Fermentation Temperatures
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,637
    This discussion was created from comments
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    Whats a good all around temp to ferment?
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    for ales?
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,637
    i usually try to hold 66-68
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    the ambient temp? or the internal temp?
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    I need an ambient temp. because I figured some of my fermentations were probably closer to 76-78 inside when they were at around 69 ambient.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,637

    the ambient temp? or the internal temp?


    internal if you can measure it.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    they had some off flavors. I dunno the cause. The new ones don't seem to have it. But my other ones didnt seem to have it until bottle conditioning. so i dunno.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,637

    I need an ambient temp. because I figured some of my fermentations were probably closer to 76-78 inside when they were at around 69 ambient.


    it's hard to estimate, and it's non-linear, the more active the yeast the more heat they put out. the warmer they are the more active they are... but if you cool them down they slow down so its very difficult to say an ambient temp will hold any particular internal temp. just measure the temp on the outside of the fermenter and try to hold that steady.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • flyfisherwesflyfisherwes
    Posts: 1,053
    Lakewood said:

    I need an ambient temp. because I figured some of my fermentations were probably closer to 76-78 inside when they were at around 69 ambient.


    it's hard to estimate, and it's non-linear, the more active the yeast the more heat they put out. the warmer they are the more active they are... but if you cool them down they slow down so its very difficult to say an ambient temp will hold any particular internal temp. just measure the temp on the outside of the fermenter and try to hold that steady.


    Is it more important to be steady than under a certain temp? because I usually get the fermentation started pretty warm. like around 72 then once it starts up I cool it down by putting it on the basement floor. or on some cardboard on the basement floor. Its pretty chilly. But its been fermenting stuff out.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,637

    Lakewood said:

    I need an ambient temp. because I figured some of my fermentations were probably closer to 76-78 inside when they were at around 69 ambient.


    it's hard to estimate, and it's non-linear, the more active the yeast the more heat they put out. the warmer they are the more active they are... but if you cool them down they slow down so its very difficult to say an ambient temp will hold any particular internal temp. just measure the temp on the outside of the fermenter and try to hold that steady.


    Is it more important to be steady than under a certain temp? because I usually get the fermentation started pretty warm. like around 72 then once it starts up I cool it down by putting it on the basement floor. or on some cardboard on the basement floor. Its pretty chilly. But its been fermenting stuff out.


    conventional wisdom says steady temps are key to preventing stalling. the actual temp its at controls the byproduct flavor production.

    i usually pitch at around 72-74, then place in the ferm chamber to pull the temp down to 68 slowly, and hold that for about a week. then i'll raise the temp back to 70-72 for a few day to a week to help it clean up and finish out.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny