Heat belt for conditioning

[staplefordbill]

This time of year I need to use my healtbelt on the fermenter. Is there any advantage of using it on my bottle for the conditioning stage though? Would it help more yeast settle out at the higher temperature?

[TC2642]

Wouldn't think so, you need to cool it rather than the other way round to settle the yeast out and ensure decent conditioning.

[Spud395]

It would allow the carbonation to take place quicker and then cool it, although I've also read a long slow carbonation is best.

[Manx Guy]

If you planned to bottle the beer and drink it in 2-3 weeks then keeping it warm for 5-7 days (for carbonation) then putting it somewhere cool to settle the yeast would work.

As Spud says tho a longer (6-8 weeks) cooler condition does seem to give better results - I tried it and now do it when ever I have sufficient stocks not to be in need of the beer!

The flavour is more refined plus the bubbles are nice and small and the head retention seems to be better... But really I guess CO2 is CO2 so if you want to drink in a couple of weeks then a warm condition then somewhere cool does the job



Hope that helps

Guy

[staplefordbill]

That does help, thanks. I was intending to leave it in the conditioning bottle for a week then bottle, then leave it in the beer as long as I can before temptation beats me. Maybe I'll leave it for 3 weeks or more before bottling, in which case I'll turn the belt off. Ta!

[TC2642]

I'll bow to superior knowledge here! I do remember that various Belgian brewers do leave their beer to condition at higher temps, although I would think that you will get some more fruity esters being produced as well as a more carbonation in the bottle and possibly bigger bubbles (if that makes sense).