Beer Forum

I brewed a Northern English Brown yesterday and by the time i was done chilling the wort and moving the wort to the carboy it was at 65 degrees. I wanted to ferment at 68 and I do have temp control. Would it have been best to warm the wort to 68 and pitch or would it have been ok to pitch at 65 and let it naturally rise up to 68?

I'd pitch it at 65, and bring it up to 68 over the first day or so. If its not up to 68 by then, you can hook up the temp control.

I've done this with good results. I generally try to get the wort to 66 or 67, pitch, then connect the temp control later on.

I don't know of any downside to this (off flavors or what not), but I'm sure others will post more info.

Jamil always pitches cold, like a few degrees below the fermentation temp. I try to do the same thing to keep the growth rate subdued to avoid unnecessary amounts of yeast - growth by-products.

And of course, the Pope knows best.

That is how I did it so that is good to hear!

better to pitch a little cold... your yeast will get active once it gets into their comfortable temp... hold cold is the area where you are fermenting?

It is in my basement that is in the 50s this time of year but it is in a fridg with temp controll

After about 28 hours it got up to 68 and has been there since!