Brewing Weather

[jeremy]

Hey all,

I am currently brewing jayse's Skunk Fart, but with US05.

In Adelaide at the moment the daily max temp is around 20deg, and min is aroun 10deg.

My brew is out of the light, and going well, started it on Saturday, and is still plopping away happily 5 days later. I haven't measured the temp (the strip on the fermenter is useless), but I thought these temps would be too cold. What temp would I expect to get with this weather fluctuation? What do people think is "ideal brewing weather"?

 

[petesbrew]

Hey all,

I am currently brewing jayse's Skunk Fart, but with US05.

In Adelaide at the moment the daily max temp is around 20deg, and min is aroun 10deg.

My brew is out of the light, and going well, started it on Saturday, and is still plopping away happily 5 days later. I haven't measured the temp (the strip on the fermenter is useless), but I thought these temps would be too cold. What temp would I expect to get with this weather fluctuation? What do people think is "ideal brewing weather"?

This is AWESOME brewing weather!

 

[captaincleanoff]

you want about 17c with US-05.

I'd say you'd be sitting on about that.

 

[bowie in space]

I'm jumping in here with a similar query.

My brew has seemed to stall over the last few days. It has been in the primary for 8 days (4 of the days was bubbling away) but since the cold snap it has stopped. The gravity is stuck on 1.018. Temp on my thermometer this morning was 12C and the stick on gauge said 14-16C. I am intending on racking tomorrow. This should restart the fermentation process, right? Hence secondary fermentation. Or will the cold weather not allow it to continue lowering it's gravity. I'm aiming for about 1.008-1.010.

I intend to keep in secondary vessel for another 7 days.

Cheers,
Bowie

 

[white.grant]

The weather in the gong has just turned, or at least my shed is now pretty cool overnight. This morning I switched the tempmate from cooling to heating. Time to start on the belgians.

cheers

grant

 

[hayden]

and its -finally- starting to cool down, up here!

 

[QldKev]

Hey all,

I am currently brewing jayse's Skunk Fart, but with US05.

In Adelaide at the moment the daily max temp is around 20deg, and min is aroun 10deg.

My brew is out of the light, and going well, started it on Saturday, and is still plopping away happily 5 days later. I haven't measured the temp (the strip on the fermenter is useless), but I thought these temps would be too cold. What temp would I expect to get with this weather fluctuation? What do people think is "ideal brewing weather"?

Geese thats cold, we got down to 16 the other night and I though I got frost bight when I walked across the cold grass...

I would be trying to find a way to measure the temp more accurately, and also try and stabilise any temp fluctuations. A constant correct temp is a sure way to improve any brew. Even a cooler, fridge (no need for it to actually work) or a small cupboard will help stabilise the temp. At a minimum I would be wrapping the fermenter in a towel / blanket overnight.


QldKev

 

[.DJ.]

I just brew ales all year round...

 

[technocat]

Temps in southern Tassie 12-2 have the fermenter on heat pad and have one more Ale to do then into Lagers here on in.
Because of lag time with Lager's I intend to up the batch size to 40L to keep some sort of continuity going

 

[drsmurto]

Hey all,

I am currently brewing jayse's Skunk Fart, but with US05.

In Adelaide at the moment the daily max temp is around 20deg, and min is aroun 10deg.

My brew is out of the light, and going well, started it on Saturday, and is still plopping away happily 5 days later. I haven't measured the temp (the strip on the fermenter is useless), but I thought these temps would be too cold. What temp would I expect to get with this weather fluctuation? What do people think is "ideal brewing weather"?

I've had US05 happily fermenting away as low as 14C. Much slower but will still get there.

IMO the stick on thermo strips are a good guide. Generally not far off.

Can you stick the fermenter somewhere that the temp is more stable?

I have 2 ales in fridges in the shed up in the hills. neither fridge is running. The temp of both fermenters is a consistent 18C. Have just put in a heat pad to raise the english ale fermenting with ringwood to 22C to finish off.

Dead fridges are extremely useful. I use 2L bottles of water that i freeze to keep the temp down in summer (prior to getting a fridgemate) replaced twice daily.

Keep any eye on freecycle and the friday shopper in the 'tiser for cheap/free fridges.

I also have wine fermenting on my shed floor. 140L under a sleeping bag with 2 heating pads wedged next to them. 24C and ticking along nicely.

 

[reviled]

I've had US05 happily fermenting away as low as 14C. Much slower but will still get there.

+1, not me personally but a recent Pilsner comp I was at, the winning beer was fermented with S-05 at 15*c, was extremely clean but it worked well!

I love S-05, even if my fermenter occassionally creeps up to 24*c, its so forgiving :icon_cheers:

 

[jeremy]

Cheers,

Thought 10-20 would be a touch chilly, pleasantly surprised thus far. I guess a 10-20 fluctuation would keep temp around 15, then yeast activity should get it up to around 17 with adequate insulation, so shouldnt be too bad.

 

[drsmurto]

You would be amazed how much difference simply wrapping the fermenter in a blanket or sleeping bag makes.

Fermentation generates heat so trap that heat and use it to your advantage.

 

[Bribie G]

You would be amazed how much difference simply wrapping the fermenter in a blanket or sleeping bag makes.

Fermentation generates heat so trap that heat and use it to your advantage.

Tell me about it, as I posted on another thread just now I pitched Nottingham yesterday at 23 degrees then put the brew in the dead fridge with one 2L PET hoping to get it down to 19 and a good krausen, then drop it to 17 for the rest of the fermentation.

Not only is the froth now up to the lid but it's worked itself up to 21.5 overnight and it's now a battle between the Notto and the 2L PETs I'm piling in <_<

Did my first all grain lager and kept it to 12 degrees with 3 two Litre PETs changed only once a day. It's sitting on 16 for a couple of days doing a rest with PETs wrapped in a beach towel and doonah, then into the lagering fridge. After spending all summer rasslin' PETs just to brew ales, I love this weather.

 

[hayden]

now that its cooling down a little it goes in my bath room. sitting at around 20-21 degrees

 

[reviled]

I made the mistake recently thinking "its alot cooler lately, ill be fine without temp control"

Then came home to find 1469 going crazy at 24*c <_<

Still a month or two off here I think, its still muggy as...

 

[Bribie G]

We're thinking of doing the campervan thingo next Feb around the North Island, you mean it's still warm there in April? :huh:
Depends what you class as warm, of course

 

[reviled]

We're thinking of doing the campervan thingo next Feb around the North Island, you mean it's still warm there in April? :huh:
Depends what you class as warm, of course

Mate im from lower hutt near welly, right in the gaping mouth of the cook straight, and I was saying the other day how living in Akl makes you a pansy, everyones complaining about cold nights here lately - and the temp in the house gets as low as 17*c

Auckland is humid tho compared to the rest of NZ where if you dont come in Feb youll prolly freeze :lol: But you gotta do the campervan thing, its awesome, plus theres heaps to see and not too far a drive between places...

Just make sure ya come round for a beer when youre passing through