yeast and temprature
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harbinger
yeast and temprature
Hi again , Am i correct in thinking that it is only the yeast strain which determines the fermentation temprature ? i will only be making lagers so should i be looking for yeast that likes colder temps?
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Newbrew1
Re: yeast and temprature
Yes if you are brewing only lagers then use only lager yeast which you can brew at low temps but the yeast in the coopers kit comes with ale yeast which is better at 18 to 21 I think
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Lars
Re: yeast and temprature
Yes you are but you'll need a proper setup for temp control to brew a lager. It's generally the domain of experienced AG brewers. If you're not one of them then brew a pale ale or a blondeharbinger wrote:Hi again , Am i correct in thinking that it is only the yeast strain which determines the fermentation temprature ? i will only be making lagers so should i be looking for yeast that likes colder temps?
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magick777
Re: yeast and temprature
What determines the fermentation temperature is the conditions in which you keep the fermenting vessel... you're right in thinking that it's the strain of yeast that determines the ideal temperature range, but most kit brews have some degree of tolerance.
I've brewed a few lagers from kits and almost all of them called for fermentation at around 20 degrees plus or minus, irrespective of the type of yeast used. This includes kits from Brewferm, Better Brew, Ultimate Brewery Classics and Coopers. The Coopers kit called for a temperature of 21-27 degrees and was slower starting than most, but just about every kit brew I've had has been happy at typical room temperature. Quality is often lost above 25 degrees so I don't brew in the height of summer, apart from that "room temperature" is good enough for the kits I've come across.
I don't know what compromises are being made in the kits to ferment them at room temperature, but I've had some very acceptable lagers and pilsners by doing so (subject to conditioning it in bottles for 3+ months) - this produces very decent beer so I haven't seen the need to go for a fussier yeast than that supplied with the kits.
I've brewed a few lagers from kits and almost all of them called for fermentation at around 20 degrees plus or minus, irrespective of the type of yeast used. This includes kits from Brewferm, Better Brew, Ultimate Brewery Classics and Coopers. The Coopers kit called for a temperature of 21-27 degrees and was slower starting than most, but just about every kit brew I've had has been happy at typical room temperature. Quality is often lost above 25 degrees so I don't brew in the height of summer, apart from that "room temperature" is good enough for the kits I've come across.
I don't know what compromises are being made in the kits to ferment them at room temperature, but I've had some very acceptable lagers and pilsners by doing so (subject to conditioning it in bottles for 3+ months) - this produces very decent beer so I haven't seen the need to go for a fussier yeast than that supplied with the kits.
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Kev888
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Re: yeast and temprature
Ideally you should fit the temperature to the yeast you want, rather than visa-versa, but if you can't control the temperature then yes, it may be better to find a yeast that works with what temperatures you have.
True lager yeast are normally fermented at much lower temperatures than ale yeast - though some lager kits actually use ale-type yeast so if you're using the yeast included with the kit read the instructions, don't just assume that lager kits use lager yeast; the boundaries aren't as distinct as they were years ago.
Within their preferred ranges though, each strain will react differently to different temperatures. I'm not very experienced with lager yeast but for example most ale yeast will be more neutral towards the mid-to-low end of their range, whilst they get more characterful as they're fermented warmer (which can be taken too far!). Though stressing them beyond their preferred temperature in either direction can cause odd flavours which are often but not always undesirable.
If you buy yeast then most manufacturers will provide info on their websites, but if its an unspecified strain included with a kit go with what they say but in general assume that best results are 'well' within the temperature limits suggested.
Cheers
kev
True lager yeast are normally fermented at much lower temperatures than ale yeast - though some lager kits actually use ale-type yeast so if you're using the yeast included with the kit read the instructions, don't just assume that lager kits use lager yeast; the boundaries aren't as distinct as they were years ago.
Within their preferred ranges though, each strain will react differently to different temperatures. I'm not very experienced with lager yeast but for example most ale yeast will be more neutral towards the mid-to-low end of their range, whilst they get more characterful as they're fermented warmer (which can be taken too far!). Though stressing them beyond their preferred temperature in either direction can cause odd flavours which are often but not always undesirable.
If you buy yeast then most manufacturers will provide info on their websites, but if its an unspecified strain included with a kit go with what they say but in general assume that best results are 'well' within the temperature limits suggested.
Cheers
kev
Kev