temperature controlled brewing

[BrewNoob]

I fianally bought an analog temp. controller for my old fridge and checked for accuracy etc. and brewed a very strong IPA yesterday ( O.G. 1.087 ). The fridge temp is about 60f swinging to 64F between on on/off cycles of the temp controller. After 18 hours the fermentation is nice and active at a wort temp of 66F. So far everything is great. My question is, as the wort temperature drops some after a couple days due to slower ferm activity, do I up the fridge temp to keep the wort at 66F or do I just let the wort temp drop till the ferm is complete? Reasons I ask this is 1) I want to eventually secondary in the fridge while fermenting a new batch side by side since it will hold 2 carboys easily and 2) I was wondering if the ferm would stick if the wort temp dropped to say, 62-63 F over the next week. Thanx in advance.

Gerard

[Kaiser]

So far everything is great. My question is, as the wort temperature drops some after a couple days due to slower ferm activity, do I up the fridge temp to keep the wort at 66F or do I just let the wort temp drop till the ferm is complete?

Gerard,

Just let the temp drop with the decreased fermentation activity. The drop will not be significant and you shouldn't worry. I have a similar problem when I try to ferment multiple batches in my fridge.

Kai

[Push Eject]

What yeast are you using?

Push Eject

[diver]

So far everything is great. My question is, as the wort temperature drops some after a couple days due to slower ferm activity, do I up the fridge temp to keep the wort at 66F or do I just let the wort temp drop till the ferm is complete?

Gerard,

Just let the temp drop with the decreased fermentation activity. The drop will not be significant and you shouldn't worry. I have a similar problem when I try to ferment multiple batches in my fridge.

Kai

I thought you should keep your beer at fermentation temps for several days after initial fermentation is over so the yeast will clean up any dyactyl before dropping out. If you can set your analog controller to a 1 degree swing and tape or bungee cord the sensor to the fermenter with insulation over it you can have the fermenting beer be in control of the temp.

[Kaiser]

I thought you should keep your beer at fermentation temps for several days after initial fermentation is over so the yeast will clean up any dyactyl before dropping out.

I thought about that, but believe that being 2F colder doesn't keep the yeast from doing the clean-up. It just may take half a day longer.

Kai

[BrewNoob]

PushEject, I'm using Danstar Nottingham dry yeast. I pitched 2 packs as a preventive measure. Man I looked at the wort temp though after about 36 hours from pitch and it had risen to 70F in the 60F fridge. I just dropped the fridge down to 58 to try and slowly get the wort temp back down. This should be interesting. The blowoff is a steady stream of gas right now, I had to crack the lid some. The krausen isn't too bad but it did make it's way to the blowoff tube. I haven't gotten my 1" blowoff tube yet so it's kinda small. Didn't think it would get so big a krausen being there is no wheat in the recipe, just lot's of DME and LME and a bit of barley tea.

Gerard

[Push Eject]

Some ale yeasts will floculate more readily than others so be careful with those temperature drops. A warm little starter pitched into a chilly wort could equal a bunch hibernating yeast down in the bottom of your carboy. Same with a temperature swing rapidly downward during fermentation.

I don't know much about that yeast, but two packs of dry yeast sounds like a lot.

Let us know how it goes!

Push Eject

[BrewNoob]

I didn't do a starter so much as I proofed it. I took out some wort that was about 75F while chilling and let it sit for about 20 mins then pitched into a wort that was about 70F. I just checked the ferm and it's down to 68 and the ambient is 58 I poped the lid on tight again and the blowoff bucket showing lot's of activity still. Not a steady flow but at least a blurp once every less than 1 second. If it looks like it drops too fast I'll adjust the therm control some. Just hope those 12 hours at 70 wort temp don't give me a bnanna IPA.

Gerard