Should I keep my primary upstairs (75 deg) or downstairs (70 deg)?

[abefroman]

Should I keep my primary upstairs where its 75 deg or downstairs where is 70 deg?

I'm making a Belgian Ale, using Wyeast Activator (liquid yeast).

TIA

 

[kyle6286]

I made a Belgian wheat my last batch, and my fermentation was at a consistent 68-70. I would say because 75 is on the higher end of that yeast's temperature range, assuming you used wyeast 3944, keep it downstairs where it's 70.

Edit: Is your beer 70 degrees downstairs or is the actual room temperature 70?

 

[RDWHAHB]

Both sound warm. What yeast? Do you have a plan to cool the beer? Are you making a starter?
Jeff

 

[dcp27]

downstairs, but I'd cool it below 70 to start with a tub of water or swamp cooler. then after a day or two let it warm up. aside from a saison, 70F is pretty high ambient temps to start since the wort will be 3-10F warmer due to fermentation

 

[unionrdr]

That's actually not to high for an average ale yeast. Cooper's ale yeast likes 68-72F. Even though some have claimed to got it working at 66F. It'll go quite high temp-wise,but the results will need clean up time,which it doesn't seem to mind doing.
It's a very tolerant yeast.

 

[BradleyBrew]

I made a saison a month ago and kept the fermenter at 80+ using the belgian saison strain. It just depends on the final product you are looking for. If you want the belgian yeast to give off esters or flavor go with the 75 degree temp if not go 70. Most belgian strains will perform well at both temperatures.

 

[ayoungrad]

Your temps of 70 and 75 are ambient temps. Stated optimal temp ranges for yeasts refer to wort temp which can be 3-10 degrees higher than ambient during fermentation...

So definitely keep it at 70 if those are your only two choices.

 

[ayoungrad]

Although unless you are making a Belgian or want esters, closer to 60 or 65 ambient would be best.

EDIT: Sorry, I see you are making a Belgian.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,that's true for the most part. But I've also found out the hard way that the more yeast cells you pitch,& the more vigorous the fermentation,the higher the temp you have to deal with.
so,again it depends on what you want. But the 70F temp sounds better to me at this point.