Temps for Ginger Beer

[jollos]

It has been a warm Autumn here in Tassie with temps really only chilling my bones this week. With this change and my inexperience i brewing, I wasn't sure whether I need to consider heating my current batch of ginger beer..

It has been brewing for maybe 11 days even 2 days ago had a steady flow of bubbles through the airlock. The room it is in maintains a pretty steady temp averaging around 18 for most of the last 7 days, but has dropped down between 15 and 16 degrees over the last 36 hours. Not sure if this will affect the yeast activity of the brew and what the consequences of this would be?

Of interest, SG over the the last 2 days has hardly moved from 1.025. Again, being inexperienced, I am not sure if this would be normal, detrimental, or otherwise?

If it were to be suggested that I heat, what would be advised: one of those heat bands, a heat mat, aquarium heater? and, what sort of temps would I be aiming for? Are people using those stick on thermometers on their fermented to measure temps?

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Gloveski]

Never done a ginger beer but if you have the means I would raise to about 20 for 2 days and then check SG again if stable then bottle or keg

 

[Danscraftbeer]

sounds like you have under pitched on yeast but more details on that might help.
1.024 FG/SG is far too high to bottle in glass for safety reasons. It should be/ I would expect around 1.008 - 1.010

I've fallen into brewing start near the minimum of the yeast temperature range finishing at no higher than the maximum yeast temp range. Ideally. With proper yeast count.
My reading and research coming to that conclusion. Temperature control ferment is ideal.

In short 18c is good for ale. Then you can raise it a couple of degrees at the end of the ferment to finish it off but you have fallen in temp at that stage so its against the ideal situation.
It sounds like your brews ferment hasn't completed.

 

[jollos]

sounds like you have under pitched on yeast but more details on that might help.
1.024 FG/SG is far too high to bottle in glass for safety reasons. It should be/ I would expect around 1.008 - 1.010

I've fallen into brewing start near the minimum of the yeast temperature range finishing at no higher than the maximum yeast temp range. Ideally. With proper yeast count.
My reading and research coming to that conclusion. Temperature control ferment is ideal.

In short 18c is good for ale. Then you can raise it a couple of degrees at the end of the ferment to finish it off but you have fallen in temp at that stage so its against the ideal situation.
It sounds like your brews ferment hasn't completed.

Thanks for your assistance. Regarding the SG, and this should also address the previous posters comments, the last batch went well under 1.000 so i would agree that it is too early to bottle.

The champagne yeast was for 23 litres pitched into 20 litres. As mentioned plenty of bubble activity has been noticed, just not sure about the lull in the SG and the current room temps.

I could probably drop into brew shop today or tomorrow morning and grab a heater of some sort of it were advised although outside temps are warming up a little for next new days which will likely translate to higher room temps.

 

[decr]

One idea is to get a brew fridge. It doesn't even have to work. I survived with a couple of hot water bottles through the last Tassie winter, maintaining 18c for my brews. I got mine off a mate but I've seen heaps given away on gumtree.

 

[jollos]

One idea is to get a brew fridge. It doesn't even have to work. I survived with a couple of hot water bottles through the last Tassie winter, maintaining 18c for my brews. I got mine off a mate but I've seen heaps given away on gumtree.

Mrs went nuts the other day when i told her that i needed to get another fish tank... couldn't imagine what she would say about a fridge..lol

 

[Gloveski]

Mrs went nuts the other day when i told her that i needed to get another fish tank... couldn't imagine what she would say about a fridge..lol

lol but if your serious about making a decent brew a fridge with decent temp control will make a massive difference in the quality of your beer

 

[jollos]

lol but if your serious about making a decent brew a fridge with decent temp control will make a massive difference in the quality of your beer

Yeah...i will probably look at this down the track.

Currently, even though the days have warmed up a bit, the brew has only dropped down to 1020 and has sat there for the last 2 days. Therefore... I don't think the heating issue can be ignored.

What would you say the quickest, most effective solution. I was concerned the heatbelts might prove a little difficult to control the temps and the idea of heatpad puts thoughts of fire into my mind.

I read about some people placing the fermenter in a recepticle and heating a surrounding body of water with an aquarium heater. I could probably get the equipment in tomorrow, any thoughts on this solution or if any of the other solutions might be better?

 

[manticle]

Heat belt or hot water rather than a pad on the bottom cooking your yeast cake.

Been a lovely autumn, this.

 

[jollos]

So...i think i will go the submerged in water heated by aquarium heater route. I think the will be least invasive to current batch and allow best temp control. I assume fermenter won't need to be fully submerged? Also.. people seem to add bleach to the water to prevent contamitation through the tap... is this just "white king" type bleach. What would the rate be for a food safe application such as this that could be easily asnd safely rinsed off the tap to take samples and bottle?

 

[manticle]

Forget bleach. Close the tap, spray before and after taking a sample with no rinse sanitiser.

 

[jollos]

Forget bleach. Close the tap, spray before and after taking a sample with no rinse sanitiser.

Good thinking.. thanks...will get things moving again tonight..hopefully...it hasnt affected quality...so.... maybe 20c for ginger beer?

 

[jollos]

so, I have the bucket of water sitting at 22c from about 24 hours ago, with about 85% of the brew below the waterline. currently SG is at 1017... hoping as a consistent temp is achieved, things will start moving again.

I feel that I pitched enough yeast, if SG doesnt appear to start dropping over say the next 2 days, is there merit in pitching more yeast?

 

[jollos]

OK... seeking more advice now

temp of surrounding water sitting around 21c. Being that it is 85% submerged, I have little reason to expect that the brew temp would not be the same or close to that.

I am slightly concerned about the progress since the previous batch dropped from 1020 quite quickly, this one has dropped since introducing the new heating method from 1017 to 1013 between wednesday night and friday night (tonight) having started at 1040 on the 16th of April. Taking into account the drop of temp during that time, but consistent temps over the last few days, should I be concerned about the latest readings, or would you expect that to be normal. I haven't really done enough batches to get a feel about what is normal... please advise

Cheers

 

[manticle]

Sounds ok.

What are you worried about, exactly?

 

[jollos]

Lol..i don't know..the stagnation mid brew due to drop in temps and the difference in times between last batch and this one. Like i said.. not enough experience.. if you say it is a fine.. I'm happy with that