How long to temp control

[mesa4234]

Hi All,

I am brewing my first beer, and it has been fermenting for 5 days. I noticed on the first day that it was getting too warm (75 degrees or so) so I put it in a swamp cooler. Fermentation was crazy for the first three days or so, and now it is slowing. The recipe I have says to keep it in the primary for 3 weeks and then bottle. How long do I need to keep it in the swamp cooler? Is it okay if the temp rises to about 75 after fermentation slows?

Thanks!

 

[WileECoyote]

Hello, It depends on the yeast manufacture fermenting temp recommendations, after the initial vigorous fermentation of 3 to 5 even up to 7 to 10 days it is ok to age/condition your brew a bit warmer, that being said, the max temp depends on your yeast strain, I have a Belgian Saison Yeast that ferments starting at 70 deg and go's all the way up to 95 deg.

I would look up the yeast you used in this brew and not exceed the recommended temp parameters.

Hope this helps
Cheers

 

[AJBrew710]

If you're using ale yeast, I'd think it would be fine at 75 at this point. Like WileE said, temperature matters most in the beginning of fermentation. After a few days, the yeast have generated most of the flavor compounds they're going to. Raising the temp a bit as fermentation slows actually keeps the yeast active and helps them cleanup certain off-flavors.

 

[strambo]

I always put my ferm. bucket in a tub of water. The first week I add ice bottles every day to keep the temp between 64-68, after that I just stop switching out the bottles and it rises to 68-72 sitting in my house.

 

[sonex]

This is a question of do you want the best beer possible or just want decent beer? If your fanatical like me and want the best beer possible I always control my temps from pitching yeast to in the keg (or bottle). Its true that the first few days are the most important, but if you took the time to make your own beer you might as well control the temps to the end to get the best possible results.