Newby with questions

[Justvonn]

Hello all
Thought we would try our hand at home brewing, we have bought all the kits and are ready to go. (thought it safer to start with kits). We are going to start with one wine kit and two different beer kits.
My question is about temperature. Everything that I read says that the optimum temperature for fermentation is between 20 and 25deg C; I have bought a thermometer with a 24hr min/max display and at no point in or property does the temperature stay between these two points and I do not have a facility to control the temperature to that degree.
So, questions:
Is temperature that critical? For wine? For beer?
I can place the fermentation buckets in our office where we can keep the temperature to 20deg over night but run the risk of it reaching 27+ if unattended during the day (we have to have some days off) or I can keep them in the house which is cooler but drops to 16 over night. Would either of these extremes be harmful to the fermentation process?
I would appreciate help, looking forward to brewing as soon as possible.
Thanks in advance.
:

 

[Hollow Legs]

Is temperature that critical? For wine? For beer?
:

Justvonn hi and welcome to the forum, what beer kit are you doing? What make? are you going to use the yeast that come with the kit?

You could use a brewbelt on either wine or 23L FV which will raise the temp by about 5 degrees C so in your house that would equate to 21deg C don't exceed more than 27deg C as it will add weird flavours to the brew especially lager (as this needs to be at around 20deg C if using kit yeast) in my opinion.

As for wine a constant 21deg C would work.

Always read the instructions for the kit and that's a good base, but trawl the various posts on this forum and gain some of the knowledge from these great brewers.

I hope this helps for the time being, someone else will be along soon with far more knowledge than me.

Enjoy what you do and above all cleanliness is paramount.

 

[prolix]

Large volumes of liquid have thermal mass and so do not change temp as much, the house would be better as lower and 16c is not so low as 27 is high.

 

[abeyptfc]

I had a few problems with stuck fermentations when starting out and I had the same problems with differing temps. I would go onto ebay or a homebrew shop and buy a tub of yeast nutrient, add 1/2 a teaspoon before adding the yeast and mix in, I've been doing that with a few recent brew and they have fermented out no probs.

 

[Justvonn]

Thanks for the above
We have a Youngs Microbrewery with a Woodfords Wherry best bitter kit, a Geordie mild kit and a beaverdale Rioja kit.
For the first attempt I am going to follow the instructions and do 'exactly what it says on the tin' however i have been recommended to add Muntons Beerkit enhancer to the Mild instead of sugar.
Considering the responses I think the understairs cupboard looks favorite for both the beer and wine.

 

[golder247]

Hi Justvonn and welcome to the forum, relatively new here myself.

Under the stairs is a favourite I think, although most beer kits are only a week... I get away with leaving it on the kitchen worktop. We are lucky to have a lot of space though. I wouldn't worry about temp too much, in my lowly opinion, most centrally heated houses should be fine but if you are worried a large aquarium heater (glass tube job) will maintain temp pretty cheaply and effectively. Just make sure you sterilise everything.

Be careful that you get the right brew enhancer, my friend put a dark enhancer into a light lager and the result was not pretty. It was politely called pond or ditch water but it really looked like wee with a lump of poo mixed in. It tasted fine though and knocked your socks off.

What are you doing about bottles?

I would be keen to hear about your geordie kit and the rioja, Was thinking about the geordie one for a geordie pal of mine and have the rioja ready to use but the missus got up the duff so no boozing for her for a while!!

 

[Moley]

have the rioja ready to use but the missus got up the duff so no boozing for her for a while!!

Charming! :shock:

I rather assume you may have had something to do with it :whistle:



Sorry Justvonn, off topic, welcome to the forum :

Good luck with the brews, and I would agree with the under stairs option, fermentation times will be slightly longer below optimum temperatures but that's usually a good thing.

 

[Merry]

For the first attempt I am going to follow the instructions and do 'exactly what it says on the tin'

You'll find that the beer kit instructions will be very optimistic and give times when your beer will be drinkable, not when your beer will be at its best. The wherry can take 14 days+ to ferment out so don't panic if your hydrometer reading hasn't reached the target after 7 days. Also the tip about yeast nutrient is a good one, the Wherry kit is notorious for getting stuck at the 1020 mark. Otherwise it is a very good kit to start out with.

 

[anthonyUK]

Hi Justvonn,
As someone else just starting out, as well as this and other forums I found the Brewing Network podcasts excellent as they covered everything from the basics through to 'propellehead' levels of detail.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/ ... ong/Page-7

One thing that most people agree on though is that temperature control is an important factor especially if you want consistency.
I made my first Wherry indoors at around 20-22°c and it turned out fantastically well. I did it a little short though at 20l ish. My 2nd Wherry is at the full 23l and I definitely prefer the former.
I have gone for a temperature controlled fridge now for fermenting as I wouldn't have been able to brew given the temps in April and this weekend is meant to hit 30°c where I am.

Anthony

 

[golder247]

Up the duff indeed, I may have had something to do with it, but I am certain it has been immaculate conception. Who can speak with authority on such arcane matters

 

[Justvonn]

Thanks to all. I now have my first brew of bitter in the pressure barrel and three lots of wine (2 red and 1 white) bubbling away in the under stairs cupboard. and the Geordie mild bubbling in the hearth.
i found that I could set the temperature by placing the fermenting buckets in the bath and either poring in hot or cold water until I was at the desired temperature and then remove them to the cupboard/hearth, they then stay reasonably constant throughout fermentation.
All going well so far.
Thanks for your comments

 

[golder247]

going well indeed I say, 4 brews all ticking along.. Fine work that man!!

 

[bungouk]

Hello and welcome to the forum