Fermentation plays an important part of the process of how to make beer. This is when your wort becomes beer. One of the key factors of fermentation is the temperature. The home brewer must maintain a consistent temperature throughout the fermentation period. The right temperature depends on the type of beer brewed, as well as the strain of yeast used. Usually, the yeast will have the optimal temperature right on the package.
Generally speaking, ales ferment between 60 and 70 degrees, while lagers should ferment between 50 and 60 degrees. If you ferment at too low a temperature, you can wind up with a stuck fermentation. This is a stopping of the fermentation process before it has completed. This makes the yeast go dormant, and it can even kill the yeast. If you try to bottle beer that hasn't completed fermentation, you can end up with bottle bombs. Even if you don't get bottle bombs, you will at least wind up with beer that doesn't taste too good.
If you ferment at too high a temperature, esters will be produced which create off flavors. Esters are undesirable compounds created by the yeast, and will give your beer a banana flavor. High temperatures also can produce fusel alcohols, heavier alcohols that have harsh, solvent-like flavors. It is important that the proper temperature is maintained at a steady, consistent rate, and does not fluctuate constantly.
A common mistake made by those learning how to make beer is pitching the yeast before the wort has cooled down enough. If the wort is too warm, more diacetyl will be produced early in fermentation than the yeast can reabsorb.
There are many methods you can use to maintain proper temperature during fermentation. You can buy specialized equipment, you can build your own, or you can use items you have around the house. The surrounding climate and time of year both play big roles in temperature control. In colder weather, you will have to keep the beer warm, and in hotter months you will need to keep your beer cool. A closet or basement are great places to ferment your beer.
You can buy a fridge or freezer for your fermenting if you like. If you are just starting to learn how to make beer, it isn't likely that you are ready to make that kind of investment just yet. But there are several cheap ways you can maintain your fermentation temperature, and some do it yourself type projects as well so that you don't have to make any major investments in specialized equipment.
The easiest method is simply relying on the temperature inside your home. This may only work in certain climates or at certain times of the year, but it doesn't require you to do anything. A water bath is another easy solution. Simply place your carboy or bucket in a bathtub and fill with water. It is best that this tub is in a guest bathroom. Or, place the fermenter in a kiddie pool or rubber tub. If it is hot outside and the water doesn't cool it enough, you can add ice to the water. Many brewers freeze water in 2 liter plastic soda bottles and place them in the water. This is what is known as a "swamp cooler". An alternative to a swamp cooler is to wet a towel or t shirt and wrap it around your fermenter. You can also point a blowing fan towards the fermenter as well.
At some point, you might decide to actually purchase a refrigerator or freezer especially for fermentation. But you don't have to buy a brand new one. Perhaps you or a friend has an old fridge or freezer around. You can also look for second hand fridges or freezers at local second hand stores, or see if the local home supply warehouse has slightly damaged ones on sale. You can also look online at sites like craigslist or ebay. You will need a separate temperature control device, but these are easy to find online or at the LHBS, and aren't that expensive. It is also possible that you might find a fridge or freezer that has already been converted by another home brewer.
Getting something especially for fermentation doesn't have to be an expensive option. There are plenty of do it yourself projects, including the son of a fermenter chiller. There are many variations of this, but you basically make a separate storage place for your fermenting that you can control the temperature. Pretty much the same idea as the fridge or freezer, it is a box for fermenting. A great thing about this DIY option is there are so many ways to achieve the same end result. It just comes down to creativity and ability.
I've even heard of someone that made a fermentation chiller out of cardboard they glued together and lined with fiberglass insulation. They used frozen 2 liter soda bottles, and this worked perfectly fine and cost them a total of $13. You can research more ways online at home brewing forums, and should be able to find a solution that suits your situation.
There is one more important note about fermentation temperatures. The fermentation process itself will produce heat, so the beer inside the fermenter will likely be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding air. You can purchase thermometers with probes so that you can monitor the actual temperature of you fermenting beer.
Many brewers notice an improvement in their beers when they have made the extra effort of maintaining a constant, steady temperature during fermentation. You don't have to buy any specialized equipment for maintaining fermentation temperatures when you are first learning how to make beer, but you should still make efforts to ferment at the proper temperature.
