Fermentation temp

[Brycey]

I'm currently brewing my first brew in my bedroom and it's sitting at a pretty steady 20-21oc but my girlfriend is complaining about the noise from the airlock and just generaly because it's in her nice tidy room.
So today i cleared out under the staircase in preperation off starting my second brew,i wasn't sure about the temp under there so i filled the fv with water at 20oc and stuck it under this afternoon.Just checked it and it's dropped to 16oc.

My question is do you think a brew would hold the temp better than just the water because the yeasties are working away and would 16oc be to cold?

Cheers
B

 

[neddy]

They do say with the yeast working that it goes up by 2-3 degrees. I used to wrap an old blanket around the fv and it was fine

 

[fermentall]

Hi,In The initial vigorous ferment the brew will generate 2-3 deg of it's own heat after that it relies on surrounding temp,my advice would be put the FV back in the bedroom & the girlfriend in cupboard under the stairs :lol: that way she wont hear it & you'll have a good brew :thumb: fe.rm

 

[alawlor66430]

Have you read the thread about the advice for a Scottish wife in the snug, I'm sure it would work on a wife of any nationality !!!!

 

[neddy]

R u using the air lock with the balls as they r quite noisy and I remember the Mrs not being happy with me when doin a wow? If so then swop it for the other type of airlock which r short and a cap on top, these are silent

 

[rangeroverman]

It will take a long time to ferment at that temp i bought a brew belt for mine £20 does the trick keeps it at the right temp throughout
fermentation....Money well spent...


FV 1 Woodfordes Wherry :whistle:
FV2 Empty
Keg 1 Wilko's Hoppy Copper Bitter :drink:
Keg 2 Empty :pray:
Bottled Honey Botchard :whistle:

 

[Brycey]

Only problem is there's no power under the stairs.

I would like to keep them under there,i've kind off got the brewing bug and i'm planning on getting quite a few on the go.It would probably be mainly lager styles i will be brewing i've read you can brew them at lower temps but not sure i don't want end up with a few stuck brews.I'm also planning some wow style wines and some tc not sure if these like the lower temps!!

B

 

[ScottM]

As mentioned, get one of the little airlocks like this..

These ones are totally silent. That does away with one problem. For the 2nd part get a spare curtain that matches the ones in the bedroom and dress up the FV to match.

 

[bottler]

Lager will brew well at the lower temps. Make sure its lager yeast with the kit. T o be safe you can buy a lager yeast to use with lager kits and its quite cheap :thumb:

 

[Brycey]

Thanks for the help guys!

Just told her she's leaving and the beer is staying!!

B

 

[linearcraig]

I've got similar airlock to that and I'll be honest in a quiet room. Ie when your sleeping it can be quite noisey.

 

[ScottM]

I've got similar airlock to that and I'll be honest in a quiet room. Ie when your sleeping it can be quite noisey.

Are you sure you are using it correctly? I have about 10 and they are all silent. You fill it less than 1/3rd and then push the top on tightly over the top? If you leave it loose it will rattle.

 

[Kinleycat]

My FVs live in the dining room in a corner under sleeping bags.
Four of them is apparently "a bloody nuisance" according to Mrs KC and her somewhat feministic and revolutionary/treasonous views.
So to passify the old girl I have said I would keep it down to just one or two in future.
How pleased she is going to be when I chuck out some of her cleaning rubbish from the under stairs cupboard (liquid temp 14-16c) to home my lager brewing - only time will tell!!
One question do you pitch lager yeast at a lower temp than the ale yeast?
I believe Coopers European Lager kits contain Lager yeast.

 

[bottler]

Coopers european has lager yeast and should be brewed at lower temps. I think its 9c-16c or so and 12c being best. It was one of my first brews and didnt realize this and brewed it at about 18c-20c and it still turned out a nice drink. :thumb:

 

[Kinleycat]

So pitch at about 16c then?
Is it a slower fermentation?

 

[ScottM]

So pitch at about 16c then?
Is it a slower fermentation?

Don't pitch low, unless you plan on making a mighty starter.

Pitch at around 22 and slowly lower to around 13 degrees over 24 hours :)

 

[Kinleycat]

So pitch at about 16c then?
Is it a slower fermentation?

Don't pitch low, unless you plan on making a mighty starter.

Pitch at around 22 and slowly lower to around 13 degrees over 24 hours :)

Cheers Scott :thumb:

 

[tonight_we_fly]

Regarding wrapping it up against the cold, I do my fermenting under the stairs where temperatures aren't so high. I place an old mat underneath (to protect against cold coming up through the floor), wrap a duvet around, and then on a daily basis I put two hot water bottles under the duvet every morning to introduce some more heat to the arena.

Works really well for me, and my wife doesn't even realise where they go every day, as they're back in our bed again ever evening...

 

[Andyhull]

I use water bottles too, SWMBO says i look after my FV better than i do her and the girls!
It'll lift the temp for a few hours by about 4dgr's then will need refilling, you only have to do this untill it gets going then just wrap it in a duvet or old sleeping bag to stop any major temprature differences.

 

[Kinleycat]

Mine live huddled in a corner of the dining room in sleeping bags

It takes up a bit of room so I can see Mrs KCs point, to a point, but when she's guzzling her various flavoured TCs in the summer, I'll remind her of her remarks.