Beer Forum

Hi,

Fermenting a belgian (mashed at 148F) using a blend of wlp550 & wy3522 (2L starter). Strarted a 66-67F for 36hrs will be at 72F after one week and it usually takes another week for foam to clear and i take an FG reading. My question is how long do you keep the max. temp up (72F)? Until you hit your FG and then ramp it down and keep at bottling temp for a couple of days?

Cheers

I'd keep it raised. Helps to make sure that the last few grav points get attenuated. And 72 isn't all that warm, really, for most of these styles.

and then ramp it down and keep at bottling temp for a couple of days?

I wouldn't drop it at all before bottling, or after, either. When I bottle condition I like to put the bottles somewhere warm - mid-to-upper 70s - so that they carbonate quickly and fully. After a week or so warm, and I've tested a bottle for bubbles, then I'll move them into cool storage.

yeah, you could go even warmer than 72 if you wanted. I get some of my belgians up to 78-80 towards the end, to really dry them out.

apresskibrewer wrote:yeah, you could go even warmer than 72 if you wanted. I get some of my belgians up to 78-80 towards the end, to really dry them out.

+1
Many Belgian breweries (Trappist or not) not only ferment in the upper 70's plus...But they also do a lot of bottle conditioning at warmer temps...

Thanks all,

I'm still wondering about bottling temp. If I cold crash I let it rise to ~68F and prime with sugar based on that temp. Then I will place in a hot box for 2 wks at 72F. If i don't cold crash I still shoot for around 68F to prime and bottle. Does it make a difference if you prime at the temp where fermentation ends as opposed to reducing temp to 68F (can't remember why i choose 68F to bottle )

-cheers

DBear wrote:Thanks all,

I'm still wondering about bottling temp. If I cold crash I let it rise to ~68F and prime with sugar based on that temp. Then I will place in a hot box for 2 wks at 72F. If i don't cold crash I still shoot for around 68F to prime and bottle. Does it make a difference if you prime at the temp where fermentation ends as opposed to reducing temp to 68F (can't remember why i choose 68F to bottle )

-cheers

If you "cold crash" and then raise it back up to 68, you'll drop a lot of yeast out of suspension, and they wont be available to do the work of carbonation. I'd just bottle at the temperature you finish fermenting at.

Good luck!

Brew Engineer wrote:

DBear wrote:Thanks all,

I'm still wondering about bottling temp. If I cold crash I let it rise to ~68F and prime with sugar based on that temp. Then I will place in a hot box for 2 wks at 72F. If i don't cold crash I still shoot for around 68F to prime and bottle. Does it make a difference if you prime at the temp where fermentation ends as opposed to reducing temp to 68F (can't remember why i choose 68F to bottle )

-cheers

If you "cold crash" and then raise it back up to 68, you'll drop a lot of yeast out of suspension, and they wont be available to do the work of carbonation. I'd just bottle at the temperature you finish fermenting at.

Good luck!

+1 (word to BE's mother)....

Extra step and stressed yeast in a bottle conditioned beer, that's going to have a yeast sediment anyway.


Mylo