Can fermentation be carried out too quickly?

[White Rose Al]

Hi All

Kit brewer, use a 30L plastic FV and a basic setup.

I use a heat band and ferment at a constant 23 degrees, also started using Harris Pure brew in my last few kits.

Since using the heat band and pure brew I am seeing a rapid increase in the turn around of fermentation.

Prime example, doing Festival Razorback IPA brewing to instruction. OG 1.050, 30hrs later I am at 1.019 on Ispindle & Hydrometer. Airlock is bubbling rapidly.

Prior to using heat band and Pure Brew kits would take approx 14 days. Using heat band and pure brew on Festival NZ Pilsner completed in 9 days.

Can you brew too quickly?

 

[Brew_DD2]

23c is on the warm side, and likely why you're seeing such quick fermentation. Beer will likely be fine, but the higher you for the more likely you are to introduce undesirable compounds and flavours.

 

[phettebs]

Yes, fermentation can be carried out too quickly. As mentioned above, higher temps are definitely a way to do that. 23C is on the warmer side depending on what yeast you used but not way out of bounds. Try to control that temp at least during the first few days of fermentation.

 

[Cwrw666]

23 is still OK, but once you get over about 25 you start getting funny fruity ester flavours which are not nice at all.
Mind you I did once do a stout that got to 28 (that was the ambient temperature, the temp. inside the FV would have been a few degrees higher) that was so violent a fermentation that it blew the lid off and had foam running everywhere. And it turned out really nice. Since then I've been much more careful not to let the temperature go too high.

 

[White Rose Al]

Excellent, thanks all