WLP 400 in this heat wave!

[TheRedDarren]

Hello,
I made my first AG hoegaarden effort last night, the brew went pretty much perfectly, I hit all the targets pretty much bang on.
I pitched the yeast at 25c or so expecting it to cool to room temp within 12 hours, but it got really hot all of a sudden and the fv is currently sat at about 26c. It's started to bubble so it's ok but I'm worried the high temp will bring out too much of the Phenol character and make it too spicy... Should I try and faff about to bring the temp down or just wait for the temp to drop (which it will by
Friday)
Any thoughts?

 

[MyQul]

I'd try and get the yeast into the recommended temp range for that strain or you might get fusils (and other off flavours)as well as phenols which will make your beer undrinkable.

As I've just found out 72 hrs (I thought it was 24-48) is the crucial time for off flavoure

 

[TheRedDarren]

Ok mate. Not really sure how to though... Water bath?

 

[MyQul]

Ok mate. Not really sure how to though... Water bath?

Yup that's the easiest and cheapest way to do it.

B&Q builders trug - £4. Fill with water and add ice. Cover FV with wet towel/t-shirt and stick a fan on it.

 

[TheRedDarren]

b&q here I come!
Thanks fella.

 

[TheRedDarren]

I just got home after forgetting to go to B&Q and thought I'd run a bath of cold water and stand it in that instead. The water from the tap happens to be 18.9 (told you it was hot!) so I figure this could equzlise the temps down to 20 ish. I guess it'll work out, time will tell!

 

[Covrich]

Could you throw ice in there? or do you have any icepacks?

 

[MyQul]

I just got home after forgetting to go to B&Q and thought I'd run a bath of cold water and stand it in that instead. The water from the tap happens to be 18.9 (told you it was hot!) so I figure this could equzlise the temps down to 20 ish. I guess it'll work out, time will tell!

It'll work but you'll need ice, because of the exothermic reaction of fermentation

"If you want to ferment around, for example 68F, your goal is to maintain 62-63F in the water. Remember, yeast produces energy, which in turn creates heat. If your water bath temperature reads 62-63F, your actual fermentation temperature is probably 66-68F during peak fermentation."

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/fermentation-control

 

[TheRedDarren]

Ah I see...
Well, it's in the bath so the amount of ice I'd need would massive, I don't have any cool blocks either...
Should I go out and buy £5 worth of ice? The temp is dropping tonight.

 

[MyQul]

Ah I see...
Well, it's in the bath so the amount of ice I'd need would massive, I don't have any cool blocks either...
Should I go out and buy £5 worth of ice? The temp is dropping tonight.

I would if you want to have a chance of saving your beer. How much did you pay for all the batch ingredients grain + hops+ WLP400? If your beer gets full of fusils its fecked and you'll cry if you have to pour 23L down the drain, so £5 might be well worth the price.

 

[MyQul]

FYI If you plan on free fermenting (fermenting without any cooling measures) anymore wheatbeer during a heatwave I've just noticed that Mangrove Jacks do a wheat yeast that can be fermented 18C-30C

 

[Twostage]

I'd try and get the yeast into the recommended temp range for that strain or you might get fusils (and other off flavours)as well as phenols which will make your beer undrinkable.

As I've just found out 72 hrs (I thought it was 24-48) is the crucial time for off flavoure

Where did you get the 72 hour thing from ? I too thought the critical time for producing the off flavour pre-cursors was right at the start. (I think it was in Yeast).

 

[MyQul]

Where did you get the 72 hour thing from ? I too thought the critical time for producing the off flavour pre-cursors was right at the start. (I think it was in Yeast).

P97 of the yeast book

 

[Twostage]

P97 of the yeast book

Ah, right. I thought you were saying that it was after 72 hours. Yes, so keeping temperature in check until 72 hours has passed is important here.

Going to have to re-read it.:-P

 

[MyQul]

Ah, right. I thought you were saying that it was after 72 hours. Yes, so keeping temperature in check until 72 hours has passed is important here.

Going to have to re-read it.:-P

Ah, yes, sorry didn't realize I was making myself clear.

 

[TheRedDarren]

FYI If you plan on free fermenting (fermenting without any cooling measures) anymore wheatbeer during a heatwave I've just noticed that Mangrove Jacks do a wheat yeast that can be fermented 18C-30C

Ah great, I shall get some that then, I don't suppose it's a Belgiumy type of flavour?

 

[MyQul]

Ah great, I shall get some that then, I don't suppose it's a Belgiumy type of flavour?

Unfortunately it's a bavarian wheat yeast

 

[TheRedDarren]

Well I've had it in a bath of water for three days and it's looking good. Krausen has slowly grown, although not gone as mental as anticipated. It's currently about 3/4 inches thick.
The to of the fermenting wort has stayed at 22 which is the top limit I wanted to achieve. Hopefully now it'll start dropping and with luck it might get a range of flavours from the yeast instead of just the flavours produced at 22 degrees.
I did rouse the yeast once so far as I read it's a lazy strain and needs a bit of tlc to get the best from it. I might rouse once more and then harvest some to start another culture.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Slight concern regarding this brew now...
I just checked in on it and measured the gravity. It's still at 1030..? After five days I thought this might come down further than that. I've drained the bath now so I can slowly raise the temp towards the end of fermentation, and I used my paddle to stir it vigorously and stir the krausen back into the wort, as stated before this yeast needs a bit of a helping hand...
Any thoughts? Or does it seem to be on track?

 

[TheRedDarren]

Slight concern regarding this brew now...
I just checked in on it and measured the gravity. It's still at 1030..? After five days I thought this might come down further than that. I've drained the bath now so I can slowly raise the temp towards the end of fermentation, and I used my paddle to stir it vigorously and stir the krausen back into the wort, as stated before this yeast needs a bit of a helping hand...
Any thoughts? Or does it seem to be on track?