Coopers Stout - Brewing Temperature

[Pablo_C]

Hi,

I am a couple of days in to brewing this brew (20L), and with the cold weather, I noticed that the temp of the brew had dropped to around 17 degrees.

I have therefore over the past 24 hours had the brew belt on...intermittently at first with an hour on, three hours off timed pattern, however, when on the temp was rising up to 28 degrees, then dropping back down to 18 prior to it turning on again.

The brew has really taken off now, and I came in from work to find that the FV lid had lifted.

So, I've left the belt on this evening, but agian the temperature has rocked back up to about 28 degrees, so I've now put it back on a timed pattern.

Is 28 degrees too high for the stout brew (Although I see the instuctions say optimum temp is up to 27 degrees...), or is the fluctuation in temperature potentially doing more harm to the brew?

Any advice appreciated thanks

Regards

Paul

 

[PD]

28 degrees is way too high for good beer making, you will still make beer but it will be the type of be prone to off tastes and the sort that causes headaches and hangovers.
Ideally the fermenting temps of ales and beers wants to be around 20-21C.
17 degrees was a fraction low but would have possible risen of its own accord when the yeast got going well and generated a little heat of its own.

 

[Pablo_C]

The brew seems to have settled now, and I switched the heat belt back on to timed so three hours off, one hour on.....

Could it be that the ambient temp is actually lower given the the heat belt is sat high up on the FV, so the warm liquid should sink to the bottom as it cools? My temp readings are only based on an adhesive strip in the side of the FV.

Hopefully its not spoiled.... :?

Should I just turn the heat belt off then?

 

[PD]

if using a heat belt it should be positioned about one third of way up the vessel, but able to be moved up or down as required.
The adhesive thermometers are only useful as a general guide, get a good thermomenter with a probe.
this is a good one but can be bought cheaper than this web site.
http://www.buycatering.com/eti-multifun ... 29795.html
If your brew is fermenting I would suggest you turn off heat belt and wrap a few blankets around it. It will be fine.

 

[Pablo_C]

I did have a probe thermometer but it met with an untimely end due to the tiled kitchen floor, and just not got round to replacing it.

Will turn the heat belt off as suggested and wrap it up then.

Thanks

Paul