Yeast Question (temperature)

[drsocc]

During primary fermentation will the temperature rise within the vessel you're using due to yeast activity?

if you set the outside temp for an ale yeast to 68 degrees will the temperature in the center of your primary fermenter be higher by a fraction of a degree or larger due to the yeast growth?


Is this too tedious to even think about? If I'm posting this in the wrong place - my bad.

 

[Kai]

It's a good question.

I've read that in very vigourous fermentation, the temperature inside the carboy can be as much as 5˚ higher than what the stick-on thermometer reads, which in turn can be a few degrees higher than the air. Both of these differences will be smaller in an average fermentation.

So, in other words, if you want your beer to be fermenting at 68˚, you probably want the air temperature to be low- or mid-sixties.

 

[drsocc]

thats good to know. i'm not too worried about it - i'll just move everything to the basement and it will all be gravy.