Temp Control help

[TimFarAway]

I drank my 1 gal initial brew during the super bowl, got an apricot ale (for SWMBO) into bottles last weekend and have an Irish Red fermenting in a brewdemon conical since 9 Feb. The problem I am just learning about is my fermentation temp control. I don't have a ferm chamber and have just been letting it sit in the ambient house temps. Last night the temp strip on the side read 76 so I moved it down stairs, and this morning its reading 64. It has probably been about the same cycle for 2 weeks.

What's going on in there? I know my yeasties are probably about done by now, but were they too stressed out in the beginning? Had good airlock activity and kreusen for the first few days. Is it going to be fusel or some other type of off flavors? Will letting it condition in bottles for a few extra weeks or months help? OG was 1.052, yeast is WLP004 (1 vial in a 2.5 gal batch)

Also, using the spigot on the bottom of the fermenter, I get mostly trub when I draw a little out to take a hydrometer reading. Should I let it flow until its clear first or read the gravity of the trub? Might be interesting to try both.

 

[aiptasia]

What's going on in there?

Fermentation is an exothermic reaction, meaning the whole process gives off some heat. Ambient temperatures of your room or fermentation chamber can be quite different from the actual temperature of your wort as it ferments.

I know my yeasties are probably about done by now, but were they too stressed out in the beginning?

Hard to say until you taste the finished beer. A lot of yeasts are pretty idiot proof, so just relax and see what it tastes like after it carbonates.

Had good airlock activity and kreusen for the first few days. Is it going to be fusel or some other type of off flavors? Will letting it condition in bottles for a few extra weeks or months help? OG was 1.052, yeast is WLP004 (1 vial in a 2.5 gal batch)

Again, hard to say. Probably not but you never know. Taste it later. Aging the beer won't help it.

Also, using the spigot on the bottom of the fermenter, I get mostly trub when I draw a little out to take a hydrometer reading. Should I let it flow until its clear first or read the gravity of the trub? Might be interesting to try both.

I wouldn't use the spigot for pouring out gravity readings. Your yeast is also going to settle out and rest ontop of the trub layer and if you draw out beer to test from the base of that conical, you're going to suck out a lot of the yeast with the trub while you let it run clear. That's not good.

You should be taking readings with a sanitized turkey baster from the top of that conical. Pour your sample in your hydrometer tube and measure it, then toss out the sample.

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

I would recommend letting it run clear. Most other conicals have a second outlet at the very bottom for drawing off the trub and yeast. I'm surprised this doesn't. OTOH, most other conicals are a lot more expensive.

 

[flars]

64° wort temperature is ideal for most ale yeasts during active fermentation. Yeast produces heat as it works. Depending upon a combination of Original Gravity and ambient temperature, the wort temperature can rise 3° to 10° in the first day.
After the first three to five days the wort can usually be allowed to rise to ambient temperature.

If your downstairs is 58° to 62° that would work as a ferm chamber for low gravity brews. The wort should be cooler than ferm temp when you pitch the yeast. It is less stress on the yeast to warm up and easier to control ferm temp starting cool rather than to warm.

Opening your spigot until it runs clear will dump the yeast. You need the yeast to finish clean up of off flavors. Give your fermentor at least a week at room temperature for clean up.

A hydrometer reading of the trub will be of no value. The hydrometer will not float freely in the trub. Use a beer/wine thief to take samples from the top. A clean and sanitized turkey baster can also be used to draw a sample. Sanitize the lid and hands before opening.

A used refrigerator and a STC-1000 temp controller in your future?

 

[rodwha]

There's a fellow on here (skitter) who is building a fermentation chamber that looks rather promising. He is building his to handle 2 Mr Beer fermentors and use ice and a fan.

When it gets much warmer than it is down here in TX you'll certainly be needing something more than your downstairs (I assume you have 1 A/C unit, which is why your downstairs is much cooler). This will make you need to come up with a plan:

A) Build/buy a fermentation chamber.
B) Use a swamp cooler and avoid the spigot as you can't guarantee it's sanitary.
C) Upgrade to buckets/carboys and use the swamp cooler.
D) Brew Belgians during our 9 month summer.

What do you think of your BrewDemon fermentor? It handles 2.5 gals, correct?

 

[TimFarAway]

Thanks for the useful advice! Planning a saison brew for this weekend. I like the brewdemon just fine so far, and the price is great. I added a #2 stopper but it seems to be working well. The stick-on thermometer is a little difficult to read though.

I am trolling craigslist for a fridge now, and looking into the STC-1000. Lots of great threads on here about how to use those. Will prob use a lizard heat lamp or something similar for warming if that would even be necessary. Trying to figure out what I want to use as a fermentation vessle. Want to be able to have two fermenting with airlock or blow off tube in the mini fridge.

Wish the LHBS had mentioned just how important this phase was to making GOOD beer. The 1st batch went down really well though so I will just RDWHAHB

 

[rodwha]

Which local place do you go to? Home Brew Party or SA Home Brew Supply?

Were I you I'd avoid glass carboys as they weigh a good bit, but if you drop it it can be quite terrible.

I prefer a bucket as they are very easy to clean and have a handle that can handle the weight. The things they sell for working on carboys/Better Bottles can break.

No need for a heater. And your lizard would likely just get pissed for taking his heat!

 

[rodwha]

Oh, and what do you think of your BrewDemon fermentor? 2.5 gal capacity?

 

[rodwha]

I missed the part about MINI fridge...

With a mini fridge I'd probably suggest either going to HEB and asking at the bakery if they have any small icing buckets. They are ~2 gals, which can give you about 1.75 gal batches. Maybe Mr Beer fermentors.

If it's tall enough you could probably use what you have.

 

[TimFarAway]

I've only just started using the Brewdemon, but it seems to be working just fine. I added a #2 stopper in place of the little red not-so air tight plug it came with. Been going to Home Brew Party, they have an All Grain class this Saturday I will probably sit through since the wife is out of town for the weekend.

It's 3 gallons, so I am going to use it for 2.5 gallon batches. There are nice 1/2 gal volume marks on it and I like that I can see inside.

 

[rodwha]

Are you intending to stay small batch?

 

[TimFarAway]

2.5 gallons is great, I get to try lots of different recipes without building a zombie apocalypse worthy stockpile. BIAB is pretty simple, even considering a no-chill method. I'm a lazy brewer.

 

[rodwha]

I've been doing BIAB, and recently moved into making it a larger portion, but came across problems.

I like stockpiling! But I don't brew every month usually as I spread my hobby $$$ around.

I also like doing smaller test batches, which is what I use the small HEB buckets, and Mr Beer fermentors for.

I do partial mashes though as I don't want to concern myself too much with the water. I filter tap water and then buy 1 or 2 gals of water depending on style.

 

[TimFarAway]

Is our water here in SA not great for beer? I use the filtered stuff from the fridge. Not quite ready to start that level of specificity. I need a ferm chamber and propane burner first.
My glass stovetop barely gets 3.5 gallons to a boil.

 

[rodwha]

Not really, but it ought to make a good dark beer as our water is rather hard.

I can get 4 gals on my stove, which is another reason for a partial mash.

The water chemistry and stuff you need is more than I care for at this point, and it's too damn hot outside for too long, not to mention the bugs. And I rather love the smell of the house all day afterwards!

 

[rodwha]

If I do a lighter beer I buy 2 gals of water, and a dark beer just 1. But the rest is filtered tap water.