Temperature Control

[big dave]

Howdy crew

Being a recent convert to home brewing, there is still a heap of stuff I haven't worked out. Ferment temp is one of those things.

Brew #5 (K&B Ale with s04) is fermenting at home presently. I am giving it 2 weeks in the fermenter, after bottling my first few after a week (per the instructions under the Coopers kit lids). The temp on this one has been a bit up and down (between 14 & 20 deg), which I understand might lead the yeast to confusion and possibly funky flavours. How much variation is considered ok?

I was planning on trying a honey porter (forum favorite) fermented on this trub as my next brew. Would the yeast be ok to reuse on the next brew, or would it perhaps still throw off some curious flavours?

I think I have mostly sorted the temp maintenance presently by insulating a box with the fermenter inside, and having a light bulb attached to a timer; temp has been 18 - 20 at every check for last 4 days. Hopefully that will suffice. The minister for war and finance frowns very hard when discussion of an extra fridge comes up.

Cheers

BD

[drsmurto]

The insulated box sounds like it's doing the job nicely. 18-20C is perfect for that yeast.

Just be careful when pitching on the yeastcake as the temperature may be a few degrees hotter. You are better off taking a sanitised cup and scooping out 1 cup of slurry which is more than enough to ferment the next batch.

As for a fridge - keep an eye on freecycle. I have scored 2 fridges this way as well as work benches, cupboards etc.

[big dave]

Freecycle sound like a winner. Can't access from the work computer (although I can get on here!), and the PC at home has gone to the doctors to see if it is beyond resuscitation.

Do you reckon that a yeast that has been fermenting at various temperatures between 14 and 20-ish should be ok to re-use?

I will clean up a cup and scoop out some of the trub to pitch in the next brew. Being such a novice, I am still playing about with all this stuff. It is a fun game, but I sometimes think I would like the gratification a little more instant!! The next challenge after that will be re-culturing yeast from a Coopers Sparkling. Maybe my first all-extract brew (the JSGA?). Then maybe a big beer from a re-cultured Chimay.

[drsmurto]

Yeast will still be healthy despite the temperature fluctuations.

Sanitise the cup, don't just clean it. Use whatever it is you use to sanitise your fermenters.