Fermentation Tempurature

[RichieSaps]

Guys,,

Hopefully I have posted in the correct section as I couldn't find a Fermentation section.

I am in the process of building a Ferm Fridge and the following query just entered my head.

With a kit it says to keep the temperature steady (eg between 18c and 25c). I am going to set the STC-1000 with a swing of 1 degree either side. But what is the best temp to set it at. The low end (19c), the high end (24c) or the middle (22c). It does seem to be a large range.

What are your thoughts, or does it not matter as long as the change of temp is kept to a degree or two.

Thanks

Richie

[gibbiem]

I have the same worries mate. I just go off Beersmith which normally says about 19c. The higher temp you ferment you get fruity esters which I have noticed before so I try and stay around 18-19c now. Think it depends on the beer and yeast too

[AnthonyUK]

You'll need to do a test as each fridge is different but I would start at 16°c and measure the wort during the vigorous stage of fermentation and adjust from there. It's better to be lower than higher during the early stage.
Make sure you calibrate your sensor too

[houblon]

Also needs to take into consideration what you're using as the heat source. I bought a little tube heater and it does retain a fair bit of heat when switched off. A threshold of 1 degree means your hot and cold circuits may well cycle pretty rapidly. When it comes to the cooler months, I'm going to swap for a heat bulb that hopefully should give up its residual heat a lot quicker to reduce the overshoot. With the tube heater, I've got my threshold set to 3.9 degrees to prevent the continuous tic-tocking and it seems to work well.

[Belter]

Set to 18/19degrees, leave well alone. Don't ever read kit instructions again

[Jambo]

Wheat beers are fermented warm and that is usually 22 degC as far as I've seen, anything above that is madness! I've got my sensor taped to my FV under some bubble wrap, the 23L of wort provides so much dampening that overshoot hasn't been an issue yet, I've got it set to a 0.5 degC tolerance. It is summer though granted....

[AnthonyUK]

I've got my sensor taped to my FV under some bubble wrap, the 23L of wort provides so much dampening that overshoot hasn't been an issue yet, I've got it set to a 0.5 degC tolerance...

Me too. I don't see any see-sawing at 0.5°c. At 3.9°c the variation would be nearly 8°c so hardly worth having temperature control

[RichieSaps]

Thanks for the replies guys. some useful info gained.

[jaroporter]

Me too. I don't see any see-sawing at 0.5°c. At 3.9°c the variation would be nearly 8°c so hardly worth having temperature control

same here. i think as well it's a lot about preventing swings in temperature as it is worrying about the exact temp to the degree. as in, 18C for 7 days or 21C for 7 days probably doesn't make a lot of odds for most yeasts, whereas swinging up and down between 16C and 24C for a week is more likely to have a negative effect. if you find it cycling too much, might be worth trying to find a maintainable temperature before moving the tolerance over 1C?

[ajclarkson]

Interesting thread, I'll be building one shortly and theres some useful thoughts in here.

Wheat beers are fermented warm and that is usually 22 degC as far as I've seen, anything above that is madness! I've got my sensor taped to my FV under some bubble wrap, the 23L of wort provides so much dampening that overshoot hasn't been an issue yet, I've got it set to a 0.5 degC tolerance. It is summer though granted....

You wouldn't approve of some of my Belgians that start around 21 and I ramp them up 1 degree per day up to 26/27 in some cases. Depends on the yeast of course, but some Belgian yeasts give off amazing flavours at higher temps!

[AnthonyUK]

Just putting your sensor in some liquid to act as a thermal mass is a good start to stop see-sawing
Taping to the FV is a good enough compromise for me though.

[LeeH]

Taping it to the FV is the better way IMO. Cover it with some insulation of some sort.