Ideal Fermentation Temp For Safale Us-05

[jbowers]

Hey all,

I have an IPA in the fermenter, about 1063 starting gravity. Im using safale us-05 and it's just started fermenting. The fermenter was sitting at nearly 24, maybe 23ish. Just wondering, in your experience, what the best temperature is for that yeast for a relatively typical american ipa style? It's in a cellar at about 21, but for some reason the fermenter is sitting higher than that. I've put it in some water which will hopefully keep it down around 21ish. Is this an ideal temp or should I go cooler? given that the room is pretty cool anyway, I can do this quite easily with maybe 1 block of ice.

Cheers,
James

 

[MarkBastard]

The official answer would be 'it depends', but typically advice here suggests (and I agree with it) that 18 degrees is about the sweet point.

I don't know if 21 degrees will be a big issue with that yeast. It's a fairly clean yeast anyway, I don't see it giving off crazy esters at 21 degrees. This is me theorising though.

 

[gibbocore]

yeah mate, try and get it under or about 18, you'll get a much cleaner finish and with a wort with that high a gravity you will get some hot fussel alcohols at 24 degrees.

 

[Supra-Jim]

I am fermenting something very similar at the moment, and my fermenting fridge is set to 18degC.

Cheers SJ

 

[Rodolphe01]

i'm currently steeping some grains for a faux lager using this yeast, hoping it fires off between 15-17 degrees.

 

[Pennywise]

Personally I've found no issues brewing with this yeast up at 22, which was the best I could do in summer before I got a fridge to ferment in. Like already said, it's a pretty clean yeast anyway. 18 would prolly be the sweet spot though, but I wouldn't be too concerned if 21 is the best you can do, consistancy is what you want here, so as long as you can keep it from jumping all over the shop you'll be fine IMO.

 

[Gout]

I find it to be a clean yeast as mark has said, and i try to ferment it cool - but i have a fridge and thats only because i do with other yeasts which are better near the cool end.

once the explosive fermentation slows you may see the temps get closer to the 21 (room temp) as the US ale really gets through the wort rather quick hence the heat its giving off.

either way i dont think it will be a bad beer, i used to use a lot of yeasts and this is my most used yeast as i am lazy and it works well for me ( note: i only brew pale ales because i have not been able to brew as much as i like and this means less yeast hops malt thinking etc)

if you have ice ( i used to freeze 2Lt PET bottles) that will help and is a easy way to help lower the temp

cheers

 

[jbowers]

18 should be no problem. Just a block of ice changed every day should do the trick.

 

[zebba]

Before I had temp control I did two brews with this yeast - one stable @ 22, the other @ 24.

The 22 was delicious. The 24, using the same recipe, was still reasonable but not nearly as good and gave some bad headaches.

Not conclusive evidence, but that's my experience.

 

[Fourstar]

The writing is on the wall. 18 is perfect but anything shy of 20deg is still optimal for a clean fermentation profile.

but typically advice here suggests (and I agree with it) that 18 degrees is about the sweet point.

yeah mate, try and get it under or about 18

I am fermenting something very similar at the moment, and my fermenting fridge is set to 18degC.

18 would prolly be the sweet spot though, but I wouldn't be too concerned if 21 is the best you can do

18 should be no problem. Just a block of ice changed every day should do the trick.

 

[Nick JD]

Before I had temp control I did two brews with this yeast - one stable @ 22, the other @ 24.

The 22 was delicious. The 24, using the same recipe, was still reasonable but not nearly as good and gave some bad headaches.

Not conclusive evidence, but that's my experience.

+1

In my experience US05 has a critical point above which it will start producing butanol and propanol along with the ethanol. From my notes the fusels start appearing in undesirable concentrations above 25C average ambient temperature. So the brew is probably about 27C.

I've never done one below 20C, so can't comment on the 18C - but would add that under 22C average ambient (brew at 24C) will make a great beer, just like the packet says.

 

[jbowers]

Yeah. 18 Will be harder than I thought.

It seems odd that the brew is wanting to be quite a bit warmer than the environment. It's 20-21 in my cellar but still 21 in the brew bucket with my cooling methods.


Can anyone recommend a better solution than a trough full of water, ice blocks and a wet towel draped over the top? Bearing in mind I dont have a fridge etc.

 

[Pennywise]

You could build up an insulated bot from timber and some styrofoam (sp), use frozen water bottles to keep it cool. I think I saw something on here not long ago along those lines, but I think they used old pannels off a cool room cut up.

 

[jbowers]

Seeing as I can get a fridge on ebay for less than 40 bucks, I'd rather just do that... Haha. I was kind of meaning without buying anything new.

 

[husky]

Put my second brew on yesterday using this yeast, I use a wet towel and temps dropped to 18 degrees within an hour(24 degrees ambient). The key is to have a fan blowing over the wet towel to evaporate the water faster and remove heat.

 

[jbowers]

Good advice, thanks. I've got a fan running now.

I think i'll be getting a fridge and one of these http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=2592 for christmas.

 

[BjornJ]

Hi all,
is there any benefit of going below 18 degrees with this yeast? (how low can you go would be the next question )

I have a WLP001 California Ale Yeast which I understand is the same kind of thing, and remember BribieG putting up a picture of some very clear, lager-like results in corona bottles.
I believe he uses the US-05 below 18.

thanks
Bjorn

 

[Bribie G]

I did it at 16 degrees, and of course there are no free lunches: at low temps US-05 will just hang on and hang on like an unwelcome relative with scummy little bubbles on the surface - nowadays for a 'normal' 5% beer I let it go for 10 days at those temperatures then rack and 'lager' it for another 10 days and it turns out great.

 

[BjornJ]

hehe, couldn't resist putting it up again, eh!
And a good picture it is.

So 16 degrees should be ok, then rack to cube and another 10 days at the same temperature or at 1 degree for 10 days before bottling?

thanks
Bjorn

 

[Bribie G]

After the 10 days in primary I'd let it warm up to ambient for a day before racking just to finish it off and diacetyl rest (we are talking fake lager here and want clean clean, no diacetyl) and then cold crashing. As it happens I've got a brew on at the moment that's gone way over at 2 weeks but I didn't change the frozen PET today and it's probably gone to 23 - I'll rack it in the morning then put it in the lagering fridge at 3 degrees or so for 10 days. I add gelatine on racking, then Polyclar two or three days before kegging. By that stage it just needs a few days in the keggie to carb up. If bottling of course the beer will be quite bright but there's still enough stray yeast in there to carb it up, but maybe looking at another 2 weeks.

OK it's piccie time here's a bottle of the leftovers after kegging that I did just a week ago.



The keg itself got demolished at the 21st party on Saturday but the bottle is quite firm now and diamond bright after only a week. Hmm might chill it and have a slurp :icon_chickcheers:

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