Temp too low? Safale s-04

[shark]

Hi Everyone,

I am brewing my first ever batch of home brew. Using ESB Australian Draught with Safale s-04.

Yeast was pitched at 22C 3 days ago. The temp has dropped to around 16C. Hard to read those temp gauges because both 14, 16 and 18 light up on the strip.

The airlock is still bubbling and the temp doesnt really change much during the day or night.

I am just wondering if this too low? Will the yeast go to sleep?

Thanks
Ben

[drsmurto]

16 is a tad low but still within the recommended range of 15-24C.

As long as it doesn't drop below this temperature you should be ok.

[Trough Lolly]

I too think 16C is too low - depending on style of beer involved, I'd keep SO-4 in the 18 to 20C range...You may struggle to get a good final gravity at that temp with this yeast unless you've got plenty in the fermenter and it's very fresh.

Cheers,
TL

[shark]

Well even with the blankets and the sleeping bag I think I am still only getting about 16C

Think I will have to start using hot water bottles to try and increase the temp until I can get a heat pad.

[Trough Lolly]

By the looks of things, you may have an ideal opportunity to be brewing lagers! It's around 10C in the garage at the moment which is churning out the Oktoberfests and Pilseners!!


Cheers,
TL

[drsmurto]

Have a massive starter of WLP833 on the stir plate ready for a dunkel!

Gotta love this cold weather, makes lager brewing much easier!

[shark]

Well....... Being new (and overly excited) to home brewing I got a bit excited and took a hydrometer reading today.

Came in at 1012 on day 6.

Had a taste and its starting to taste a smell alot more like beer! beerbang.gif Still tastes a bit odd...

Air lock is still bubbling and temp is now around the 18C mark. Made sure I sprayed Iodophor around the tap and airlock while tasting the hydrometer sample. Just in case.

[corks]

see if you can get a submersible heater, i've found they work better than the other options, i have two myself, keeping a stout and a wheat beer warm as we speak. the retail at $50 dollars at some places, it's worth shopping around, my first one was $80....

that kit should probably come out tasting alright too, did you add any other goodies?

[shark]

Thanks... Will look into either a submersible heater or a heat pad. At the moment with the use of a hot water bottle the temp is more stable around 18C

Nothing else added as this is my first brew ever