Diacetyl rest temperature control with multiple brews?

[Galena]

I am in the habit of always starting my fermentation at the lower end of the recommended range, I leave it as is for 4 days and then ramp up 1C every 24 hours to the top of the range where I leave it until a total time in fermenter of 14 days.
I have no idea if this actually gives a better beer but do it now out of habit and have faith that it does.

The problem is when I want to brew more than one brew, so when the second brew is due to go in the chamber, the first brew is at its max which could be as high as 22C. The second brew should start around 18C so therein lies the problem.


I have wondered if leaving the first brew at the low end and waiting until brew 2 is ready to ramp and doing them together would make any difference or whether it is too late for brew 1 for a diacetyl rest?

I realise I am probably over thinking things, but how do you / would you do it?

 

[The Baron]

I can not see a problem with it and you may do a slightly unorthodox method (I am sure you are not alone) but it works for you so carry on unless you want to change it.
In a ideal world the diacetyl rest should be done just before fermentation has finished in other words the last day of fermentation or so and starting it a the lower temp while awaiting the finish of the other will mean it is still fermenting so no issues there

 

[MashBag]

What an ungodly mess you find yourself in. Give yourself a good thrashing with a copy of the sporting life.

 

[foxy]

I am in the habit of always starting my fermentation at the lower end of the recommended range, I leave it as is for 4 days and then ramp up 1C every 24 hours to the top of the range where I leave it until a total time in fermenter of 14 days.
I have no idea if this actually gives a better beer but do it now out of habit and have faith that it does.

The problem is when I want to brew more than one brew, so when the second brew is due to go in the chamber, the first brew is at its max which could be as high as 22C. The second brew should start around 18C so therein lies the problem.


I have wondered if leaving the first brew at the low end and waiting until brew 2 is ready to ramp and doing them together would make any difference or whether it is too late for brew 1 for a diacetyl rest?

I realise I am probably over thinking things, but how do you / would you do it?

Only if you are brewing lagers, for ales I just leave it at fermentation temperature throughout as you are at a temperature suitable for diacetyl rest, lager is fermented cooler so has to be brought up to 18C for the rest.

 

[MashBag]

Yup. What are you brewing?

 

[Galena]

Only if you are brewing lagers, for ales I just leave it at fermentation temperature throughout as you are at a temperature suitable for diacetyl rest, lager is fermented cooler so has to be brought up to 18C for the rest.

Thanks, I think this is what I have concluded I should do, either that or ramp up a little for the second brew. I think when I first read How to Brew I read about Diacetyl rests for lager, I misunderstood and it stuck in my brain for all beers so I have always started at the bottom of the range for a few days and then ramped up to the top end of the range.

 

[Galena]

Yup. What are you brewing?

A Dark Mild yesterday HERE and then a Yorkshire bitter in a couple of days hopefully.

 

[Caramel Ox]

As above I would just hold an ale steady at around the midpoint of its range, especially if it is given 14 days which is already a generous term.

When were lager d-rests introduced? I don’t think it’s a traditional process. It isn’t done by Utopian as I understand it.

 

[The Baron]

If you use Novolager yeast It does not need a Diacetyl rest. I usually let them sit for a couple of days at least after fermentation has stopped but traditional lager yeasts may need a D rest

 

[dmtaylor]

WAY more complicated than it needs to be.

First of all, if there's no diacetyl, no rest is needed. Sniff the airlock...

If you need a diacetyl rest, no chamber is needed. Constant room temperature (19-21 C) for a week or two is usually just fine.

 

[hoppyscotty]

My take is for ales its not needed unless you're in a rush and want to turn a beer as quickly as possible, but we home brewers are usually in a position to leave post fermentation for some time, which is more than enough. Commercial breweries will perform diacetyl tests, but thats because they want/need to turn tanks around...If a tank isn't earning, its only cash you're burning (thats not a real saying at all).

You can do a forced diacetyl test easy enough if you want to be paranoid (no harm in that)....plenty of instructional videos on YouTube, but nothing a bit of time wont sort out.

 

[Galena]

My take is for ales its not needed unless you're in a rush and want to turn a beer as quickly as possible, but we home brewers are usually in a position to leave post fermentation for some time, which is more than enough. Commercial breweries will perform diacetyl tests, but thats because they want/need to turn tanks around...If a tank isn't earning, its only cash you're burning (thats not a real saying at all).

You can do a forced diacetyl test easy enough if you want to be paranoid (no harm in that)....plenty of instructional videos on YouTube, but nothing a bit of time wont sort out.

Thanks