Lack of Fermentation Control - Best Yeast for my conditions?

[Joetp]

Hi there,

I'm relatively new to brewing and as it stands, I don't have proper fermentation control. I ferment in a cupboard in my house where the wort is around 24 degrees celsius the majority of the time (might fluctuate down to 22 or up to 26 very occasionally). I've been using US-05 for my last couple of brews - they've generally come out nice and the NEIPA I made was very good, however there's a hint of off-flavour. I made another basic ale with no dry hopping, and it tasted very bland with the main flavours being a hint of diacetyl and an almost faint solvent-like taste.

Should I maybe look into different yeast strains that work better in my temperature range? I tried Hog-Norsk from CML for this latest batch (a session pale ale), but I'm yet to try it as it hasn't finished fermentation. How important is fermentation control? Is it a massive issue that my temperature fluctuates a tad?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Eight Ace]

I'm sure there are others better placed than me to answer this, but that temp seems on the cusp of 'spoiling' it for want of a better word. I wouldn't want it higher than 22°c with that, and 26°c may be stressing the yeast to the point of ruining the beer. The solvent taste points to that sadly. I've been there

Temp control during fermentation is a game changer when homebrewing in my opinion, that involves having the equipment and space to do so but both though are well within reach of most, so well worth researching. By the sounds of it though at least your temperature is pretty stable, if on the highside, so that bodes well for future brews.

If you can't lower the temp then have a look at yeasts which work in that temp range. Hopefully some kind soul will pop along with recommendations asto the best yeasts for the job. But there will be yeasts so you'll be grand In the meantime if you can find a free fridge and have room for it, grab one and a temp controller. You won't look back

 

[Slid]

US 05 is my go-to for the reasons you state. To get off-flavours from this yeast suggests really quite high temps.
As Eight Ace (YESSS!!! - Viz lives ) says, a brewing fridge is the way forward.

Some sort of Kweik yeast yeast will be an in-between solution, I expect.

 

[Nicks90]

You could brew loads of saisons!
Dupont saison yeasts love 24-29c temp range and you'll be forever drinking yummy beer

 

[matt76]

If you can get it down just a couple of degrees to 22degC I think that will help a lot...

If you can get it down to 20 you'll be laughing...

And if you can get it down to 18 you can pretty much brew anything.

- Find a cooler spot if you can.
- Stand the FV in a crate of water. Add some freezer blocks to the water to keep it cool (pic here), and switch out the freezer blocks a few times a day for fresh ones.
- I've made lagers in summer like this and it can keep the temp down to 18 or even a bit less, fine if you pick the right lager yeast and no worries for ale strains in general.

If you can stretch to a dedicated brew fridge with temp control it is well with it, and highly recommended. But you can certainly get a long way with the low tech approach above!

 

[JFB]

You could brew loads of saisons!
Dupont saison yeasts love 24-29c temp range and you'll be forever drinking yummy beer

I agree saisons all the way.
If I didn't have temp control I'd brew Saison all summer and Kolsch all winter.. my kitchen is 14-16 at the moment.
Maybe a bit of us05 in-between.

 

[chthon]

Mangrove Jack's M20 (weizen) and M29 (saison) are very versatile yeasts, which do not limit you to weizen or saison. Although the M20 subdues hop aroma and taste, and is more usable for malty beers. The M29 is a diastaticus yeast, and regularly ferments to between 1.000 and 1.002, if you want body, mash more crystal malts.

 

[Joetp]

Many thanks for the suggestions guys! Sounds like I'll be getting hold of some Saison yeasts and trying those until I maybe get a brewing fridge set up. I don't have a lot of room and my partner is already unhappy with the amount of gear I have clogging the house, so may have to do some grovelling haha! I'll keep you posted on the CML Hog Norsk yeast - it's an absolute beast and was at 92 percent attenuation when I last checked (my session IPA plans nearly out of the window)! I'll be kegging/bottling some of it later, so will let you know how it tastes pre-carbonation!

I've never used Kveik, but I do know CML now stock it for around £4 per 11g pack. I hear you have to use yeast nutrients, which I've never used before. Does anyone have any experience with Kviek (particularly CML's Kveik strain and yeast nutrient)? I think I'd be able to get the temperatures up past 25 degrees celsius to accommodate Kveik easy enough, I'm just not sure about the nutrient side of things.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I've used CML Kveik a couple of times without nutrients with good results.

 

[Joetp]

I've used CML Kveik a couple of times without nutrients with good results.

Nice one - thanks for confirming! I was doing some searching on Hog Norsk and saw you'd used that a few times too. Would you describe it as a Kveik/Saison hybrid?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I have used both the Hog Norsk and Kveik for my Arctic Ale and they taste was the same. I also used the Kveik on an American Amber which was a really good beer. Buy both a try them out.

 

[Joetp]

I bottled/mini-kegged my pale session ale last night which used Hog Norsk. As I said previous, it came out at 92 percent attenuation, so tasted very dry. I used extra pale and Munich malt, and I could really taste the body and the hop aroma after. No sign of off-flavours!

I've just ordered some CML Kveik and their basic Belgian yeast strain. I've whacked up the radiators in the room where my cupboard is and am monitoring the ambient temperature to get a rough idea of conditions for this weekend's brew. I'm going to be attempting a Two Hearted style Centennial SMASH with Maris otter as the base malt. Thinking a week of fermentation at 25 degrees plus, then take the temperature down and dry hop for 3 days at day 7. Rack and bottle/keg.

 

[smcc]

as posted above Kveik is good option for higher temps and its ultra fast, you get some ester like flavours from it too I have made a couple and all tasted good its not cheap though

 

[Moe]

Another vote for the Kveik if you don’t have temperature control.
I’ve brewed 2 stouts and two APAs with kveik. Either Voss or Hornindial. Just pitched the yeast at 40degrees and put a sleeping bag over the fermentor to keep warm.

they all fermented out within 3-4days before the temperature dropped below 25 degrees.

I didn’t use nutrient with the Hornindial, but chucked some old yeast in the last 15m of the boil with the Voss.
They all tasted fine.
It’s also really easy to re use.
I just spooned a load of Krausen off the top a day or two after pitch and stored in a sterilised jar in the fridge. Then pitched a large teaspoon into the next brew.

 

[Joetp]

Another vote for the Kveik if you don’t have temperature control.
I’ve brewed 2 stouts and two APAs with kveik. Either Voss or Hornindial. Just pitched the yeast at 40degrees and put a sleeping bag over the fermentor to keep warm.

they all fermented out within 3-4days before the temperature dropped below 25 degrees.

I didn’t use nutrient with the Hornindial, but chucked some old yeast in the last 15m of the boil with the Voss.
They all tasted fine.
It’s also really easy to re use.
I just spooned a load of Krausen off the top a day or two after pitch and stored in a sterilised jar in the fridge. Then pitched a large teaspoon into the next brew.

That sounds like a plan pitching it at the top end of the temperature range and allowing it to come down - I'll give that a bash! Thanks!