Perfect fermentation tempratures

[RawAbility3]

Could I please ask you advice on fermentation temperatures?
I have my inkbird set up in my fermentation chamber and I have always set this to 20°c with a +/- 0.5.
Yet I have watched a few YouTube videos and they set theirs to 18°c.
The two strains that I reuse alternatively are Wyeast British and America ale.

Would I be better setting to 18°c for just over a week and when transferring to a secondary, ramp up to 20°c?

Thanks all

 

[Leard]

It depends on the yeast. Most yeast will give you a range and so I just set my Inkbird for the exact middle of that range which is usually 18 or 19C and then +/- 1C. As long as you're in the ideal range for that yeast then I wouldn't worry. You really aren't going to notice a difference if you aren't always achieving the perfect temperature. Set it to 18 or 19C and then leave it until you're ready to bottle/keg. I don't bother with secondary fermentation because I think the general consensus is that it's not worth it. The risks of infection and oxidation are too high for any potential benefits it has. Just straight from the fermenter into a corny keg after two weeks is what I do.

 

[Skyler]

OK, so I am assuming your Inkbird is controlling the ambient temperature in your chamber, and not the direct fermentation temperature, is that right? Fermentation itself produces 2-5 degrees C increase from ambient. If your chamber is set to 18 C, your beer is probably fermenting at 21C.

Now, with all the Chico strains (WY 1056, WLP001, Imperial Flagship, US-05), the ideal fermentation temperature is 15C-20C, so I would recommend you set the chamber to 15C and expect it to ferment around 18C. For most British ale yeasts, I think I would set the chamber to 16C, personally, though some (S-04, in particular) I would set to 14C or maybe 15C.

I don't secondary usually and have allowed beer to sit on primary many times over several years and never had any autolysis.