Low Temp Effects To Coopers Yeasts

[macr]

I have currently two brews running at the moment(my second and third brew ever), they are Coopers Pale ale with brew enhancer2 and Coopers brew master yeast and a Thomas Cooper Australian bitter with Coopers light malt, 10g of Challenger pellets and Coopers Heritage yeast. Currently the temperatures are sitting around the 15~16 degree mark and there is not much Krausen in the fermenter (approx 1cm in each). The PA has been bubbling since Sunday and the AB only started bubbling today (Yeast pitched yesterday). What effects will these low temperatures have on my brews?Going by the thermometers on the side, ales are good down to 15 degrees, but with the packets stating 21 and up, I am a tad worried about these yeasts. What do you brew masters think? Should I stir them? I have a blanket around 1 and a jacket around the other so they don't get too cold at night.

 

[Darren]

macr,
Treat your beers like your children. If it is cold at night put a jacket on them. Once a beer gets too cold is is very difficult to get it back up to the correct temps. Blanket or old sleeping bag will help to maintain even temps. Leave it on all the time

 

[Darren]

Oh yeah, Don't stir it unless it stops short. The yeast will continue to work albeit at a slower rate

(changed stir from still) Must have been a Freudian slip

 

[warrenlw63]

Macr,

For starters Coopers recommendations of 21c+ are bordering on trouble. Ale yeasts are more comfortable at optimum temps of say no lower than 15 up to about 20c at the very most. Any higher and you're inviting undesirable flavours like, solvent, butterscotch, excessive fruitiness etc.

If your beer has just started fermenting and ambient air temps are 15c your beer will ferment a little warmer than this for about the first three days of vigorous fermentation. Roughly speaking they will most probably be fermenting at 17c in reality.

You're probably doing a whole lot to keep the flavours of your beer quite clean at these temps. However once the krausen subsides are 3 days or so it would probably be a good idea to try and heat things up a little to about 18c or so.

After the krausen (foam) drops the heat of fermentation also subsides.

Good luck with it.

Warren -

 

[macr]

Thanks guys. I was worried as my first beer ended up being to hot and tasted like cider, this time it is bodering on too cold. I can't wait to get the fridge up and running.

 

[warrenlw63]

You're making good observations early Macr. :super:

In the pursuit of making good beer. Temp control is a very large part of the process.

Warren -

 

[PostModern]

The Australian Pale Ale kit contains a blend of two yeasts, one ale and one lager. As the temp drops, the profile will probably shift towards lager in character. You might want to warm it up a bit as you get close to finishing the brew to absorb any diacetyl.

I'm currently brewing this kit with a yeast recultured from Coopers bottled beer. I don't know what's in Brew Enhancer 2, but I used 700g of light DME and 350g of dextrose. I notice the temp dropped rapidly from 20 to about 16 once fermentation finished.

 

[Jim - Perth]

I wouldn't be too worried if your strip thermometer reads 15-16deg since, as Warren says, your real fermentation temp. is likely to be 2deg above this.
I reckon about 18deg is about ideal temp. for an ale.
I would just leave things as they are & take hydro reading around day 5. At this stage if you are not close to expected FG then maybe warm it up a touch.

 

[macr]

SG of the Coopers Pale Ale is approx 1010~1012 after six days. The temp has dropped to 14 which may be what you are speaking about PM. There is no activity in the air trap, but could mean one of a couple of things slow fermenting by the yeast, a cease in fermentation from being finished or the yeast stopping due to the cold. I have moved this fermenter to a place that should warm it up more and it it doesn't I will put a electric blanket on it and raise it to 18 degrees. The other fermenter is happily bubbling away at 14~16 degrees. There is a slight fruity flavour to the beer, but not apple cider like my first one. Is this a known characteristic of PA, as it has been a while since I had one? It has the same cloudiness as one though

 

[macr]

It looks like the move and a bit of sun was enough to get some action happening in the airlock. I wish my place wasn't so cold and I have more money to finish the fridge.