King Ruddager Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 So I know that high temperatures can affect beers in unwanted ways, but what about low temperatures? I'm going to set one going while I go on holidays so I won't be able to do anything if it drops below 18. Will this cause any problems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 If the temperature is too low then the yeast may 'go to sleep' and start to drop out of suspension. This could lead to a stalled fermentation. What yeast will you be using and what do you expect the temperatures to be? If the temp will be consistently below 15 degrees then you may want to consider brewing a lager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Standard yeast from a Coopers OS Draught kit. I don't think it'll be consistently low enough to do a lager, and I don't want to have to wait a billion years for my beer to be ready either. I dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Hmm, what if I built it tomorrow and kept the temperature up over the next four or five days - would it matter so much if it dropped over the following week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 You have two options: 1. Leave it until you get back. 2. Give it a go. It will probably be fine but you may need to either rouse the yeast or pitch more yeast when you return. You could try wrapping the FV in a blanket or similar to insulate it a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Hmm' date=' what if I built it tomorrow and kept the temperature up over the next four or five days - would it matter so much if it dropped over the following week?[/quote'] Once you have reached FG it won't matter if the temp drops. That is probably a good plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Done. How does one wake up sleepy yeast though anyway? Simply raise the temperature? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 How does one wake up sleepy yeast though anyway? You turn off the Rugby Union match [innocent] But really you would have to raise the temp and re-suspend the yeast, possibly by gently disturbing the yeast cake and mixing with a sanitised spoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I agree with Hairy...especially the bit about the Rugby Union [alien] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLeeB Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 The other thing you can do is to invest in a temp controller and heat belt, temp controller about $25.00, belt $27.00 from e-bay. this should keep you temp right. For summer I am building a Peltier cooler, google it to find out how it works, I will post details after I will build mine .... hope this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 If taking brewing beer seriously, as in trying to make it the best you can, you really do need to look at temperature control.. Yeast will do their Job the best, and you will get the best results, from a minimum of temperature variation, the steadier the temps, the happier the yeast, the better the beer. I will often ferment to half way quite low (16-17 depending on what yeast) and then ever so slowly raise the temps to 19-20 over 4-5 days. Raising temps toward the end helps keep the yeast active amd clean up after themselves.. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I agree with Hairy...especially the bit about the Rugby Union [alien] Barbarian.[devil] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 Just dragging this up again to ask - "What about conditioning?" It always says to condition at or above 18C, but what happens to your brew if it drops below that for an extended period? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Nothing really. They tell you to store it at that temp so the yeast will ferment the priming sugar and carbonate the beer. But, it depends on the yeast too. Lager yeast can ferment at a lower temp than ale yeast. But if your beer is already carbonated then it doesn't really matter what temp it's stored at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 I agree with Hairy...especially the bit about the Rugby Union [alien] I agree with u Muddy & Hairy... Reds missed out so why watch the Union Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Just dragging this up again to ask - "What about conditioning?" It always says to condition at or above 18C' date=' but what happens to your brew if it drops below that for an extended period?[/quote'] To be sure.. 'it always says'.. mate, thats for the 'in general' and for folk who havnt asked the question.. the answer is all in the yeast... In every batch, of every brew there is a family of yeast.. (1) (2) (3)... (1 - Begining of ferment) There was the mumma yeast, who after a long egyptian life of both working in the fields and reproducing as much as possible (tart), laid down and died.. (Primary budding) ..above her in the 'party zone' was a bunch of teenagers (2 - anaerobic fermentation) who had been partying the asses off for a while but also, as a result had a few kids of their own (3 - suspended yeast).. so on and so forth until all the sterols (O2) were used up.. anyway.. it quickly got to the 90's and the baby boomers were all dead... feckin parents were no fun... and with bunch of kids (and grandkids too probably) hangin about making a noise but nothin to entertain or feed them with? watta they all do??? was the chorus.. make sure the buggers clean up first and then put em to bed. (end of ferment) Dawn comes in the light of a fancy feast (priming) Though sleepy, there are many generations of yeast still in solution and will wake up in the presence of sugars (pretty much at whatever temp), it's not the collection of the ones you see on the bottom, it's the ones you cant see, and are always there, still in solution that wake up, reproduce with whats available and then die out. If you have patience, and the right breakfast for them, they will carb. [lol] oh and btw.. I condition all my ales at about 12'c in my cellar with no extended period at ferment temps... am I worried? nope!! but I aint gunn be drinkin em for 4-6 months either [rightful] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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