[yso191]

Wednesday I'm brewing my 3rd batch, a Belgian Imperial IPA.  The Belgian part is coming in primarily from the yeast (Wyeast 3522 Ardennes).

I can controll the beer fermentation temperature to within one degree.  They say the temperature range of this yeast is 65*-76*.  So here is what I'm planning:

-Pitch at 68, raise to 70 during lag phase.
-Primary fermentation at 70
-As primary is ending, bump up the temperature 2 degrees per day (one in AM, one in PM)
-hold at 76 until I keg 8-10 days later
-then I'll keep the keg in a closet in the house which maintains a stable 70* year-round for another week or so, then cold crash it to 34* until Christmas.

So I'm looking for your advice on this plan, but as important as your recommendations, I'd also appreciate the reasoning behind what you recommend.  Thanks!

Steve

[troybinso]

Sounds like a pretty good plan to me. The one suggestion I would make is to cold crash the beer before you keg it. This will keep most of the yeast out of the keg.

[morticaixavier]

seems complicated to me. I like to pitch ~65, set the temp to 70 and let it rise to that. after a week or so bump the temp to 76 and let it ride till done. crash, keg, go.

my reasoning is that I can't think of a reason to bother with 2 temp changes every day.

I suppose if you are applying direct heat to raise the temp the beer right next to the brew belt or heating pad or whatever might get a bit warm but the temp change in the beer is going to be pretty slow anyway.

[yso191]

seems complicated to me. I like to pitch ~65, set the temp to 70 and let it rise to that. after a week or so bump the temp to 76 and let it ride till done. crash, keg, go.

my reasoning is that I can't think of a reason to bother with 2 temp changes every day.

I suppose if you are applying direct heat to raise the temp the beer right next to the brew belt or heating pad or whatever might get a bit warm but the temp change in the beer is going to be pretty slow anyway.

Part of the issue is that I am fermenting in my garage which is consistently 40-50* this time of year, so heating is the name of the game.  I have a dual stage controller and a kegerator fermentation chamber, with the temperature probe sitting in the middle of the fermenting beer in a stainless thermowell .  I use a thermo-wrap for heating. 

In the previous fermentations this has led to exact temperatures with no fluctuations as I have the the settings set very tight at 1* difference.  So if I set the target at 65*, the heater gets it there and if it goes to 66*, cooling kicks in.

I love precision, and I love messing with stuff, so doing two temperature changes in a day are enjoyable to me.  I know, serious dork.

But regardless, are you saying that I should set the base heat, say 68*, and the cooling at say 76* and just let it rise as it will?  The goal is not my control, even though I do enjoy that, but to get the best Belgian character out of the yeast.

Steve

[morticaixavier]

seems complicated to me. I like to pitch ~65, set the temp to 70 and let it rise to that. after a week or so bump the temp to 76 and let it ride till done. crash, keg, go.

my reasoning is that I can't think of a reason to bother with 2 temp changes every day.

I suppose if you are applying direct heat to raise the temp the beer right next to the brew belt or heating pad or whatever might get a bit warm but the temp change in the beer is going to be pretty slow anyway.

Part of the issue is that I am fermenting in my garage which is consistently 40-50* this time of year, so heating is the name of the game.  I have a dual stage controller and a kegerator fermentation chamber, with the temperature probe sitting in the middle of the fermenting beer in a stainless thermowell .  I use a thermo-wrap for heating. 

In the previous fermentations this has led to exact temperatures with no fluctuations as I have the the settings set very tight at 1* difference.  So if I set the target at 65*, the heater gets it there and if it goes to 66*, cooling kicks in.

I love precision, and I love messing with stuff, so doing two temperature changes in a day are enjoyable to me.  I know, serious dork.

But regardless, are you saying that I should set the base heat, say 68*, and the cooling at say 76* and just let it rise as it will?  The goal is not my control, even though I do enjoy that, but to get the best Belgian character out of the yeast.

Steve

I think that sounds perfect for a belgian. If you want to you could hold it at 68 till you see signs of fermentation and then let it rise to 76ish.

[yso191]

Thank you!  I appreciate the help.

Steve

[jamminbrew]

I just used this yeast for the first time, and Fermented right at 71-72*.  Has a very nice, peppery flavor. Was kind of slow to finish fermenting, but finished very nicely after 3 weeks. 1.084-1.010.

I typically start my Belgians at 65, then after 3 days, move 1* a day until 75-76*, and let them finish.