Where to start fermenting my first batch?

[FrankD9c]

Hi everyone,

I am about to start my first brew, the Brewer's Best Oatmeal Stout extract kit.

I'm excited to start brewing, but in my excitement I think I've read way too much information on these forums for my newbie brain to assimilate. It has left me with a couple of questions that I hope those of you with more experience will not mind answering.

The first question I have is about fermentation and temperature. My basement hangs temp. wise around 62-65 degrees pretty consistently. Is that too low a temp. for the initial 3-5 days of fermentation? After which I plan to move the fermenter to an upstairs closet that is a pretty constant 70 degrees.

The yeast is what was supplied with the kit, Danstar Windsor British-Style beer yeast if that has any bearing...

Am I overthinking the whole thing?

 

[hanuswalrus]

That actually sounds perfect. I would leave the fermenting beer in the basement around 62-65 for the first 4-5 days, then bring it upstairs to finish up for about a week or two.

 

[A2HB]

You're overthinking it. Your basement is perfect fermentation temps where it's at, just leave it down there for a few days then move it up to the warmer area once fermentation has slowed down a bit.

Congrats and enjoy!

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

That actually sounds perfect. I would leave the fermenting beer in the basement around 62-65 for the first 4-5 days, then bring it upstairs to finish up for about a week or two.

Agreed, thats just about exactly the temps and schedule I use on WLP001 with my temperature controlled fermentation chamber.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Hi everyone,

I am about to start my first brew, the Brewer's Best Oatmeal Stout extract kit.

I'm excited to start brewing, but in my excitement I think I've read way too much information on these forums for my newbie brain to assimilate. It has left me with a couple of questions that I hope those of you with more experience will not mind answering.

The first question I have is about fermentation and temperature. My basement hangs temp. wise around 62-65 degrees pretty consistently. Is that too low a temp. for the initial 3-5 days of fermentation? After which I plan to move the fermenter to an upstairs closet that is a pretty constant 70 degrees.

The yeast is what was supplied with the kit, Danstar Windsor British-Style beer yeast if that has any bearing...

Am I overthinking the whole thing?

Remember, when using the yeast you can always look it up and see what the manufacture recommends.

Recommended fermentation temperature range for Windsor is 17° to 21°C (64° to 70°F).
http://www.danstaryeast.com/products/windsor-ale-beer-yeast

 

[dstockwell]

Recommended fermentation temperature range for Windsor is (64° to 70°F). Since fermentation is exothermic you can expect the temp of the wort to be anywhere from 5° - 10° higher in the FV than ambient air temp.

 

[FrankD9c]

Thanks for the replies guys. I can't relax with a homebrew yet, but I'll be on my way soon!

Just thought of another question:

The yeast package says to rehydrate before use, the directions from BB say to NOT rehydrate.

Who wins here...?

 

[ncbrewer]

Thanks for the replies guys. I can't relax with a homebrew yet, but I'll be on my way soon!

Just thought of another question:

The yeast package says to rehydrate before use, the directions from BB say to NOT rehydrate.

Who wins here...?

You probably just restarted the debate. I'll just watch the action.

 

[PADave]

That's perfect temps. My basement is around 58-62, and when actively fermenting the first couple days, the carboy reads around 66-68.

 

[slym2none]

You probably just restarted the debate. I'll just watch the action.

 

[dstockwell]

The yeast package says to rehydrate before use, the directions from BB say to NOT rehydrate. ?

I always re-hydrate.

 

[FrankD9c]

Much obliged to everyone who replied.

This is going to be such a fun hobby.....

Cheers!

 

[ballsy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I can't relax with a homebrew yet, but I'll be on my way soon!

Just thought of another question:

The yeast package says to rehydrate before use, the directions from BB say to NOT rehydrate.

Who wins here...?

I will just say that rehydrating is so easy to do while your boil is going and will have no negative impact, so might as well do it in hopes it benefits more than not rehydrating.
The bigger debate is whether to do yeast starters with dry yeast hahahaha...now I'm fishing for the BIG debate! Any takers, anyone??.....hahaha.

 

[thunderwagn]

No debate from me. I almost always rehydrate my dry yeast. It's simple, takes little time, and just adds to the brewing experience.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL92Bd4kfbQ[/ame]