Temperature control and yeast question

[Bigsnake]

Temperature control wise. It's hot in my place most of the time and I really have no control over that because of my room mate who owns the place. My fermentation spot is around 74 ambient. I can control the temp of fermentation with a wet t-shirt and ice bottles, but, do I only have to do that during primary fermentation? After primary fermentation is over, can I transfer to secondary and not have to worry about major ester production from the yeast and let if clarify at warmer temps? ?

My question with yeast is about harvesting. Is it better to harvest the ones from primary or secondary fermenters? I ask because I just harvested the yeast from my primary for my Belgian ale and there's already a good bit settling out in the secondary. Which is more viable?

 

[FishinDave07]

I do the wet t-shirt with water bottles (frozen 2 liters) and water trick and have kept my fermentation pretty cool. I usually kept the temps for about a week. Though i have heard that the first three days are crucial for the yeast.

I have heard both that people harvest from primary and 2ndary. I usually do primary just because.

 

[Yooper]

Temperature control is less important after fermentation is finished, but I keep the beer in the fermenter in the cooler anyway, because it's easy to do so. That controls the temperature until I rack it, about three weeks total. It generally stays in primary that long, so I don't change a thing.

You want to wash yeast from the primary, not the secondary. Although that yeast looks "cleaner", it's also the most stressed and least flocculant yeast that you have. The yeast in the primary is healthier.

 

[WBC]

Keeping the temperature of fermentation in the yeast's best temperature range is one of the most important things you can do to make the best tasting beer. The next point and just as important is being sanitary during the whole process. If you do the above you can re-use yeast with confidence that your next brew with this yeast will be great too.

 

[Bigsnake]

This is what I have going on now. There's also a 1 gallon bottle of mead in the space to the left. Was around 68 when I woke up this morning. Put a few new ice bottles in and it's sitting a 61 now.

How much hotter is the wort than the thermometer is reading? It's wedged between the t-shirt and carboy? Like 4 or 5 degrees more?

 

[Yooper]

I'd say that the thermometer is accurately reading the temperture of the beer. I use a floating thermometer in the water around mine, and it's pretty close. That much water "insulates" the beer, so it's about the same temperature inside as outside. I use more water- I can't really see how much you have in there- almost up to the level of the beer, for more thermal mass. It makes the temperature changes much more gradual. You don't want to have the temperature fluctuate- a nice steady temp as close to 65 as you can get would be perfect.

 

[Bigsnake]

I have it maybe halfway up the carboy. I have a gallon jug of mead in there as well. I guess I need to find another bucket to put it in and put more water in that container.