Help with temperature

[Oliver]

I'd agree with Normell on why Cooper's recommends 21-27.

Let's say they said 18-22 was the ideal temp.

Everyone would be panicking, thinking their beer was going to be crap because it was brewed too warm, tipping it down the sink and not ever brewing again. Not good for business!

Far easier to give them a wider range.

And I'm assuming that they give 21C on the bottom as a bit of a safety net.

From reading Oliver's post above, I'm assuming Saflager doesn't produce much sulphur when brewed at higher temperatures. Is this right?

Evo,

I've never had trouble brewing with Saflager at ale temps. However, I don't think I've ever used it when it's really warm (like above 24C).

[Conrad]

With a recent hot spell (unseasonal) I stuggled to keep my Pilsner and Bavarian Larger cool. My normal spot was getting way too warm (25+) so I shifted them and tried to cool them down.

Putting them in the bath and filling to 1/3rd did lower the temp and adding some frozen bottles of water to the mix bought the temp down. Not all the way to 15 as I would have liked, but around 20 or so. While not ideal, better than what it was.

Here is a quick pic http://users.tpg.com.au/conradp/beer.jpg

[Oliver]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Does anyone have any comments as to why Coopers recommends fermenting between 21 and 27 degrees if 18 -22 degrees is the ideal temp range.

Hornet

Because it suits the "average" australian climate me thinks

Sorry to reopen this can of worms, but I've been thinking about this lately.

I just bottled a Muntons Nut Brown Ale. The instructions said to brew at 18-21C, which I found interesting. There aren't many kit brews that would recommend a range that low, I wouldn't think.

Perhaps it does bear out the above theory, that the climate in which the kit is made has some bearing on the recommended range for fermentation (i.e. Muntons = British = 18C-21C; Cooper's = Australia = 21C-28C).

Oliver

[gregb]

Has anyone ever done a test - two batches otherwise the same ingredients but brewed at different temperatures then compared the end results? Draw the yeast from a single starter.

Compare the two beers and rate both seperatley on thier own merits etc.

There seems to be a lot of (quite strong at times) opinion on the subject, but an absence of objective assessment.

I'd be keen to try the experiment but I dont have the temperature control.

I'll go out on a limb and say that both beers will be so close that only the most sensitive palates will spot the difference. If possible do the taste test double blind etc.

Think back about your science doccos for a moment all life forms want is to breed and multiply to take over the world you have given the yeast a spot with heaps to eat and some attractive other yeasts to fornicate with. I dont think that they are going to pull out a thermometer and complain to the concierge about the airconditioning - other matters (the eating and fornicating) will occupy them. Tough life really...

Just some thoughts.

Cheers,

Greg.

[Dogger Dan]

Yeasts don't fornicate.

They bud

Dogger

[gregb]

Ok they'll get on with eating and budding.

Doctor Evo do some research into this in another thread.

Greg