Thoughts & Questions About Fermenting & Conditioning Beer

[dc59]

Hey guys, brewed my first after a long lay off about a month ago and it has raised a few questions for me.

For perspective it was an ale brewed with us05 and was left in my wardrobe.

The brew stayed between 15 - 18 degrees the entire time but since I didn't bother using my fermentation fridge (packed away at back of garage) the temps were regularly fluctuating by about 2-3 degrees every day and night. When I tasted it before kegging I got hit with a really strong green apple sort of taste, far more pronounced than I've ever had before. My first question is how much of an effect will fluctuating temperatures have on the beer?

I ask because I'm wondering if I have other issues with my fermentation process or if this was the main culprit.

My next question is in regards to conditioning a beer once its off the primary. I've heard mention a bit that it is best to cold condition your beer, so once kegged, getting it into your fridge will condition the beer quicker. To me that doesn't make any sense if you've used an ale yeast, since the yeast theoretically should go dormant when cold conditioned, hence no improvement will be made over time. Can people help educate me on this topic, since I feel a bit confused.

By the way, I left the kegged beer at room temperature for half a week, it spent 1.5weeks in the fridge, than was served at my gf's party. Was quite popular and I thought it was reasonable, so a happy ending at least. Hoping for a better understanding though.

Thanks for reading, David.

 

[kelbygreen]

well if temps where below 20 deg fluctuation by a few deg I doubt would have much affect if at all. If it was fluctuating above 20 degs I would say you have more of a chance but after the first few days once the yeast have finished multiplying the temps are not as critical but still best to keep it in the 18-20 range.

Beer from my understanding will condition both cold and warm but not sure it conditions faster when its colder. It will condition faster in larger quantities and it will condition different when its cooler from what I have heard. Leaving beer longer in the keg will improve it as the hops will mellow a bit and it will balance its self out alot better. I myself cant confirm this as most my kegs last is 3 weeks if I am lucky lol

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

All my winter APA (I brew a lot of APA - check my sig) brews were done at ambient temps - fluctuating between 9 to 19 degrees from day to night. Never an issue with aceltahyde (green apples). Fluctuating temps don't create it, getting beer into the keg too soon does.

Leave it on the yeast cake another week next time, it'll clean up after itself and you'll be right to roll.

Goomba

 

[Steve@PMF82]

For me, pitching as close as you can to the recommended amount of yeast (mr malty) then keeping it at a stable temperature with temp control produced the most dramatic improvement in my end results. Respect the yeast...

 

[dc59]

Thanks for your advice guys.

I pitched two packets of re hydrated us05 and both were well within date. I guess I took it off the primary too early, which is further evidenced by my second brew which I've just kegged. It sat on the primary for 3 weeks and had reached its FG after about 10 of those days. Surprise surprise, it has a far cleaner flavour to it.

Thanks again, David.