What fermentation temp control swings are acceptable?

[Rugby Fan.]

I have been wondering about this also as I will be starting a Stout kit very soon and I think I should be able to hold a steady 18 degrees, but that is right on the edge of the limits. I have no temp control, but if I wrap the fermenter, then it should support to maintain the residual heat the yeast will create, so hopefully I get 20 degrees. I did consider a cheap heat mat, but it runs a constant temp and I am more concerned with over heating than it sitting at the cooler end of the scales. I won't be there to check on it regularly so I can't trust a heat mat without temp control and right now, I am not in a position to invest in a digital controlled mat.

I brewed my last batch at 17 degrees with Novalager and that went well. If I am running at the low end of the temp range with a standard stout/ale yeast, will I have issues?

18C should be fine for US-05 or S-04.

Like you said, wrap the fermenter and you'll be fine. A big bucket of wort won't chill that quickly, especially with active fermentation going on.

Think of how hard it is to get to 18C actively cooling with a wort chiller with tap water at about 14C.

I'm open to correction on this but you could pitch at 22C and by the time the fermentation kicks in it won't have dropped below 18-20C. I generally tend to pitch a few degrees above ferm temp with good results.

 

[evil.soup]

18C should be fine for US-05 or S-04.

Like you said, wrap the fermenter and you'll be fine. A big bucket of wort won't chill that quickly, especially with active fermentation going on.

Think of how hard it is to get to 18C actively cooling with a wort chiller with tap water at about 14C.

I'm open to correction on this but you could pitch at 22C and by the time the fermentation kicks in it won't have dropped below 18-20C. I generally tend to pitch a few degrees above ferm temp with good results.

Thanks, that's my thinking, the weather is also set to be nice for the next week or so, so that should support it. I will also be putting the fermenter in a different location to the lager I did last, so I think I will be able to hold a better temperature.

Only time will tell I guess...

 

[Galena]

For some, there's also the expense of getting a fridge/controller.

I guess you could call expense a hassle, I was considering a hassle as an inconvenience like a chore rather than cost.

 

[MashBag]

True, if you don't have the space

An insulation jacket, heat pad and inkbird takes up little more space than the fermentation vessel surely?

 

[Agentgonzo]

I guess you could call expense a hassle, I was considering a hassle as an inconvenience like a chore rather than cost.

Either way, it's an inhibitor, whether you consider it an inconvenience or some other term.

 

[MashBag]

18C should be fine for US-05 or S-04.

Like you said, wrap the fermenter and you'll be fine. A big bucket of wort won't chill that quickly, especially with active fermentation going on.

The point is temp stability within the range on the packet.

 

[Agentgonzo]

An insulation jacket, heat pad and inkbird takes up little more space than the fermentation vessel surely?

that's what I went with (except a different thing instead of the inkbird). But you can't cool with this setup. But yes, it takes up much less space than a fridge.

 

[Galena]

Either way, it's an inhibitor, whether you consider it an inconvenience or some other term.

Yes but a second hand fridge can be picked up for free or just a few pounds, an Inkbird 308 costs less than £30, I would call that good value if it gets you better beer.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Yes but a second hand fridge can be picked up for free or just a few pounds, an Inkbird 308 costs less than £30, I would call that good value if it gets you better beer.

"if"

 

[Rugby Fan.]

A fridge is not so easily put out of the way though, it's quiet a permanent fixture. Especially in an apartment

 

[Galena]

"if"

Well 'if' you don't believe temperature control is of value then it's probably not for you

 

[Galena]

A fridge is not so easily put out of the way though, it's quiet a permanent fixture. Especially in an apartment

Agreed

 

[JockyBrewer]

Like many things in the hobby it's not necessary until you find a problem, but that doesn't always stop us from doing it anyway.

For most people if you can put the fermenter in a cool spot of the house then a temperature controller and heat belt will do the job admirably. There's plenty of guys at my home brew club producing top beers with no control - just putting the fermenter under their stairs which happens to be the best regulated spot in the house. If you've a cold spot in the house then an inkbird and heat belt will do the job for you perfectly.

Chilling only really becomes necessary for a couple of months of the summer, or when you want to pull down temperatures for lager yeasts, or post fermentation crashing. The latter is an advanced brewing thing, where it's as easy to cause a problem as it is get any benefit.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

There’s a lot of truth in what’s already been said.
At the end of the day FV temperature control is certainly not essential. But it does give you more flexibility as to what styles you can brew and condition at different times of the year.

 

[Rugby Fan.]

There’s a lot of truth in what’s already been said.
At the end of the day FV temperature control is certainly not essential. But it does give you more flexibility as to what styles you can brew and condition at different times of the year.

100%

I have to brew to the weather. There's something about that I like though. At least that's what I tell myself anyway

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

100%

I have to brew to the weather. There's something about that I like though. At least that's what I tell myself anyway

Yes I know what you mean. Mind you it’s probably for the best that these days we don’t have to wait for the grain harvest (Grin)

 

[MashBag]

that's what I went with (except a different thing instead of the inkbird). But you can't cool with this setup.

In the uk, that doesn't matter for most of the year.

Last year I too, got caught out. And yes indeed we only fix things when they appear.

Because of that I am trailing an inexpensive cooling jacket. Cooling is harder than heating, but doesn't that just add to the challenge

 

[Agentgonzo]

In the uk, that doesn't matter for most of the year.

Last year I too, got caught out. And yes indeed we only fix things when they appear.

Because of that I am trailing an inexpensive cooling jacket. Cooling is harder than heating, but doesn't that just add to the challenge

Interesting! Do you have a link to the cooling jacket? I presume it takes in a cooling liquid to do the actual cooling. As you say, cooling is harder than heating

 

[MashBag]

Last year, I tried all manner of swamp cooling contraptions and failed.

So I set to, finding a way to trim off 1c to stop ale fermentations getting away.
For me this project is about realigning the stuff I already have (as far as possible) to solve a problem I only have once a year. So a maxi chiller or similar is out of scope.

I have trailed an inkbird controlled pump connected to a FermZilla Temp Twister with a bucket of water in a fridge. It removed 1c in about 1.5mins. Fantastic. Waiting now for August 22* for live test.

I did also consider a "cask cooling jacket" <Google that. Although neater and tidier I don't think these will be as effective. They are also 3x the price at about £90.

I have got the space for a bucket of water & ice beside the fv, maintained up with frozen 4pint milk cartons.

Let's see.


*For our continental readers that is the only day the UK exceeds 20c

 

[Agentgonzo]

For me this project is about realigning the stuff I already have (as far as possible) to solve a problem I only have once a year.

At the moment, if the temp gets too high during primary fermentation, I stick one of these wine coolers (out of the freezer) against the side of the fermerter. Drops it by around a degree.