Hello. Started the stout fermentation in the house. Ambient temp on bucket was between 68-72. First week. We have been having a warm week so I sent it to the garage which the temp 64 for a week. Asking which is better. 64 or 72 ish? Thanks.
Stout fermentation temp
- Thread starter GANEWBREW
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It depends a bit on what specific yeast strain you used. But >9 times out of 10, it should make a better beer at 64 F than 72 F. Unless you enjoy fruitier esters and headaches from potentially higher alcohols caused at higher temperatures.
The first few day are the critical ones for temperature. For many if not most ale yeasts the 64F. ambient would be better as it slows the fermentation so the yeast do not give off fusel alcohol or excessive esters. After the first week the warmer temperatures would be fine.
http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html
http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html
Even at 64 F it should go pretty fast. Probably will finish fermentation in 1 week. 3 weeks seems like a long time unless you use lager yeast at cold temps 40s & 50s. But longer conditioning is sometimes helpful to get rid of farty sulfur and buttery diacetyl.
Without knowing which yeast your are using (that would be really helpful!) or the grain-bill (super helpful), or the style (English Dry Stout, American Stout, Tropical Stout, Pastry Stout, Imperial Stout), all we can give you are generalities...
So my general advice is: fermernting at 64F will be "smoother" than fermenting at 72F
I’m in the South too, and Irish Dry Stout is one of the favorites here. I know a lot of folks here don’t like the Kveik yeasts, but I find it so much easier to throw in a pack of Voss and put a heat wrap on my fermenter than it is to try to keep it cool. Depending upon who you talk to, ideal temperature for Voss is 90-95°! I’m fixing to do another stout and will have to make a decision on whether to use a regular ale yeast or just go with the Voss.
Today checked gravity. 1.022. It has been consistently cooler in garage so I think move back in 72 F. Thoughts?
I try to always finish my beers at near that temperature.
Yeah, raise the temperature now. It might be finished. What was the original gravity on day one?
OG 1.064
Is bucket headspace a concern? Tasted nice yesterday.
I tried Voss in a blind swine. For a stout does Voss give any extra flavors, desirable or undesirable?
No, it should be just fine. Warm it up for 3 or 4 days, then it should be finished and ready to package. Double check that your gravity remains at 1.022. If it falls some more, then repeat every 3 days until it is stable before packaging.
I’m not the best person to judge. I evidently don’t have a refined palate. I buy and roast coffee that says has “notes of chocolate, blackberry, …” and all I taste is coffee. All I can say is that we like it here at the house. I shared a keg at a BBQ last summer and folks enjoyed it, or where at least kind enough to say so.
I really wish I could give you a better answer, and maybe I should try to do a little comparison with other folks doing the judging.
Same here except I buy fresh roasted coffee. We were ordering more coffee online the other day and reading through the different taste descriptions and I said, "Does it really matter? They're all just going to taste like coffee to me anyway."
I think a lot of this is just marketing. I would love to see them do a blind smell/taste test with coffee where they have people describe what they smell/taste and see if it matches the coffee company's descriptions, kind of like Brulosophy, call it Cofflosophy I guess 
. I think they just write down descriptors that sound good to increase sales. But maybe I'm just an old cynic.
My wife has a coffee that I just smelled (I don't drink coffee) that smelled like tobacco. I should have her sniff it and tell me what she thinks. Problem is the notes they state (just like beer, whiskey, etc.) depends on the person. I had some glycol go bad and I thought it smelled like butterscotch. I asked each person in my house without telling them what I thought and without telling them what they were smelling and I got sourdough, algae and cream cheese!
Short of it is: only way to find out is to find out yourself!
Short of it is: only way to find out is to find out yourself!
