Fermenting Temperature
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paulpj26
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How warm does the warmest place in your house get?
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insulate up the bucket a few bin bags and an old sleeping bag or 2 are ideal, just dont seal up tight.. then if needed you can pop a hot water bottle under the insulation 3 or so times a day or more? to bring up and help maintain a temp. tho when busy the yeasts will generate some heat themselves.
afaik most yeasts generate better flavors at the lower temps in the range provided so no need to aim for the top temps.
good news is its not summer cooling it is a lot harder :)
as if u let it get too warm u can get off flavors and damage the yeast when too cold they just go dormant and wait for a bit more warmth..
if your struggling to maintain temps totally ignore when the kit says its ready, use a hydrometer and test the gravity to ensure its done, it may take a week or more than the kit suggests.
if no tap of your bucket a turkey baster is easy to clean and sterilise to suck out a sample,
dont let the chill put u off starting sooner u start sooner u sup, just dont believe the kit regarding times , i gues when the kit says u can drink it its true u can, BUT it wont be at ots best till its had a few weeks, or months in some cases stashd in the cool to mature..
enjoy..
afaik most yeasts generate better flavors at the lower temps in the range provided so no need to aim for the top temps.
good news is its not summer cooling it is a lot harder :)
as if u let it get too warm u can get off flavors and damage the yeast when too cold they just go dormant and wait for a bit more warmth..
if your struggling to maintain temps totally ignore when the kit says its ready, use a hydrometer and test the gravity to ensure its done, it may take a week or more than the kit suggests.
if no tap of your bucket a turkey baster is easy to clean and sterilise to suck out a sample,
dont let the chill put u off starting sooner u start sooner u sup, just dont believe the kit regarding times , i gues when the kit says u can drink it its true u can, BUT it wont be at ots best till its had a few weeks, or months in some cases stashd in the cool to mature..
enjoy..
Thanks Fil
I am hoping to leave it in a corner somewhere out the way of my 2 year old daughter and the cat!, can't mess about with hot water bottles etc as I work.... Not bothered if it takes longer, just as long as it ferments, I guess our house stays around 15 c unless the heatings on then we have it set at 20 c
I am hoping to leave it in a corner somewhere out the way of my 2 year old daughter and the cat!, can't mess about with hot water bottles etc as I work.... Not bothered if it takes longer, just as long as it ferments, I guess our house stays around 15 c unless the heatings on then we have it set at 20 c
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should be fine afaik 18-19C is optimum with most ale yeasts
evanvine
Landlord.
Don't worry about 15C, it will just take a little longer with no detriment to your kit!
As above, the use of an hydrometer is essential.
Hope your kit turns out well.
As above, the use of an hydrometer is essential.
Hope your kit turns out well.
evanvine
Landlord.
Derbys is a big place!
azzothegreek
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I use an electric blanket and a duvet. Even in the coldest part of the house the blanket does not need to be switched on all the time. Once the ferment has started the duvet is enough to maintain the temp due to the fermentation producing its own heat.
Incidentally, I have a batch of ale in a secondary fermentation bin which is my bedroom. No heating on at all and only a robe over it to stop the light getting to it yet it is still bubbling from time to time that shows its still fermenting. I didn't expect that.
Incidentally, I have a batch of ale in a secondary fermentation bin which is my bedroom. No heating on at all and only a robe over it to stop the light getting to it yet it is still bubbling from time to time that shows its still fermenting. I didn't expect that.
SuffolkBrewery
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I did my first brew in the summer and the beer was left to ferment in a room that got up to 29 degrees 
Thankfully, I rescued the situation with a wet towel wrapped around the fermenter
The first bottles of it tasted fine, so I quickly polished off all of them. Just in case, you know.
Thankfully, I rescued the situation with a wet towel wrapped around the fermenter
The first bottles of it tasted fine, so I quickly polished off all of them. Just in case, you know.
CaptainMallard
Regular.
What temperature does the FV show using an electric blanket?azzothegreek said:
I've been using a tray heater and an old duvet cover under the stairs, but I'm a bit worried that it reaches 24 degrees. I've been toying with the idea of using lots of bubble wrap. I'd like to use a modified fridge or at least a tub full of water and an aquarium heater, but I don't have the space.
