If you were making an English Pale Ale

[Patton191]

What temperature would you ferment at and why?


This recipe...

6 lbs of Ultralight malt extract
1/2 Special B
some other grain I can't recall


1 oz glacier at 60 minutes

1 oz glacier at 1 minute.

Safale S-04

5 gallons

So what temp would you ferment at with S-04 for this and why? I'm trying to figure out if I would rather go mid 60s low 60s high 60s.


Thanks everyone

Patton

 

[david_42]

I'd keep it in the low 60s just to minimize any contribution by the yeast.

 

[Patton191]

Ok so I have it in my water bath and I made it yesterday around 1:00 Pm. I saw that it was working at about 9 this morning and I realized it was fermenting at 68 F. I am trying to bring it down with ice, but is this a bad idea? Will the swing damage the brew much?

 

[Edcculus]

I would have said around 68. You want some contribution from the yeast in an English Pale Ale. They aren't super clean like their American counterparts.

I'd still get the temp a little lower. If the ambient temp is 68, the actual fermenting temp is higher.

 

[Patton191]

I'm going off the fermometer. Hmm maybe I will try somewhere in between. How does about 66 sound?

 

[ajf]

I'd set the freezer thermostat for 65F, which allows the beer to ferment at about 66 - 68. Why? - because that's what the thermostat is set to, and I get great results at that temperature. (Over 90% of my brews are English Pale Ales.)

-a.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I'd start around 66 and ramp to 72 to get a couple extra points of attenuation.

 

[Poindexter]

I wouldn't sweat it too hard. When I think of Pale Ales I think of German Kolsche with essentially no yeast flavor component, American Pales that are mostly hops with just a little yeast and then the English Pales with plenty of yeast flavor on the malt and some hops.

As you brew more you will indeed get more serious about controlling your ferment temp.

DOH!! Edit: the best beer I ever made was my very first batch, an English Pale that fermented at whatever temp, I didn't even have the technology to measure it. I miss that innocence...

 

[Brocster]

I would think that you would want the beer between 64-68 for the style and the yeast type. I second what AJF said about 65 for the freezer. You will get about 2-3 degrees more on the fermenting beer. I haven't tasted a English Bitter with special B, I would be interested in the taste! Probably a nice and subtle sweet malt I would guess.

I didn't run your grain bill, but I would guess your OG to be around 1.042 or so. I would think your primary fermentation would be over quickly. Leave on primary for 2 weeks at the above temp, bottle/keg and your good to go.

Have fun with the beer! Sounds like a nice and simple recipe with some good unique qualities. Perfect bomber bottle beer!

 

[the_bird]

I've fermented the S-04 a little warm (like, upper 60°'s), and had way too much ester production. You want SOME yeast fruitiness, but if you let it get too warm it can easily overwhelm. I've actually done my last batch with an American ale yeast just to be clean; were I to use S-04, I'd probably do my best to limit tempt to 65°

 

[ericm]

low 60s for first couple days (the vigorous part of fermentation), mid 60s when it's started to slow down