Get Out Of My Fermentation Fridge!

[Rotgut]

I'm pushing a fair few brews through my brewery at the moment which is putting a bit of pressure on by brew fridge.

Question is, how critical is consistent temperature late in fermentation? If I take a late US-05 (for example) out of controlled conditions to go from 1.015 to 1.010 in un-controlled conditions, will this be detrimental to the finished product?

I have no doubt it will hove some effect, but worth worry? Especially considering the 'cool' weather we've had down south lately.

 

[jamiefbacon]

I'm pushing a fair few brews through my brewery at the moment which is putting a bit of pressure on by brew fridge.

Question is, how critical is consistent temperature late in fermentation? If I take a late US-05 (for example) out of controlled conditions to go from 1.015 to 1.010 in un-controlled conditions, will this be detrimental to the finished product?

I have no doubt it will hove some effect, but worth worry? Especially considering the 'cool' weather we've had down south lately.

Id also be very interested in the response to this question as im having the same problem not enough room, and wanting to brew lagers and ales around the same time

 

[manticle]

From 1015 to 1010? I wouldn't stress a lot.

Are you worried about too cold or too hot?

Considering some people (myself included) produce good beer without temp controlled fridges (still control temp though), you should be able to stabilise thngs for those last points, particularly in the colder months.

 

[Rotgut]

More interested in temp variation. Admit at this time of year it wouldn't be more than 4 or 5 deg a day.

 

[leeboy]

my concern this time of year would be overnight temperature dropping below say 10 degrees and your yeast then becoming inactive and attenuating hence leaving your beer at a slightly clauing 1015. Saf 05/ Wyeast 1056 are both incredible clean fermenting yeasts so flavour change wouldn't be noticable to most at the tail end for minor temp changes. The big issue for me here is not controlling the slight warming at the end of fermentation using an american yeast straint o get the final gravity down to target.
My 2 cents
Lee

 

[fcmcg]

to expand on leeboy's post .....
I'm reading the book "Yeast" by Zamil Zainasheff and Chris White atm...
Whilst it does say that most flavours are developed in the first 72 hours , it also says that yeast slow down and produce less heat towards the end of fermentation ( remebering that fermentation is exothermic...that is it produces heat ). If you drop your temp too much , yeast can sense this and slow right down or even stop fermenting.As a result , this will afftect your final gravity.So , i guess you want to make sure that your near the very end of fermentation before you decide to pull the fermentor out of it's very cosy environment. This isn't to say , i have not done what your doing or are facing , but it's so ******* cold in Melb at the moment that we all should be doings lagers , sans a fermenting fridge and leaving your ales in a warm environment !
Hope this helps
Ferg

 

[leeboy]

to expand on leeboy's post .....
I'm reading the book "Yeast" by Zamil Zainasheff and Chris White atm...
Whilst it does say that most flavours are developed in the first 72 hours , it also says that yeast slow down and produce less heat towards the end of fermentation ( remebering that fermentation is exothermic...that is it produces heat ). If you drop your temp too much , yeast can sense this and slow right down or even stop fermenting.As a result , this will afftect your final gravity.So , i guess you want to make sure that your near the very end of fermentation before you decide to pull the fermentor out of it's very cosy environment. This isn't to say , i have not done what your doing or are facing , but it's so ******* cold in Melb at the moment that we all should be doings lagers , sans a fermenting fridge and leaving your ales in a warm environment !
Hope this helps
Ferg

Good book isn't it! Just by reading it and getting smart on fermentation and yeast care my beers have got so much better. Can't stress enough the importance of hitting goal FG for taste especially in 4-6% beers!

 

[Rotgut]

Thanks for the 'heads up' guys, I'll look into that book!

 

[Camo1234]

Taking it out of the fridge also means you can't crash chill at the end of fermentation.


Time for a second fridge!

 

[raven19]

Apart from the possible yeast shock issue mentioned above, the small amount of fermentation left to go would result in minimal flavour change in your brew if you did remove it from the fridge. I would just bring it inside where it won't be proned to drop much in temperature.

I have pulled numerous fermentors out of the fridge for lack of space over the years. They often go back in a few days later when time to crash chill prior to filtering/kegging.

 

[Leigh]

I've got one brew in the fidge on "heat" mode, and another on the dining table...both are sitting at a consistant 18 degrees (the inside one aided by 4h of central heating in the evening).

Have to brew a lager as the laundry is sitting at about 11-12 degrees.

This is the best time for brewing IMO as you can have fermentors sitting in strategic locations around the house

 

[humulus]

I hate winter,but love it at the same time!! :chug:

 

[Bribie G]

It's even getting coldish here in SEQ - believe it or not, Doonahs on the bed are a feature here even as late as November. I'm about to do an Irish Red which I'll ferment outside any fridge, and when the exothermic stage calms down I'll wrap in a sleeping bag to even out the temperature swings.

 

[humulus]

It's even getting coldish here in SEQ - believe it or not, Doonahs on the bed are a feature here even as late as November. I'm about to do an Irish Red which I'll ferment outside any fridge, and when the exothermic stage calms down I'll wrap in a sleeping bag to even out the temperature swings.

Bloody Climate change or so they will have us believe!!!