M
azzothegreek
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The electric blanket/duvet combo works really well for me. In answer to your question I manage to maintain a temp of near enough a constant 20 degrees. Thats the temp on the stick on thermometer on the FV. Like I say, the blanket is not on all the time so i have to check it around twice a day. When I see the temp starting to drop below 20 i with switch it on and when i see it starting to rise above 20 I switch it off. Due to the volume of liquid in the FV and the aid of the duvet to insulate it it can take quite a while for the temp to change so you don't have to constantly check the temperature. Its very simple, very effective and takes up no more space than the FV itself.
CaptainMallard
Regular.
Thanks :thumb: - I might give that a go.azzothegreek said:
ericmark
Regular.
I use all kits and find 16 degs seems to be cut off point at 17 degs it runs fine at 16 degs near stopped but I find a body warmer fits snug around the fermentor and brewing beer gives off heat so as long as body warmer goes on at the start it will keep brew around 2 degs above ambient and all works fine although as said slower.
Early days I placed next to radiator which seemed to work, but got some stick on thermometers changes colour to show temperature, and moved to corner of kitchen placed on a step so not cooled by floor and body warmers over the fermentor with air lock out of the top.
What I have done is ensure air lock is well sealed use an electrical stuffing gland not standard rubber bung as at low temperatures the gas released is so little unless well sealed it escapes rather than go through the air lock so it seems activity has stopped which is of course why you should use hydrometer but I am lazy and don't want to measure every day just measure at the end to confirm has finished.
On the odd time when it has cooled too much I use a demo underfloor heating tile which uses 18W had I not got this I would use a lamp with a pygmy bulb under the stool 15W bulb is about right with body warmer to raise the ambient temperature by about 4 - 6 degs C but it takes a long time to warm 40 pints also long time to cool with body warmer over it so if cooled to 16 degs will take whole day (24H) at 18W to raise 4 degrees the same on cooling once warm does not cool quickly.
It is of course a problem as the warmer it gets the more the brew reacts so the more heat generated by the brew its self so in early days heating can cause a run away and in 24 hours 18W has raised it from 16 to 24 degrees because of the heat from brew as well.
I read how yeasts should work at low temperatures Lager for example at 4 degs, but the yeast that comes with kits I buy seems to stop at 16 degs but works fine at 17 degs. However it does not seem to damage the yeast by getting too cold it just slows to point where you can't detect activity. Instructions always seem to say one week, but in real terms between one and three weeks odd one like Coopers Ginger beer has gone to six weeks. Two Mild's started one week apart next to each other one took 3 weeks other took 10 days so ended up bottling both nearly together not a clue why just happens that way.
Early days I placed next to radiator which seemed to work, but got some stick on thermometers changes colour to show temperature, and moved to corner of kitchen placed on a step so not cooled by floor and body warmers over the fermentor with air lock out of the top.
What I have done is ensure air lock is well sealed use an electrical stuffing gland not standard rubber bung as at low temperatures the gas released is so little unless well sealed it escapes rather than go through the air lock so it seems activity has stopped which is of course why you should use hydrometer but I am lazy and don't want to measure every day just measure at the end to confirm has finished.
On the odd time when it has cooled too much I use a demo underfloor heating tile which uses 18W had I not got this I would use a lamp with a pygmy bulb under the stool 15W bulb is about right with body warmer to raise the ambient temperature by about 4 - 6 degs C but it takes a long time to warm 40 pints also long time to cool with body warmer over it so if cooled to 16 degs will take whole day (24H) at 18W to raise 4 degrees the same on cooling once warm does not cool quickly.
It is of course a problem as the warmer it gets the more the brew reacts so the more heat generated by the brew its self so in early days heating can cause a run away and in 24 hours 18W has raised it from 16 to 24 degrees because of the heat from brew as well.
I read how yeasts should work at low temperatures Lager for example at 4 degs, but the yeast that comes with kits I buy seems to stop at 16 degs but works fine at 17 degs. However it does not seem to damage the yeast by getting too cold it just slows to point where you can't detect activity. Instructions always seem to say one week, but in real terms between one and three weeks odd one like Coopers Ginger beer has gone to six weeks. Two Mild's started one week apart next to each other one took 3 weeks other took 10 days so ended up bottling both nearly together not a clue why just happens that way.
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