Fermentation temps and us05 yeast

[wizurd]

Evening all,

I've been doing some reading on fermentation temps. I've been monitoring the best places in the house for storing the fermenter. The best I can get at present is a temp that holds around 16 degrees C. I'll be using US05 for my first brew and while reading up on the yeast suggests that that temp is OK I wanted to know what more experienced brewers think. Will I be looking at a stuck fermentation? Ay advice welcomed. I'm thinking wrapping the fv up would keep the temps stable and a bit higher as the fermentation produced heat (I think?). Any advice welcomed.

 

[TartanSpecial]

I'd pitch at 20 C, then after it gets going (normally 12-24hrs), move it to 16 C. For the first few days after it takes off it will be pumping out heat...how much will depend on how vigourous the fermentation is, so although standing at 16 c the temp inside the fermenter could easily be 18-20c, even higher. Make sure the wort is oxygenated and suggest rehydrating the yeast per the instruction on the fermentis site. I wouldn't wrap it up for the initial most active period of fermentation but as it slows you might want to, esp if the temp the chosen location drops below 16, since you are at the lower end of the optimal range which they quote as 15-22..
Others may have different views but….

 

[BeerCat]

As Tartan says. I pitched a very healthy US05 starter into some wort had been chilling in the garage overnight on Friday and it took a while to get going. My kitchen has been getting colder than 16c and they still keep fermenting though they seem to be taking quite a lot longer.

 

[wizurd]

Cheers both. I've looked t the fermentsis site. The warmest place in the house sits around 16. Maybe getting up to 18 at most. So that's why I'm worried about a stuck fermentation. I'll definitely pitch at a higher temp like 20 and will have to keep a close eye I guess for the first 24 hours to make sure it stays warm enough to get it going. Also saw the rehydration tips and that sounds like a good idea to help it off.

Beercat. Your situation sounds a lot like mine so it's good to know it's still fermenting even if slower.

 

[MyQul]

If your looking for a clean ale yeast that can handle low temps try nottingham yeast. It has a low temp tolerance (it can go down to 14C iirc - you can even lager with it supposedly). Plus its cheap. You can buy it from wilko for £1.75 - although wilko just call it 'ale yeast'

 

[wizurd]

Thanks MyQul! Should I try that instead of the us05 which came with this grain kit then? Would I need to adjust any of the instructions or timings etc? I'm guessing not.

 

[MyQul]

Actually no. Have got a pack of US-05 in my fridge for pitching tommorow. Having Looked at the packet it seems 05 has a huge range. It states, Temp range 12C-25C, ideally 15C-22C, so you should be fine with using the 05. I normally have the opposite problem to you - it's about 2C outside and the ambient temp is 22C in my brewing corner in the kitchen

Edit: As others have said pitch it at 20C then wrap the FV in insulation (towels, bedding, camping mats whatever you have to hand) as the yeast will kick out it's own heat when fermenting and you can hopefully 'keep' some of that.

 

[wizurd]

It was that ideal range for us05 that had me worried about a sticking fermentation. So, I'll give it a go and see what happens. If it doest work out I can try the Nottingham next time :)

 

[wizurd]

I suppose at least having lower temps makes it easier for conditioning the bottles later on, which I guess given your temps must be a bit trickier

 

[MyQul]

Actually no. Have got a pack of US-05 in my fridge for pitching tommorow. Having Looked at the packet it seems 05 has a huge range. It states, Temp range 12C-25C, ideally 15C-22C, so you should be fine with using the 05. I normally have the opposite problem to you - it's about 2C outside and the ambient temp is 22C in my brewing corner in the kitchen

Edit: As others have said pitch it at 20C then wrap the FV in insulation (towels, bedding, camping mats whatever you have to hand) as the yeast will kick out it's own heat when fermenting and you can hopefully 'keep' some of that.

Tartan says not to wrap it in insulation, whereas I've have suggested you do. It all depends on what style your going for. If you want a very clean beer (perhaps an IPA) don't wrap it. If you want a beer with some esters/fruityness (perhaps an English bitter) do wrap it

 

[MyQul]

I suppose at least having lower temps makes it easier for conditioning the bottles later on, which I guess given your temps must be a bit trickier

You right. I always conditon at room temp as I have nowhere to cold condition. Not sure of how much of a difference this makes as I have nothing to compare room temp conditioned beer too

 

[wizurd]

This is why I'm liking the whole brewing process. The chance to experiment :)

 

[ericmark]

Not as far as I know used that yeast. But until last year when fridge/freezer was condemned I had no way to control temperature it was what ever the kitchen sat at.
I found a body warmer would go around the fermentor well the neck allowing the air lock to stick through. Typical time for brew 21 days first 7 never a problem, second 7 normally OK, last 7 often needed to move closer to the heat.

