place a thermowell inside the fermenter that'd be the best bet. It's something I haven't bothered with, but I know that you can buy them through some homebrew supplies, and there's a thread or two here on HBT on how to make your own, if you care to dig it up.

 

[flars]

I just call it a thermometer...but fermometer is catchy!

,but that is what it is.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermometer

 

[Biscuits]

,but that is what it is.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermometer

Mind = Blown!

 

[ncbrewer]

This will work just fine, and I do this with some of my fermenters.

However, as I indicated, over the years I've done direct measurements of both the fermenting beer in multiple stages of fermentation, as well as the surrounding water, and even during peak of fermentation the differences is minimal, within margin of error on reading a sticker thermometer like that. So you could just as easily only measure the temperature of the surrounding water and assume it to be accurate.

Yes, I've found very little difference between the beer temp and the surrounding water during active fermentation. But contrary to common knowledge, I find a significant difference (sometimes up to 6 degrees) during the lag phase. I guess it's questionable whether that matters, but I hold the same temps during lag as during active fermentation.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Yes, I've found very little difference between the beer temp and the surrounding water during active fermentation. But contrary to common knowledge, I find a significant difference (sometimes up to 6 degrees) during the lag phase. I guess it's questionable whether that matters, but I hold the same temps during lag as during active fermentation.

Are you either you starting with both wort/beer and water at the same temp? I've found if I pitch 2-3 degrees cold, and the water is at or just above fermentation temp, then over the lag period they basically equalize out to ferm temp by the time fermentation kicks off. If there's not a temp differential between wort and water, I'm curious why you'd see a difference during lag in a swamp cooler, because that hasn't been my observation and I'm struggling to come up with a rational explanation.

 

[ncbrewer]

I think we're getting off topic - I'll send a PM.

 

[FossilHead]

Took my first hydrometer reading after pitching and it read 1.010. Temp of the beer is steady around 64-65. Tasted the sample and it tasted like it should, albeit flat. I'm excited to rack it to secondary after I confirm fermentation is done. :rockin:

 

[flars]

Took my first hydrometer reading after pitching and it read 1.010. Temp of the beer is steady around 64-65. Tasted the sample and it tasted like it should, albeit flat. I'm excited to rack it to secondary after I confirm fermentation is done. :rockin:

No mention of what your recipe is, but most often a secondary vessel is not needed. About three weeks in the primary and you can have a clear beer ready to rack to the bottling bucket.

 

[FossilHead]

Its an Irish Red Ale Extract kit from Midwest Supplies. I'm just going by the directions hat came with it since it's my first brew. Seems to be going well so far. Cheers