Saflager 34/70 temps

[beardedbrewersbc]

Has anyone fermented (primary) with saflager 34/70 @ 40f temp? Our fermenting chamber is picky and is around 40-43. We can move it, but we really don't want to since it is 15 lbs. I'm thinking it might be super slow starting.

 

[mkeckjr]

That is quite low for W-34/70. I don't think I've ever fermented it below 48 F, and my instinct is that 40 F will be too low, and that the yeast won't ferment. If they do actually start chugging along, I would be concerned that the yeast would fall out earlier than you want and you may be left with some fermentation artifacts like diacetyl and acetaldehyde in the beer.

 

[beardedbrewersbc]

Thanks. I tried getting the temp up to 50 but it doesn't seem to be doing that.

 

[giraffe]

Some lager yeasts will do 45/46F (I believe the 34/70 strain is one of them.) But 40 id also be worried about. If you can do 45 I think you could get it to work with a large pitch and a long diacetyl rest once the beer is 2/3rds complete. (though you may try it. If you pitch in the low 50s, heat from fermentation, may keep its internal temp higher than ambient by enough. )

 

[beardedbrewersbc]

Sadly we will have to let it sit dormant until Friday when we get our controller back.

 

[skw]

There is anecdotal evidence of one German home brewer that used 34/70 at 36F, successfully.
http://hobbybrauer.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=149#p1164

 

[WoodlandBrew]

The growth rate of brewing yeast (s. cerevisiae for ales and s. uvarum for lagers) is temperature dependent, and monotonic in the region commonly used for brewing. The table below is constructed from data using this paper:

Walsh, R. M., and P. A. Martin. "Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces uvarum in a temperature gradient incubator." Journal of the Institute of Brewing 83.3 (1977): 169-172.


Optimum - Is the temperature that allowed for the fastest yeast growth. (Above and below this temperature growth and fermetation slows)
Half - is the temperature at which growth rate (and fermentation rate) is half of optimum.
Zero - Is the temperature at which no growth or fermentation was observed.

          s. uvarum (lager yeast)     s. cerevisiae (ale yeast)
Optimum   29°C / 84°F                 33°C / 91°
Half      17°C / 63°F                 19°C / 66°F
Zero      ~5°C /~40°F                 ~5°C /~40°F

 

[beardedbrewersbc]

That's good news SKW. We were able to get a replacement temp regulator and upped the temp to 50, so I think we will be ok. Though it did sit at 40-46 for a few days. It will now remain constant.

 

[beardedbrewersbc]

Good news, we got the beer active. And its smelling amazing.

 

[PrinceOfThePoint]

Mine is totally screaming along at 42 F ambient so you should be good.

 

[beardedbrewersbc]

Hey Princeofthepoint. That is awesome to hear. I think ours was just too cold, we are using a True brand fridge that was free. And we think the gauge and thermometer might be less that accurate. But now we are solid