I used a stick on thermometer strip and they worked quite well. However on moving to thermostatic control I realised the strip is showing some where between ambient and brew temperature not the brew temperature. So I had worked out at 16ºC it had nearly stopped, at 18ºC it was OK to start with but would become slow latter, and at 20ºC it worked A1, but at 24ºC got some off tastes. However once I moved to using a sensor held tight against the side of the fermentor insulated from ambient under a sponge I had to start all over again. At 18ºC it had nearly stopped and looking at 19.5 ~ 20ºC, but this temperature can be held for full 21 days.

It's not the temperature which has changed it's the way I am measuring. Remove the sponge and it shows the same as the stick on thermometer. This is a problem with chatting on a forum one guy says 16ºC next says 18ºC and next 20ºC all which could in real terms be the same temperature of brew it's just where they measured which has changed. I tried a sensor in the free air and compared to sensor held against the fermentor and 4ºC difference.

What I also found was 40 pints takes a lot of heating and cooling so in a central heated room night at 16ºC and day at 20ºC brew would show 18ºC all the time. Before the temperature controller I would use an 18W demo underfloor heating tile to boost the temperature. It would take some 4 hours to warm brew from 18ºC to 21ºC and that was a problem I would forget, next time I looked it was at 26ºC and latter I would taste the result of letting it over shoot. Again until I got thermostatic control I really had no idea of how little heat is required. Even today at 0.6ºC ambient outside in the garage the freezer compartment of fridge/freezer is holding at 19.7 ~ 20ºC using just an 8W CFL bulb.

Floors are generally cold on the ground floor, stand the fermentor on a plastic stool and temperature will go up. Also you now have a gap underneath the fermentor CFL are not that hot to be a fire risk but are hot enough over time to add a couple of degrees specially with a body warmer over the fermentor. Remember too cold all it does is stop until warmed again, too hot and off tastes, so use very small heaters in hind sight I would now use an 8W bulb not 18W which being so much slower would have been less likely to over heat.

Remember the temperature readings may be out, so take more note on air lock activity than temperature readings. I went to great lengths to ensure my fermentor did not leak using electrical stuffing glands for the air lock. Now a total waste of time as only view brew three times in the main. One starting, on transfer to remove sediment, and on bottling. Same brew every time so could use it as a calender it takes same time every time. Before temperature control it could be anywhere between 10 ~ 25 days. Now 20 days every time.

 

[Covrich]

I have pitched US05 at cool temp.. it had a longer lag time but went well anyway.. its a good robust yeast and at those temps it will ferment very nice and clean

 

[wizurd]

Cheers again. Eric I was wondering about the temp readings and how these differ depending on how they are measured. For now I've got a stick on temp gauge for the fv and also a glass thermometer. Will just see how it goes, raise the fv off the floor as well. Can't wait to see.

 

[ericmark]

I did not realise until I started to brew in the fridge that my stick on thermometer measures between ambient and fermentor temperature. So typical in fridge air temperature = 17ºC, the fermentor is at 20ºC and stick on strip is showing between the 18ºC and 20ºC colours. Using a probe into centre of fermentor there will be a 0.5ºC rise to the sensor pressed against outside of fermentor under a sponge for insulation. Making an allowance for the errors all measurements work well. Also it will depend on the heat or cooling source.

All that I am saying is when using the forum make an allowance for the way people measure. If I say I run at 20.5ºC (measuring fermentor wall temperature with insulation) that is likely exactly the same as Joe bogs saying run at 17.5ºC when he is measuring air temperature. You just need to be aware of the errors and allow for them.

 

[ericmark]

I have just stuck a sensor in the air in my freezer the controlling sensor is held against the size of the demijohn. The result is opposite to what I got with fridge. Air temperature higher than demijohn temperature. I am using an 8W CFL bulb in the bottom draw with the demijohn sitting in second draw will all draws above removed. To me it shows how important a fan is when measuring air temperature.

 

[wizurd]

Yer I'm seeing that what I'm recording as a temp can vary quite a bit depending on where it's measured. Well looks like my min is now 15.4 max 19.1 so with the us05 as others have said I think it'll be fine. Hopefully lol.