So, I recently brewed a beer for the second time, and brewday went perfect but now its pretty hot in my apartment and I can't really get the temp where I want it. I know that's terrible and all and I know how it can mess up my beer, that's not the point of this thread. It's right about at the upper limit of the yeast, and I'm pretty sure I'll still get beer. It has gotten me thinking about side by side comparisons between two identical beers with different (but not dangerous) temps. Have you guys ever experimented by changing the fermentation temp on a batch you've done before? And, what were the differences you were able to notice? I'm not talking about accidentally fermenting at 80, more like trying it at 63 then again at 68 or 70. I know the general rules with esters and fusels and the like, but I'm interested in your purely anecdotal observations as to whether or not there was a discernible difference.
It depends on the yeast. Some yeasts will produce very different results at 63F vs 70F. Others will be fairly similar.
Here is a blog write-up about brewing with 3522 at two different temperatures (68 and 80 degrees F): https://untamedbeer.com/2011/03/25/fermentation-temperature-experiment/ Cheers!
Try S-04 at 62-64 F vs. 68-70 F in a big beer and you will see a huge difference. I did a barley wine with S-04, splitting half at 62-64 and half at 68-70, the colder one was clean with the slightly weird bread dough aroma/flavor I associate with S-04, while the 68-70 F version tasted like banana bread mixed with fruit compote (no noticeable fusels or off flavors other than banana bread and fruity esters). The banana eventually cleared with krausening (or souring- I blended this with a mild and sinamar and added apricots and bugs and it was great), but I had the last bottle yesterday (3 years in the bottle) and it still was super fruity.
I like the thread. I've tried the same 50/50 Hefe recipe with the same yeast at several different temperatures. Jamil Z recommends that I go low at 63F. He's a liar. I have a lot of respect for JZ and Palmer, but they haven't shed any light on a dominating Hefe style. I've tried about 8 batches--with and without decoctions. I am still happily paying $4 a pint for a Weihenstephaner. FWIW, I hear that Cali Lager is THE yeast to use if you can't get lager temperatures on a warmer temp beer. No D-rest needed. Maybe the most fun you could have is splitting a batch at 60F and 70F. Blend them together in a glass and see what you get with 1:3 and 1:2 of each.
I switched to a 75/25 pitch of 3638/3068 with a double decoction (4vg rest, 148 sacch, mashout) and a 68 F fermenter temp abd have finally reached a point where I'm happy with mine. The double decoction, copitch Schneider Weisse inspired grist were three big changes I made.
