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Author Topic: When to ramp up ferm. temp?  (Read 6593 times)

Offline lupy

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When to ramp up ferm. temp?
« on: January 22, 2010, 07:45:42 pm »
It appears that raising the temp. near the end of fermentation is considered good practice.
How should I determine when the time is right to start raising the temp.?
In my mind, I think it would be better to do it later than earlier, but can doing it too late be a problem?
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: When to ramp up ferm. temp?
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2010, 07:54:43 pm »
When you are done 75% of your fermentation.

For me it is after one week.
Then I raise temp each day 2F but no more then 10F from ferment temp.
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Offline dontblake

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Re: When to ramp up ferm. temp?
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2010, 09:34:19 pm »
Not being one to take SG readings on a regular basis (i.e. every day during primary), I use a 'zen' approach.  During the primary, I do check on my yeast buddies every morning and evening and after a few batches, you can get a good feel when low krausen builds to high krausen and then fades to late krausen.  Low krausen is the phase when all the O2 is consumed and anerobic activity begins and bubbles start to form on the surface of your wort.  The krausen will go from basically a bunch of bubbles to the classic 'rocky' formation that's 1/2 to 1" thick.   High krausen is when the ferment is in full swing - the foam on the top will be anywhere from 1-3" (or more) thick and there will be visibile activity in the volume of the ferment.   Late krausen will be when the head starts to fall and the visible activity in the volume slows.  This is when you want to bump the temperature up to promote any diacetyl et.al. scrubbing.   I stick the "outdoor" probe of an indoor/outdoor thermometer on the outside of the carboy and check it twice daily.  As the fermentation kicks in, the temperature will rise by several degrees.  When the temperature starts to drop, that's another cue to turn my heating pad on.  But as Thirstymonk advises, don't cook your beer, just warm it up a few degrees gradually.
Don Blake, Erie CO
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Offline lupy

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Re: When to ramp up ferm. temp?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2010, 12:10:19 am »
When you are done 75% of your fermentation.
For me it is after one week.
Then I raise temp each day 2F but no more then 10F from ferment temp.

Not being one to take SG readings on a regular basis (i.e. every day during primary), I use a 'zen' approach.  During the primary, I do check on my yeast buddies every morning and evening and after a few batches, you can get a good feel when low krausen builds to high krausen and then fades to late krausen.  Low krausen is the phase when all the O2 is consumed and anerobic activity begins and bubbles start to form on the surface of your wort.  The krausen will go from basically a bunch of bubbles to the classic 'rocky' formation that's 1/2 to 1" thick.   High krausen is when the ferment is in full swing - the foam on the top will be anywhere from 1-3" (or more) thick and there will be visibile activity in the volume of the ferment.   Late krausen will be when the head starts to fall and the visible activity in the volume slows.  This is when you want to bump the temperature up to promote any diacetyl et.al. scrubbing.   I stick the "outdoor" probe of an indoor/outdoor thermometer on the outside of the carboy and check it twice daily.  As the fermentation kicks in, the temperature will rise by several degrees.  When the temperature starts to drop, that's another cue to turn my heating pad on.  But as Thirstymonk advises, don't cook your beer, just warm it up a few degrees gradually.

This is good.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: When to ramp up ferm. temp?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2010, 04:05:41 am »
Agree with Thirsty but also with Blake - I kind of go Blake's route - you can also watch the temperature strip, once the temp starts to drop off a degree or two you know it is time to start warming up. Now that I am fermenting more and more with a Thermowell this is more difficult to get a feel for.