Brewing temperature

GazzaW57 · Oct 16, 2024

Yesterday I started off a Youngs American IPA kit. When I’d added all the cold water to the FV, the temperature was 18 - 19 degrees, (my kitchen isn’t the warmest either) so I put a heat mat under the FV. A couple of hours later, the temperature had risen to 22 so I added the yeast. When I went to bed, the temp was between 22 and 23. However, when I got up this morning, it was 26, which is a tad high so I turned off the heat mat and it’s coming down slowly. I should add at this point that the brew is already fermenting well.

I want to keep the temperature as steady as I can, so should I just put the heat mat on during the night or not bother with it at all? I’m just concerned that the temp will go down below 20 if I don’t keep some sort of heat going at some point. The instructions advise keeping it between 20 to 24. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Larse · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
Yesterday I started off a Youngs American IPA kit. When I’d added all the cold water to the FV, the temperature was 18 - 19 degrees, (my kitchen isn’t the warmest either) so I put a heat mat under the FV. A couple of hours later, the temperature had risen to 22 so I added the yeast. When I went to bed, the temp was between 22 and 23. However, when I got up this morning, it was 26, which is a tad high so I turned off the heat mat and it’s coming down slowly. I should add at this point that the brew is already fermenting well.

I want to keep the temperature as steady as I can, so should I just put the heat mat on during the night or not bother with it at all? I’m just concerned that the temp will go down below 20 if I don’t keep some sort of heat going at some point. The instructions advise keeping it between 20 to 24. Any advice would be gratefully received.

If you can get some insulation around and on top of your FV, that would probably keep the temp constant for a longer time, so you could maybe not have to use the heat mat as much and be able to monitor it during the day and leave alone at night.

emmever · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
Yesterday I started off a Youngs American IPA kit. When I’d added all the cold water to the FV, the temperature was 18 - 19 degrees, (my kitchen isn’t the warmest either) so I put a heat mat under the FV. A couple of hours later, the temperature had risen to 22 so I added the yeast. When I went to bed, the temp was between 22 and 23. However, when I got up this morning, it was 26, which is a tad high so I turned off the heat mat and it’s coming down slowly. I should add at this point that the brew is already fermenting well.

I want to keep the temperature as steady as I can, so should I just put the heat mat on during the night or not bother with it at all? I’m just concerned that the temp will go down below 20 if I don’t keep some sort of heat going at some point. The instructions advise keeping it between 20 to 24. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Do you have any information regarding which yeast was in the kit?
18-19 degrees is a good temperature for most of ale yeast types

Rwilts · Oct 16, 2024

Fermentation is an exothermic (?) activity so when fermentation kicks off it will generate its own heat , so you need to take account of that whilst adding additional heating.

Above advice is great but also consider getting an inkbird or similar to regulate the heat pad , I have found that well regulated constant heat (where appropriate) is key to good fermentation.

And either way your brew will turn out great

GazzaW57 · Oct 16, 2024

emmever said:
Do you have any information regarding which yeast was in the kit?
18-19 degrees is a good temperature for most of ale yeast types

I don’t sorry. It was just the yeast that came with the kit.

GazzaW57 · Oct 16, 2024

Larse said:
If you can get some insulation around and on top of your FV, that would probably keep the temp constant for a longer time, so you could maybe not have to use the heat mat as much and be able to monitor it during the day and leave alone at night.

Thank you, I hadn’t thought about that. I’ve got some towels and/or blankets I could use.

GazzaW57 · Oct 16, 2024

Rwilts said:
Fermentation is an exothermic (?) activity so when fermentation kicks off it will generate its own heat , so you need to take account of that whilst adding additional heating.

Above advice is great but also consider getting an inkbird or similar to regulate the heat pad , I have found that well regulated constant heat (where appropriate) is key to good fermentation.

And either way your brew will turn out great

I looked at an inkbird but I don't do enough brewing to warrant buying one.

Larse · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
Thank you, I hadn’t thought about that. I’ve got some towels and/or blankets I could use.

Bubble wrap is also a good insulator. And nice and lightweight too.

If you don't want to spring for an inkbird, you could always pick up a seedling heat mat thermostat on Amazon for less than 20 quid. Pretty much the same thing.

emmever · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
I don’t sorry. It was just the yeast that came with the kit.

So it is hard to say what could be the optimal temperature profile.
If it was me, I would not use the heating and let it ferment at 18-19C.
I believe high temperature has a greater (negative) impact with respect to low temp. Just my personal opinion, anyhow

Larse · Oct 16, 2024

Most dried ale yeasts have a temperature range between 18° and 26°. Certainly the popular ones like S-04 and US-05. Nottingham is a bit lower at 15° to 22° but it's still a wide range. So 18° to 22° would be a safe range imo.

As it's an American IPA the OP is brewing, probably something like US-05

GazzaW57 · Oct 16, 2024

Thanks all. From reading the posts above, I think I’ll dispense with the heater and just keep the FV covered to keep I warm.

starseeker · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
Thanks all. From reading the posts above, I think I’ll dispense with the heater and just keep the FV covered to keep I warm.

Your beer will turn out great :)

MashBag · Oct 16, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
Thanks all. From reading the posts above, I think I’ll dispense with the heater and just keep the FV covered to keep I warm.

Spot on.

Yeasties don't necessarily need heat, but they do like consistency and not going hot and cold.

Ale House Rock · Oct 17, 2024

You could invest in a brewing heat mat that has a thermostat. I got the BrewingMate recently and it works well. The only caveats are I use a little sellotape to secure the sensor to the outside of the FV and I find it reads around 1 deg C lower when compared to a thermometer in the brew. I set it to 21C confident that the brew will be at 22C. The temperature fluctuates by less than 1C which I think is pretty good. Insulation as others have will also help.

Beer-Kosh · Oct 17, 2024

I use these and they work great

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/75-immersion-heater.html

Agentgonzo · Oct 17, 2024

Don't fret too much about temperature swings of a few degrees. You will still make very good beer even if you just leave it at room temperature and it fluctuates between 16º and 25º during the brew. You can make it even better by controlling temperature but it's not anything to worry about.

GazzaW57 · Oct 17, 2024

emmever said:
So it is hard to say what could be the optimal temperature profile.
If it was me, I would not use the heating and let it ferment at 18-19C.
I believe high temperature has a greater (negative) impact with respect to low temp. Just my personal opinion, anyhow

Thank you. I’m keeping it 20C mark.

GazzaW57 · Oct 17, 2024

Beer-Kosh said:
I use these and they work great

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/75-immersion-heater.html

Thank you. I’m assuming I could also use a heater from a fish tank? I’ve got one of those and I can adjust it. I’ll think about using it on my next brew.

GazzaW57 · Oct 17, 2024

Ale House Rock said:
You could invest in a brewing heat mat that has a thermostat. I got the BrewingMate recently and it works well. The only caveats are I use a little sellotape to secure the sensor to the outside of the FV and I find it reads around 1 deg C lower when compared to a thermometer in the brew. I set it to 21C confident that the brew will be at 22C. The temperature fluctuates by less than 1C which I think is pretty good. Insulation as others have will also help.

My current mat would be better if it had a thermostat.

Larse · Oct 17, 2024

GazzaW57 said:
My current mat would be better if it had a thermostat.

You can get separate thermostats on Amazon for less than £20. Search for seedling heat mat thermostat.

Brewing temperature

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