Yeast adding temp

[King Panda]

Hi all

I'm new to all of this and the biggest issue I'm encountering is that the temperature once I've added everything is still 26+ and I believe the yeast needs to be added closer to 20 degrees. I have been chilling 15lts of water to add but even with this the final temp is still too high. How do you guys generally chill the mix before adding the yeast?

Cheers

KP

 

[mudd]

Hi KP. Try adding ice next time. If you can lift your fermenter into an ice bath to let it cool down that should do the trick.
The first 24 -48hrs or so is the most critical as far as off flavours due to excessive temperature.

 

[danestead]

Most brewers eventually buy a cheap ($100ish) fridge off gumtree to use as a fermenting fridge. Your fermenter then goes in the fridge and a temperature controller keeps your fermenting beer at your desired temperature, whether it be 18 degrees or for lagers more like 10 degrees.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You want your pitching temp the same as your ferment temp

 

[manticle]

Or a few degrees lower.
If you have a means of dropping it within a short space of time (say from 26 to 20 in 3 hours), you needn't worry too much but I pitch at 17 for a 20 deg ferment.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Temp control fridge is on your cards friend. Or go for funky stuff like Saison and get to like the out of square flavours that can be good and, not so good.
Which reminds me I have to do some brew at the mercy of Melbourne summer weather without temp control. Low Carb Saison is it.

 

[TwoCrows]

King Panda,
I have only done kit brews and use boiling water to melt malts and coopers BE2, boil hop editions. Cooling is required, so I sanitize 6-10 1.25ltr bottles of water from the fridge, get them ready and cooling the night before. You can semi freeze 3 -4 hours before hand.

+ 1 for the information above.

I got a fridge of gumtree and put together a stc1000 for this web site to control temps.

Slow steady fermenting, not used to how long it is taking so a learning curve is ahead of me.

This site is great for receiving answers to your question, and the community here is second to none, very helpful.

 

[superstock]

I have a couple of all fridges, one for fermenting and the other for storage both bought off Ebay for $50 ea. I run the storage fridge at 8'c and a few days before I do a kit for my son I put 6 x 3L of water into it. When you mix the can etc you don't have to use boiling water just very hot water, say 75'c then add your 18L of cold should get you below 24'. Pitch your yeast and put the FV into your fermenting fridge at the desired temp. Should get the yeast started off quickly and drop to fermenting temp within a few hours.
As stated many times a fridge with a controller is your best brewing investment.

 

[King Panda]

Thanks for all the advice - I'll let you know how I go

 

[Colo]

Im in Brisbane also and this was always very difficult especially in summer when the water coming out of the tap is about 27 degrees. You pretty much cant go without a fermenting fridge in Brisbane unless you only want to brew during winter, even then temps can get up to high 20's during the day.

When making a brew I used to put as many vessels full of water in the Freezer as possible. Now I have a fermenting freezer I can turn the temp right down clean and sanitise the fermentor half fill it with water and pop it in there for half a day so the water is nearly freezing.

Its much easier to get the temp up on your wort then down, especially in QLD.

 

[King Panda]

Hi all

Just finished an "Aussie Porter" http://brewerschoice.com.au/brewers-choice-australian-porter/

Took all of your advise and chilled 15ltrs in the chest freezer the night before and also invested in an old fridge/thermostat combo.

The temp when adding the yeast was 18C and the fridge is set there as well.

Thanks again for all the help.

Cheers

KP

 

[Moad]

I pitch about 25 and cool it in the fridge to ferment temp (ales). Lagers are a different story...

Check this out - http://brulosophy.com/2014/12/15/the-temp-at-which-we-pitch-exbeeriment-results/

 

[King Panda]

Very interesting article.

Also means I don't need to worry as much about pitch temp, which so far has been my major concern.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[manticle]

Ah brulosophy. Is there any bad brewing practice it can't legitimise?

 

[Moad]

Yeh take it with a grain of salt, nothing like your own experience to hone your own skills and practices.

I am happy with my beers using this method, as I said I wouldn't recommend it for Lagers or anything you want really clean as there would be a risk of throwing esters if the literature is correct.

 

[manticle]

My beers improved significantly when I began pitching several degrees below intended ferment temp.

 

[Benn]

If I recall correctly, Palmer refers to this as "free rise"
something I intend on having a go at.

 

[Barge]

My understanding is that most of the unwanted esters are produced in the growth phase of the yeast. i.e. In the first 12-24 hrs.

This means that pitching warm should be avoided. I guess if you have a late hopped ipa it might not be so important. Equally, you may not notice any off flavours.in general.

 

[technobabble66]

Ah brulosophy. Is there any bad brewing practice it can't legitimise?

Sadly, i'm yet to see Pants-Free brewing or Helicopters be legitimised.
Though maybe they've never been considered "bad" brewing practice in the first place...

Otherwise, a 30 min boil with a 21°C fermentation for a lager is defo the way to go, apparently ... :huh:
Though it's strange the commercials never seem to do this...

 

[danestead]

Why cant people just suggest tried and true conventional brewing practice to newer brewers asking for advise.....?