So I've tried to do research on this and have found myself more confused than before I started. A lot of yeast strains have a huge ranges of acceptable temperatures for fermentation, I have seen 10-20 degree ranges. Most are starting in the low 60's and the upper edges into the mid 70's. So my question is the manufacturers of these yeast strains say the acceptable temperature range of lets say 65-75 degrees but everything I'm reading is saying 75 is wayyyyy to high for most brews. This high fermentation temp causes esters and phenols so are upper ends of the range just misleading? If I were to use us-05 for instance and fermentation was at 73-75 degrees the entire time would a beginning brewer be able to detect off flavors in the beer? I have also read that leaving in primary for extended periods 2-4 weeks past ferm and or leaving at serving temp for longer than a few weeks before tasting can help combat the damage done in a warmer fermentation like removing diacetyl. Reference - http://beerandwinejournal.com/high-temp-yeast/ Are there yeast strains that benefit from higher temp fermentation of 75+? I know most belgians like some fruity esters with summer rolling around the warmer the ferm temp the easier brewing would be. Sorry to bombard with a million questions.
Know how the yeast performs in your brewery. Some commercial breweries ferment at the high end in their large fermenters, where the hydrostatic pressure suppresses the ester formation. I have heard Brewers talk about using a new strain, and it may take several batches to dial in the fermentation temperature to achieve the desired results. Look at the temperature range Wyeast lists, it is the same for homebrewers and commercial Brewers. The answer is that it depends. Leaving the beer on the yeast will help reduce diacetyl. It won't do much for the fusels, that just takes time in my experience - sometimes a lot of time. The article lists mainly Belgian yeasts in the table, most of those can go higher than you would go for US-05. I have been fermenting one yeast I use at higher temps, and will go higher next time to see if the beer has more of the esters I want, but high in this case will be 68-70 pitch temp. Know your yeast's performance in your brewery. That takes some experience.
Depends on what character you want in your beer. Typically, the higher temp, the more aggressive fermentation byproducts will be like esters, phenols, fusel alcohol, etc. Have to find what works for you. That's the fun of homebrew though, experiment.
I can't guarantee that the answer to that question is "yes" but there is a very high probability that the answer is "yes". I haven't used US05 in years but I've used WLP001 and WY1056 in the upper 60s before and there is a noticeable "peachy" note at those temps (which is not pleasant, imo). I think there are either two ways for you to go, and one of them is not fermenting outside of the recommended temperature range for your yeast. Either manipulate fermentation conditions to reduce the temperature to the recommended range, or select a yeast strain appropriate for that temperature.
Protip: Rack your beer to whatever you are using to ferment on the coldest side of the yeasts temp (i.e.low 60's) and pitch. It'll probably hit peak fermentation before it has a chance to warm fully up to 75ºf. Having it settle out on the high side of its temperature ain't a bad thing either. Some yeasts are forgiving. And others are most definitely not and will show that in their finished work. A workhouse like 05 will probably not show stress for a couple more degrees. Outside of brewery exclusive temperature control, and those costs. If you can keep the ambient temp low enough. Brew to those limitations. There are more than a few tricks you can do with the temperature you pitch at that will have a pretty big influence on what happens to your finished beer.
So if Im understanding this correctly the yeast manufacturers do a large range of temps because it varies from brewery to brewery? I think ive figured out my best plan to keep fermentation cooler than ambient but just wondering what temps I should aim for if given a scale of 10 degrees. Is lower always better or should I aim for right in the middle?
I usually aim for the lower end of the recommended temperature range when trying a new strain of yeast. That is usually the safest route. 73-75F is a little high for US05. I like to keep it in the low to mid 60s. Everyone has their own preference though. You just have to experiment and find what you like. Cheers!
Differences in brewery to brewery, and what the Brewer wants the finished beer to taste like. The temp you should target depends on the yeast and the beer. For some I go low to keep it clean, for English ales I have been going higher to get the ester profile.
The 'best' temperature to ferment is dependent on what you personally trying to achieve for a given batch of beer. To springboard off of Jeff's comment of "for English ales I have been going higher to get the ester profile". I just bottled a batch of Bitter Ale using Wyeast 1469 and I did the exact same thing as Jeff since my preference for this beer is have a lot of perceptible esters (fruity flavors). My fermentation for my Bitter Ale peaked at 72 degrees F for days 3-4 of the fermentation and I have high hopes for a prominent fruity profile for this beer. I am homebrewing a Tripel today using Wyeast 3787 and I will be targeting a fermentation temperature of 72-73 degrees since I personlly enjoy the esters and phenols ths yeast produces at this warm temperatures. If I am brewing an ale where I want a more clean (neutral) profile I will ferment on the cooler side of the recommended temperature range. Cheers!
Thanks guys this is extremely helpful I guess its just yet another thing about home brewing that ill have to experiment with Not complaining just wish I could do 4-5 batches per go I think this hobby will help my patience
