Yeast creates more heat than I thought

[johnd4]

I make 500 ml starters because I brew in 2.5 gallon batches. I had a starter going last week and noticed that it was warm when I picked it up. Heat gun verified that sitting on a 67 Deg. F counter top, the starter mixture was 74 deg. That gives me second thoughts about the insulated water cooler that I am using as a primary-esp. in warmer months.

 

[david_42]

That they do, to the extant that active cooling is almost a requirement for any fermenter over 10 gallons.

 

[smizak]

I had an oatmeal stout with S-04 go up to 72F in a 63F basement.

 

[maida7]

I've noticed the heat production varies from strain to strain. It seams like the English strains make lots of heat.

I try to start off cool like 60-64F and let it rise naturally to 66-72F. Starting cool seams to reduce the esters and hot alcohol flavors. But once it warms up you need to keep it warm so it will fully attenuate and clean up any off flavors. Temp control is a HUGE factor in making good beer great.

 

[HickoryMike]

I've noticed the heat production varies from strain to strain. It seams like the English strains make lots of heat.

I brewed an English Brown with Danstar Windsor yeast and it climbed to 77 degrees before I noticed (about 18 hours in the fermenter). I quickly rushed it off to a cool spot and the yeast went to sleep from dropping the temp so quickly. I ended up repitching in order to get the wort to ferment all the way.

I'm praying to the beer gods that I don't have a banana beer when everything is said and done.

 

[Mirilis]

I just fermented a stout with Nottingham yeast in my basement. The crystal sticker said it was 59 but its usually up to 5 degrees higher than that inside the fermenter. Its kinda like raking a pile of grass into a compost.. then sticking your hand into it a few days later. All the activity in there causes a significant warmup in the center even if the ouside feels normal.

 

[maida7]

I brewed an English Brown with Danstar Windsor yeast and it climbed to 77 degrees before I noticed (about 18 hours in the fermenter). I quickly rushed it off to a cool spot and the yeast went to sleep from dropping the temp so quickly. I ended up repitching in order to get the wort to ferment all the way.

I'm praying to the beer gods that I don't have a banana beer when everything is said and done.

What was the temp when you pitched the yeast?

 

[HickoryMike]

What was the temp when you pitched the yeast?

Cooled wort to 68 degrees before pitching. Ambient room temp was 70 degrees. I woke up the next morning and read 77 on the fermenter and freaked out.

Needless to say, I now ferment in my basement that sits around 64 degrees ambient temp.

Edit: This batch fermented for 20 days and has been in the bottle for 17 days. I'll probably pop some in the fridge in a week or so.

 

[maida7]

Cooled wort to 68 degrees before pitching. Ambient room temp was 70 degrees. I woke up the next morning and read 77 on the fermenter and freaked out.

Needless to say, I now ferment in my basement that sits around 64 degrees ambient temp.

Edit: This batch fermented for 20 days and has been in the bottle for 17 days. I'll probably pop some in the fridge in a week or so.

Next time cool it way lower to the low 60's before pitching. If you pitch at 68 it's gonna ferment hot and it gives it a fusal alcohol flavor. I screwed this part up for years before figuring it out. Start cool & finish warm.

 

[HickoryMike]

Next time cool it way lower to the low 60's before pitching. If you pitch at 68 it's gonna ferment hot and it gives it a fusal alcohol flavor. I screwed this part up for years before figuring it out. Start cool & finish warm.

That's how I have started fermenting. When I started brewing I was overly worried about sooo many things yet gave temperature little attention. I was having panic attacks (hyperbole) about sanitation and perfectly timing hop additions but figured room temp was just fine for an ale.

I wish someone had taken me aside and said, "Don't worry about purchasing a hasmat suit to avoid infections, what you need to worry about is keeping your internal fermenter temps at 65 degrees."

 

[smizak]

I've noticed the heat production varies from strain to strain. It seams like the English strains make lots of heat.

I try to start off cool like 60-64F and let it rise naturally to 66-72F. Starting cool seams to reduce the esters and hot alcohol flavors. But once it warms up you need to keep it warm so it will fully attenuate and clean up any off flavors. Temp control is a HUGE factor in making good beer great.

+1,000,000

Not stressed enough in much of the brewing literature. PITCH COOL!!!

 

[jiggs_casey]

I put a chocolate stout in the primary last Sunday at 2pm. The temperature strip has been at 64 degrees. Fermentation didn't take off until this afternoon at 2pm and now the temperature strip is between 68 and 70!