Nicksaway Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Hi everyone, I’ve just started my second brew and was wondering what people set their temperature range at? l have just bought a WiFi Inkbird and a secondhand fridge, I’m brewing a coopers draught and have it set at 21deg with 1deg either side for heating and cooling, Is that too wide a temp range for fermenting? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 You're in the ball park but most of us ferment around 18° - 19° for anything except actual lagers. (I put it that way because the Coopers lager tin doesn't come with lager yeast so is actually an ale) My IB is set to the minimum - +/- 0.3° - the less variation in temp, the better beer you make. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 Thanks mate I couldn’t find anywhere how wide a variation was too wide Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, Nicksaway said: Thanks mate I couldn’t find anywhere how wide a variation was too wide Cheers Where you set it would be about it. Anything more would be heading into territory where the yeast does strange stuff. Remember, the difference is doubled - +/- 2° is actually a 4° swing. Edited September 18, 2020 by Journeyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Agree with the lowest variance possible but I have found that brewing ales a bit higher in the temp range gives good yeast characteristics and also speeds things up a bit. Most ales yeast have an optimum range from 17 -24ish so there is no problem brewing in the higher end of the range. Particularly if you want some esters in the flavour profile. Just need to keep it stable so lower the variance to keep it as close to the temp you choose. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 Love how easy it is to change the settings ive got an cleaned tin with a old work light inside for a heat source( I saw it on a YouTube clip) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bribie G Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Around 20 is good for kits such as most of the Coopers range. Going deeper into the subject, it depends on the style of beer and the yeast. For example the very popular Nottingham ale yeast is great at 19 degrees or so for ales, but can ferment right down to around 12 degrees to make a clean "fake" lager. On the other hand some ale yeasts like Ringwood produce nice esters at 22 degrees and Irish Ale Yeast is brilliant at 24 degrees making a Guinness style stout (as they do at the brewery in Dublin). Generally however I'm like Journeyman, and for the majority of my ales, 20 is the upper limit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Variance depends on how you set the probe up. If it's just dangling in the fridge then 0.3 degrees is way too little and will just kill the fridge. Whenever I do this, for cold crashing or just using it for a general fridge, I set the variance to 2 degrees so it's not turning on and off too often. When I'm fermenting I tape the probe to the fermenter underneath a piece of foam, and use the 0.3 degree variance to keep the temperature as stable as possible. Because this basically measures the brew temperature which changes much slower than the air does, the fridge doesn't turn on and off too often. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Yep I’ve got the probe taped to the side of the fermenter under some foam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 On 9/19/2020 at 9:50 AM, Nicksaway said: ive got an cleaned tin with a old work light inside for a heat source( I saw it on a YouTube clip) I have mine hung upside down because of the possibility of condensation. My FV fridge tends to collect water in the bottom as ferment proceeds and I didn't want to risk a short. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Your second fermenter is kinda funny-lookin' @Nicksaway ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 1 hour ago, King Ruddager said: Your second fermenter is kinda funny-lookin' @Nicksaway ... It would be a shocking brew, wouldn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Jones Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Journeyman said: It would be a shocking brew, wouldn't it? I think it's used for making small batches of Light Beer ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Pickles Jones said: I think it's used for making small batches of Light Beer ! Maybe "small batches of Let-There-Be-Light Beer !" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Stop 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worts and all Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 (edited) Nothing like a bit of light humour! But maybe Titan is right.It is time we canned it. Edited September 22, 2020 by Worts and all 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 26 minutes ago, Worts and all said: Nothing like a bit of light humour! But maybe Titan is right.It is time we canned it. Would they be light cans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worts and all Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 34 minutes ago, Journeyman said: Would they be light cans? Perhaps ,but I think that, though this current line of banter may contain an element of humour we should switch to another lest @Titan becomes incandescent. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Hi all I have just scored a second FV and I was wondering if I need to actually use the Krausen collars or does it depend on the types of brews you? I can fit both in but the collars won’t move up and down which is what I’m thinking is the whole idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergy1987 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 46 minutes ago, Nicksaway said: Hi all I have just scored a second FV and I was wondering if I need to actually use the Krausen collars or does it depend on the types of brews you? I can fit both in but the collars won’t move up and down which is what I’m thinking is the whole idea. This is my dream setup, Just need to convince the partner to get another fridge. Currently only have a bar fridge so can only fit one fermenter in it. I dont use the Krausen Collar, never had anything that large that the krausen comes anywhere near the top. So you could get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicksaway Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 4 hours ago, Fergy1987 said: This is my dream setup, Just need to convince the partner to get another fridge. Currently only have a bar fridge so can only fit one fermenter in it. I dont use the Krausen Collar, never had anything that large that the krausen comes anywhere near the top. So you could get away with it. I m always looking on gumtree and fb marketplace, I got the fridge for 80 bucks and the second FV with 60 odd bottles and caps for 30 bucks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 11 hours ago, Nicksaway said: Hi all I have just scored a second FV and I was wondering if I need to actually use the Krausen collars or does it depend on the types of brews you? I can fit both in but the collars won’t move up and down which is what I’m thinking is the whole idea. I ceased using the collar because I found it unnecessary and many of my brew have been 25 litres. Keep in mind though that I only brew kits and bits. I'm told some stouts with certain types of yeast can get quite foamy. I guess if you did brew something that has that characteristic you could just do one FV at a time and use the collar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 12 hours ago, Nicksaway said: I can fit both in but the collars won’t move up and down which is what I’m thinking is the whole idea I haven't heard the collar needs to move, just that it gives extra headroom. There are lid 'clips' you get with a new Coopers FV (I don't have them) but I don't know if they work with the collar - if they do that would prevent the collar moving. I've never had to use the collar I have, including for a 23L big stout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Yeah the collar doesn't move up and down, it's just an add on to make the FV taller to prevent overflow from excessive krausen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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