Temperature Fluctuations in Late Fermentation?

[KookyBrewsky]

Hello all,

Haven't posted much because things have been going well. I just finished up an oatmeal stout roughly two weeks ago, in which I brewed some local coffee beans and mixed the coffee in. Waiting impatiently to taste it! F.G. was very low, it'll be very stout-y. Tasting sample was like drinking molasses it was so thick.

In my fermenter is a Chico Suave Pale Ale kit from Great Fermentations. Apparently it's a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale inspired kit/clone.

The first week everything went perfectly. It is three days later (10 days total) and I went to bed after having some sake and forgot to exchange the ice bottles that keep my pump cooler chilled. I woke up and the temp was 75F... I quickly made the water cool again and it lowers the 5 gallon batch pretty quickly.

We can assume the temperature wasn't 75F all night but rose to it and sat there for a bit because while I'm awake, the temperature never got above 68F for this beer.

How will that affect my final product, 10 days after pitching yeast? Was looking forward to comparing it to the S.N. Pales in my fridge still, hoping it turns out well still.

Cheers

 

[rburrelli]

RDWHAHB. You should be fine that far into fermentation.

 

[RM-MN]

Since the control of temperature is only critical during the first few few days (usually 3 to 5 days) the fluctuation of temperature that far into the fermentation is of no consequence. I try to control the temp on my beers for the first 7 days and then let them warm to low 70's from then on. The 7 days I keep the temperature low is mostly procrastination on my part as I could let it warm sooner.

 

[KookyBrewsky]

Since the control of temperature is only critical during the first few few days (usually 3 to 5 days) the fluctuation of temperature that far into the fermentation is of no consequence. I try to control the temp on my beers for the first 7 days and then let them warm to low 70's from then on. The 7 days I keep the temperature low is mostly procrastination on my part as I could let it warm sooner.

Is there any benefit to letting the temps rise after 7 days than say, 14 days? I believe I read something about... diacetyl cleanup? But I can't recall specifically, someone will be able to correct me if it's a thing.

Anyway, how about letting the temps rise at 7 vs. 14 days, is there any impact at all on flavor, and if so, which direction is it taken? Almost all my recipe kits have said maintain the target fermentation temp for 14 days minimum. What exactly will that do versus 7 days?

 

[RM-MN]

On day 7 there will be a lot more yeast suspended in the beer to work on any intermediate products they had produced earlier. I don't know if that makes any difference in the final product. The cleanup of the intermediate products may have already taken place by day 7 anyway.