How strictly do I need to maintain temps when brewing

the yeast strain is certainly important, but since he's already more than 2 days into it, I would not worry about it anymore. to set up an ice bath tomorrow, 3-4 days into fermentation, seems fairly pointless to me...

and we're talking about a strain that can be a bit finicky re: temperature control. I start it cool, pitch a lot, and let it warm on its own after a day.

 

My noobrewer batch #3 was a BGSA that was at ambient 70-72*F. Just killed the last bottle a few months ago by pouring it into a goblet. Only drain pour from that batch was the dregs in the bottom of each bottle.

 

“Only drain pour from that batch was the dregs in the bottom of each bottle.” Touché!

Cheers to @jbakajust1 !

 

Jack, most have WLP 500 as the Chimay yeast. I haven't used that one.

Wyeast 3787 is the Westmalle yeast. I have used that one and it has all of the aroma and flavor attributes of Westmalle.

 

Fermentation control is one of the most important things in the process. The ferment actually produces heat to (around 1-4 degrees IME) some people tout 10degree swings though I have a hard time beleiving that crap on a homebrew scale

 

yeah reading comprehension fail for me too. Could have sworn it said 530. 500 isn't so finicky.
Oh well.
both are great yeasts.

 

You are correct sir. White Labs labels WLP500 as Trappist while Wyeast labels 3787 as Trappist but you are correct they are two different strains:

• WLP500 (1214): Chimay
• WLP530 (3787): Westmalle

I think the OP should still ferment in the low 70's based upon the flavor descriptions from the White Labs chart.

Cheers!

 

I'm dubious about the +10°F claim too. I guess you'd need a probe thermometer (thermowell) down in the fermenting wort to know for sure.

 

My guess is that all of the claims on the temperature variance from the exothermic properties of fermentation may be proportional to fermenter geometry. I could see a really BIG conical having a larger temp difference in the core, especially with a big ass pitch of yeast. But in a 5 gallon carboy... probably just a few degrees. At least that's what I believe.

 

I can't say that I've seen +10. But I have seen +8. And I do have a thermowell. Having seen +8, I have no trouble believing that someone has seen +10, depending on circumstances.

 

That works for me. I'm a believer.