Brew schedule is wonky

[FedoraDave]

I was just hitting my stride with my three-week brewing/bottling rotation and then this cold weather hit. It's been in the high 50s in my basement, so I know it's slowing the fermentation down. It may even be turning my California Common into a California lager.

I'm going to take grav readings of everything this weekend and determine where I go from here. As noted, the Cali Common yeast will still be okay, just not stylistically proper, I guess. I've also got a stout that I used Nottingham Ale Yeast with, and that works okay in lower temps, but still.... And the third one was probably done with primary fermentation by the time the Big Chill set in, so maybe just a type of cold crash occurred.

I dunno....

[John Sand]

I'm with you Dave. I'm down to one batch (4g) fermenting in the basement. I'm reluctant to start another at these temps.

[RickBeer]

My basement's been around 60-62. I'm getting ready to start a batch this weekend with Windsor, and I'm debating starting it upstairs (68 on the floor), then moving it downstairs in the first day or so when temps start to climb, then back upstairs when they drop back down.

[John Sand]

Rick, I find that a 5g batch does well in 60 ambient, goes up to the mid sixties. With 2g batches I try to keep them near the heater, but they are still only about 62.

[Chuck N]

My cellar sits at right around 60°. Ive had an IPA brewing for the past two weeks. So every day about three or four times a day I run down with five water bottles filled with hot water and put them into the fermentation chamber and bring the spent ones back up. It's a PITA but I do it for the love of the beer. But I'm rolling ideas around in the large, vast empty space that is my head on how I can build some kind of heating unit.

[jhough]

Dave, don't worry , and stress so much . If the Cali turns to lager ......all is good . The stout will be fine with the Notty yeast and The 3rd will be beer anyway ! Don't stress so much Not good for the ticker ..... I know that !

[mashani]

It may even be turning my California Common into a California lager.

I feel your pain. Both of my current beers going were supposed to be steam lagers - and they did ferment at steam temps for a few days... but they have been down in more of a real lager range since the cold hit.

That said, I believe that they (and your) beer will all still be good beer. Just maybe a bit less estery.

[RickBeer]

Rick, I find that a 5g batch does well in 60 ambient, goes up to the mid sixties. With 2g batches I try to keep them near the heater, but they are still only about 62.

This will be a 5 gallon batch but split into two LBKs. I'm going to try and remember to have it come out hotter, instead of ending at 62 before pitching maybe closer to 70, which would then give the yeast a head start. If it drops too low I'll bring them upstairs. It's currently 41 here so basement should be warming up, but it's still at 60 right now. I can also put them up on the table which gains a few degrees.

[John Sand]

Good point. I find that keeping them off the floor helps. I'm thinking of building a shelf over the furnace!

[FedoraDave]

Having a shelf is a great idea. I'll always be grateful to my brother for building my brewing/bottling station. Off the floor is best, but of course, mine is near an outside wall.... Can't win.

Yeah, I'll have beer; I just don't like the slowdown.

[RickBeer]

My basement floor is 60 sitting in a Rubbermaid tub. Table up 2 1/2 feet is 64, so I'll put the LBKs there.

[John Sand]

The same applies in Summer. When the basement gets warm, I can put a fermenter on the cool concrete for a few degrees cooler.

[FedoraDave]

I've done that, too, John. I've also used my lager fridge for summer temp regulation. Kind of weird to set a fridge at 62 degrees, but when the ambient temp is in the 80s, it's either that or make Saisons.

[jimjohson]

I've done that, too, John. I've also used my lager fridge for summer temp regulation. Kind of weird to set a fridge at 62 degrees, but when the ambient temp is in the 80s, it's either that or make Saisons.

I live just far enough south that it's really too warm for brewing 9 months a year. So the STC 1000 and a fridge allows me to brew all year. However I have a question Dave. Currently I have my controller set for 18.5 c (65.3 f) and, just to be sure you have all the particulars, I don't use ambient air temps. I tape to the side of the active fermenter(with a paper towel between the probe and the tape to insulate it more from the air). my question is this: do you use 62f because your using air temps in the fridge? or would my beer benefit if I set my fermentation chamber a little lower?

[FedoraDave]

I've done that, too, John. I've also used my lager fridge for summer temp regulation. Kind of weird to set a fridge at 62 degrees, but when the ambient temp is in the 80s, it's either that or make Saisons.

I live just far enough south that it's really too warm for brewing 9 months a year. So the STC 1000 and a fridge allows me to brew all year. However I have a question Dave. Currently I have my controller set for 18.5 c (65.3 f) and, just to be sure you have all the particulars, I don't use ambient air temps. I tape to the side of the active fermenter(with a paper towel between the probe and the tape to insulate it more from the air). my question is this: do you use 62f because your using air temps in the fridge? or would my beer benefit if I set my fermentation chamber a little lower?

Sorry if I disappoint you, JJ, but that "62 degrees" is a ROMA number for this thread. In other words, I pulled it Right Outta My Ass.

But in an attempt to actually help you, and to answer your question (because I'm one helluva nice guy), here's what I do:

I have temperature strips on all my carboys, so I feel I'm getting a true reading of the wort temperature. This is validated by the fact that I've got 3 carboys going at different stages of fermentation, and the newer one is usually 3 or 4 degrees higher than the older ones, even though they're side by side.

As far as ambient temp for optimum fermentation temp, I think you already know it depends on the yeast you're using. Nottingham Ale yeast loves the low 60s. Some other ale yeasts like it above 65. So do your research if you want the absolute optimum. That being said, however, keep in mind that all yeasts have an optimum range. So if the range is 62 - 70, and you've set the ambient temp at 64, you should be golden. Even during the most active (and hottest) fermentation, you probably will still be in that range.

If I can, I like to set the ambient temp at the low end of the optimum range, knowing that the wort temp is going to rise as things really get rockin' and rollin'. And it seems to me that, after primary is done, the lower temp helps clean things up, but I have no empirical evidence to back this up.