Hot fermentation: Lallemand Belgian Wit Style

[Mutt98]

So, despite my best efforts with a daisy chain chiller setup, I was only able to get my white IPA down to 80 degrees F yesterday. I would have been fine throwing in the fridge for awhile before pitching, but I had already rehydrated the above mentioned yeast. I don’t have any backup yeast or a homebrew shop, so it would have been days before I could pitch anything else, so I just threw it in. Some lessons learned for sure, but here’s a question, finally. Anyone have any experience with over temp fermentation with this yeast? Just curious what I should expect.

 

[Sipina]

I have had the same question for some time now. Would love to hear some experiences.

 

[dmtaylor]

I've not tried it quite that hot. It *might* throw extra pepper and fusels at higher temperature. However, my GUESS is that it will probably turn out just fine!

 

[rtstrider]

So, despite my best efforts with a daisy chain chiller setup, I was only able to get my white IPA down to 80 degrees F yesterday. I would have been fine throwing in the fridge for awhile before pitching, but I had already rehydrated the above mentioned yeast. I don’t have any backup yeast or a homebrew shop, so it would have been days before I could pitch anything else, so I just threw it in. Some lessons learned for sure, but here’s a question, finally. Anyone have any experience with over temp fermentation with this yeast? Just curious what I should expect.

I'll throw a curveball here. I regularly pitch ale/lager yeast in the upper 80's F during the summer. With that said the ferment fridge has been at fridge temps for at least 24 hours prior to that so it's already cold. Doing that I can drop about 4F per hour and be in a comfortable yeast temp range in 8-9 hours or so (aka upper 60s F). With that said I pressure ferment and have done the same with a few lager strains (Omega German Lager 1 DKO and WLP815) with no ill result. The key is to try to get it to fermentation temps as quick as possible (lagers around 48F-50F or ales somewhere in the 60s F depending on what you're aiming for). In the lager yeast sake that can take around 24 hours of cooling once the yeast starts going. Now all my ferments are set to 15 psi and use a thermowell in the Fermzilla instead of a probe taped to the side of the fermenter. I have yet to notice negative results from doing this with initial yeast pitch and repitching multiple generations...Both on a full yeast cake or recycled slurry. Hopefully that helps!

Edit: For my lager setup I chill to 50F and let that ride at 50F for 24 hours while the pressure naturally builds to 15 psi. The lagers get bumped up 3F every 24 hours until it hits 65F - 66F. Ales on the other hand just sit at their normal fermentation temperatures and ride out like I would any non pressurized ferment.

Edit 2: I do have an inherited DIY glycol chiller and will get that rig up and running early next year. For now it's ride or die with the fermentation fridge lol

 

[Mutt98]

I'll throw a curveball here. I regularly pitch ale/lager yeast in the upper 80's F during the summer. With that said the ferment fridge has been at fridge temps for at least 24 hours prior to that so it's already cold. Doing that I can drop about 4F per hour and be in a comfortable yeast temp range in 8-9 hours or so (aka upper 60s F). With that said I pressure ferment and have done the same with a few lager strains (Omega German Lager 1 DKO and WLP815) with no ill result. The key is to try to get it to fermentation temps as quick as possible (lagers around 48F-50F or ales somewhere in the 60s F depending on what you're aiming for). In the lager yeast sake that can take around 24 hours of cooling once the yeast starts going. Now all my ferments are set to 15 psi and use a thermowell in the Fermzilla instead of a probe taped to the side of the fermenter. I have yet to notice negative results from doing this with initial yeast pitch and repitching multiple generations...Both on a full yeast cake or recycled slurry. Hopefully that helps!

Edit: For my lager setup I chill to 50F and let that ride at 50F for 24 hours while the pressure naturally builds to 15 psi. The lagers get bumped up 3F every 24 hours until it hits 65F - 66F. Ales on the other hand just sit at their normal fermentation temperatures and ride out like I would any non pressurized ferment.

Edit 2: I do have an inherited DIY glycol chiller and will get that rig up and running early next year. For now it's ride or die with the fermentation fridge lol

I’ve done a few lagers and I’ve always just planned for an overnight cooldown in the ferm fridge. That would have been fine for this too except I figured my rehydrated yeast would be trash if I didn’t get it pitched pretty soon. Apparently my yeast went absolutely bonkers because despite being in a 50ish degree ambient temp, it stayed in the upper 70s throughout the next day and blew through primary fermentation in about 2 days. Luckily this isn’t competition beer, so I’ll be fine just drinking it unless it put off some serious junk. I’ll report back with results in about a week. I’m going to let it sit in primary a few extra days to do any possible cleaning up.

 

[Sipina]

I’ve done a few lagers and I’ve always just planned for an overnight cooldown in the ferm fridge. That would have been fine for this too except I figured my rehydrated yeast would be trash if I didn’t get it pitched pretty soon. Apparently my yeast went absolutely bonkers because despite being in a 50ish degree ambient temp, it stayed in the upper 70s throughout the next day and blew through primary fermentation in about 2 days. Luckily this isn’t competition beer, so I’ll be fine just drinking it unless it put off some serious junk. I’ll report back with results in about a week. I’m going to let it sit in primary a few extra days to do any possible cleaning up.

I am looking forward to read your report.

 

[Sipina]

@Mutt98 any news?

 

[Mutt98]

@Mutt98 any news?

I’ve had a couple samples so far. It’s drinkable, but not great. I’m hoping to have some better palates try it to get some specific off-flavors. Also noted a bit of skunkiness which brought up another question. Can your wort skunk pre-fermentation. I brew outside and the boil kettle can be exposed to sunlight during chilling. And this particular brew was chilling for quite some time. Am I skunking my beer during that time? I’ve never noticed it before. But hit me pretty quick on this one.

 

[dmtaylor]

Yes your wort could get skunked. I would think the activity during fermentation might get rid of some of the skunk, but probably not all of it.

 

[Mutt98]

Nobody seems to be noticing any hot fermentation problems. I think it’s an ok beer and won’t have any problem finishing off the keg. One guy thought he was picking up banana notes. I haven’t perceived that and it’s way out of style, but what the hell.

 

[HM-2]

Nobody seems to be noticing any hot fermentation problems. I think it’s an ok beer and won’t have any problem finishing off the keg. One guy thought he was picking up banana notes. I haven’t perceived that and it’s way out of style, but what the hell.

To be honest, depending on hop paring a hint of banana in a white IPA sounds quite nice.