There are several dirt cheap ways to help in that regard. In time, you may decide to go ahead and make the investment necessary to maintain proper temperature. You will improve your beer, and that just makes learning how to make beer that much more enjoyable.
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Generally speaking, ales ferment between 60 and 70 degrees, while lagers should ferment between 50 and 60 degrees. If you ferment at too low a temperature, you can wind up with a stuck fermentation. This is a stopping of the fermentation process before it has completed. This makes the yeast go dormant, and it can even kill the yeast. If you try to bottle beer that hasn't completed fermentation, you can end up with bottle bombs. Even if you don't get bottle bombs, you will at least wind up with beer that doesn't taste too good.
If you ferment at too high a temperature, esters will be produced which create off flavors. Esters are undesirable compounds created by the yeast, and will give your beer a banana flavor. High temperatures also can produce fusel alcohols, heavier alcohols that have harsh, solvent-like flavors. It is important that the proper temperature is maintained at a steady, consistent rate, and does not fluctuate constantly.
A common mistake made by those learning how to make beer is pitching the yeast before the wort has cooled down enough. If the wort is too warm, more diacetyl will be produced early in fermentation than the yeast can reabsorb.
There are many methods you can use to maintain proper temperature during fermentation. You can buy specialized equipment, you can build your own, or you can use items you have around the house. The surrounding climate and time of year both play big roles in temperature control. In colder weather, you will have to keep the beer warm, and in hotter months you will need to keep your beer cool. A closet or basement are great places to ferment your beer.
You can buy a fridge or freezer for your fermenting if you like. If you are just starting to learn how to make beer, it isn't likely that you are ready to make that kind of investment just yet. But there are several cheap ways you can maintain your fermentation temperature, and some do it yourself type projects as well so that you don't have to make any major investments in specialized equipment.
The easiest method is simply relying on the temperature inside your home. This may only work in certain climates or at certain times of the year, but it doesn't require you to do anything. A water bath is another easy solution. Simply place your carboy or bucket in a bathtub and fill with water. It is best that this tub is in a guest bathroom. Or, place the fermenter in a kiddie pool or rubber tub. If it is hot outside and the water doesn't cool it enough, you can add ice to the water. Many brewers freeze water in 2 liter plastic soda bottles and place them in the water. This is what is known as a "swamp cooler". An alternative to a swamp cooler is to wet a towel or t shirt and wrap it around your fermenter. You can also point a blowing fan towards the fermenter as well.
At some point, you might decide to actually purchase a refrigerator or freezer especially for fermentation. But you don't have to buy a brand new one. Perhaps you or a friend has an old fridge or freezer around. You can also look for second hand fridges or freezers at local second hand stores, or see if the local home supply warehouse has slightly damaged ones on sale. You can also look online at sites like craigslist or ebay. You will need a separate temperature control device, but these are easy to find online or at the LHBS, and aren't that expensive. It is also possible that you might find a fridge or freezer that has already been converted by another home brewer.
Getting something especially for fermentation doesn't have to be an expensive option. There are plenty of do it yourself projects, including the son of a fermenter chiller. There are many variations of this, but you basically make a separate storage place for your fermenting that you can control the temperature. Pretty much the same idea as the fridge or freezer, it is a box for fermenting. A great thing about this DIY option is there are so many ways to achieve the same end result. It just comes down to creativity and ability.
I've even heard of someone that made a fermentation chiller out of cardboard they glued together and lined with fiberglass insulation. They used frozen 2 liter soda bottles, and this worked perfectly fine and cost them a total of $13. You can research more ways online at home brewing forums, and should be able to find a solution that suits your situation.
There is one more important note about fermentation temperatures. The fermentation process itself will produce heat, so the beer inside the fermenter will likely be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding air. You can purchase thermometers with probes so that you can monitor the actual temperature of you fermenting beer.
Many brewers notice an improvement in their beers when they have made the extra effort of maintaining a constant, steady temperature during fermentation. You don't have to buy any specialized equipment for maintaining fermentation temperatures when you are first learning how to make beer, but you should still make efforts to ferment at the proper temperature.
There are several dirt cheap ways to help in that regard. In time, you may decide to go ahead and make the investment necessary to maintain proper temperature. You will improve your beer, and that just makes learning how to make beer that much more enjoyable.
Free how to make beer e book
Visit my how to make beer blog