fermentation temp question

[Emc]

Question about the temp for "conditioning" your beer. So just to make this easy, lets say I am making a typical ale that needs to ferment at 65 degrees. If I am going to leave it in the fermenter for a couple of weeks to condition, should I keep it at that temp the whole time, drop it a few degrees? I realize a stable temp is important, but should it stay at the fermenting temp while it conditions or is there a benefit to changing the temp while it conditions?

[BenTheBrewer]

I would say it depends on the beer. I would keep it pretty cool (around 40F ) for conditioning to clear it up. I keg and let it sit in my fridge for a week or 2 before I drink it.

[Mylo]

Question about the temp for "conditioning" your beer. So just to make this easy, lets say I am making a typical ale that needs to ferment at 65 degrees. If I am going to leave it in the fermenter for a couple of weeks to condition, should I keep it at that temp the whole time, drop it a few degrees? I realize a stable temp is important, but should it stay at the fermenting temp while it conditions or is there a benefit to changing the temp while it conditions?

Condition the beer at fermentation temps. Once there is no green beer flavor (acetaldehyde - green apple), feel free to start whatever cooling/fining/lagering you want to.


Mylo

[Beertastic]

I typically ramp the temp up 3 or 4 degrees f (D-rest and for full attenuation) once the fermentation is 80-90% done. Then I rest it at that for 2-3 days followed by several days in the kegerator at 40f then into a keg for a week before dispense.

Beertastic

[BeerPal]

I condition at serving temp. Mylo, I'm interested in why you condition at fermentation temp.

[Mylo]

I condition at serving temp. Mylo, I'm interested in why you condition at fermentation temp.

Well, there is two types of "conditioning". One is a function of the yeast cleaning up from themselves, and the other is flocculation and protein precipitation. The former needs to be done at (or slightly above, as Beertastic just said) fermentation temp. The latter is assisted by cold temps and time.

I guess the point is that many homebrewers (especially newer ones) tend to rush things and want to crash cool, carbonate and drink that sucker as soon as possible. I say that your patience is greatly rewarded with a cleaner tasting beer. That's why 1) I don't rack to a "secondary", and 2) I leave it in there for at least a week after reaching terminal gravity. It usually ends up being 3 weeks in the primary.

I also store all my kegs cold and try not to move them around too much, once I tap them.


Mylo

[Emc]

Patient I am. My last couple of batches I have left in primary for a month, then bottle, and let that sit for 3 weeks. For me the conditioning is for taste and everything I have read about the yeast cleaning up after themselves. Am I correct in the thought, cold crashing is strictly to get everything to drop and and get a clearer, cleaner looking beer? Question being, if I dont mind drinking a hazy looking, unfiltered beer is there anything in the taste that I will gain from the cold crash? Flocculation (yeast dropping right ) is just appearance I believe, but protein precipitation? Question two, since I have yet to start kegging, and am about to do a german alt that needs to be lagered, once everything has dropped out from the cold is there still enough yeast to bottle carbonate, or will I need to add yeast with my priming sugar?

[DrawTap88]

Patient I am. My last couple of batches I have left in primary for a month, then bottle, and let that sit for 3 weeks. For me the conditioning is for taste and everything I have read about the yeast cleaning up after themselves. Am I correct in the thought, cold crashing is strictly to get everything to drop and and get a clearer, cleaner looking beer? Question being, if I dont mind drinking a hazy looking, unfiltered beer is there anything in the taste that I will gain from the cold crash? Flocculation (yeast dropping right ) is just appearance I believe, but protein precipitation? Question two, since I have yet to start kegging, and am about to do a german alt that needs to be lagered, once everything has dropped out from the cold is there still enough yeast to bottle carbonate, or will I need to add yeast with my priming sugar?

Cold crashing will help get some more yeast to flocculate out of solution resulting in less of a yeasty/bready flavor, as well as making it clearer by getting some of that protein to settle out too.

After cold crashing you will have plenty of yeast left to carbonate...even if you use a fining like gelatin.