Temperature reference for yeast

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by RichardMNixon, Apr 29, 2014.

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  1. RichardMNixon

    RichardMNixon Maven (1,431) Jun 24, 2012 Pennsylvania

    I'm using WLP029 koelsch yeast at the moment which white labs says is best between 65-69, and 'doesn't ferment well less than 62.' http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp029-german-ale-kölsch-yeast

    I stumbled onto some threads at the homebrewers association where the consensus seems to be to ignore white labs' advice and ferment at 58.

    Does anyone have thoughts specifically on this yeast? Is 67 too high? Would it be worse to bring it down after I've had it at 67 for a day?

    More generally, do you trust information from the yeast labs or do you look up suggested temperatures on forums? Any other source you consider more reliable?
     
    #1 RichardMNixon, Apr 29, 2014
  2. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    Best way is firsthand experience. If you have the capability, do a split batch and ferment one half at 58 F and the other at 66 F or something in the recommended range.
     
    #2 hoptualBrew, Apr 29, 2014
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  3. sarcastro

    sarcastro Savant (1,133) Sep 20, 2006 Michigan

    I've had good results fermenting with this strain at 60.
     
    #3 sarcastro, Apr 29, 2014
  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The yeast labs temperature recommendations are okay if you have nothing else to go on. But how will you know what kind of flavor profile you're going to get at each end of the range, or beyond? Many strains are perfectly capable of working at temperatures lower than what the yeast labs tell you, and sometimes it's desirable to use them that way, depending on your goals. That's where experience and talking to others comes in. This forum is a good place for the latter.
     
    #4 VikeMan, Apr 29, 2014
  5. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    The last Kolsch I made with this yeast I started out at 62 and when fermentation started slowing down I ramped it up to 68 to finish, before conditioning at 50 for a while.

    If I had vigorous fermentation at 67, I wouldn't drop the temperature, as I think it would be too late to change the fermentation character of the beer at that point. Plus, it might make the yeast sleepy. OTOH, based on my experience (with lager yeast), I don't think it hurts to cool the yeast-pitched wort down a bit before fermentation gets going.
     
    #5 utahbeerdude, Apr 29, 2014
  6. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    I have used this yeast many times at 66 degrees. I would not worry about 67.
     
    #6 premierpro, Apr 29, 2014
  7. RichardMNixon

    RichardMNixon Maven (1,431) Jun 24, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Thanks all, I'll just leave it be for a while. Looks like I still have plenty of practice ahead of me.
    I wish, only one controlled fridge.
    So if you were using a yeast for the first time (to you), would you go in the WLP range or pull the temperature from a successful recipe?
     
    #7 RichardMNixon, Apr 29, 2014
  8. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The latter.
     
    #8 VikeMan, Apr 29, 2014
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