Fermentation Temperatures - How to Measure?

[Buck_KY]

I have brewed a few Hefeweizens and try to ferment at lower temperatures. If a recipe says "ferment at 68 degrees for 2-3 then raise slowly to 72 degrees" do they mean ambient room temperature or wort temperature? I am trying to be more accurate. Should I read the room temperature, the thermometer on the side of the bucket, or take a temperature directly from the wort? Thank you. I have had good results so far so maybe I should just relax and have a beer.

 

[Donoroto]

I have brewed a few Hefeweizens and try to ferment at lower temperatures. If a recipe says "ferment at 68 degrees for 2-3 then raise slowly to 72 degrees" do they mean ambient room temperature or wort temperature? I am trying to be more accurate. Should I read the room temperature, the thermometer on the side of the bucket, or take a temperature directly from the wort? Thank you. I have had good results so far so maybe I should just relax and have a beer.

Theoretically from the center of the wort. But, allowing oxygen and possible contamination into the bucket is a very terrible idea.

Most of us measure the side of the bucket, with some insulation (like a styrofoam block) from the ambient air. Some measure just ambient.

Hefeweitzens in particular don't get too hurt from a slightly warmer fermentation.

Try it a few ways, see what delivers the beer you prefer.

 

[Megary]

+1

The recipe *should* mean wort temperature. Ideally, get that temp from the middle of the wort, but the side of the bucket/fermenter is a good gauge. Assume during peak fermentation that the center of the wort is a few degrees warmer than the outside of the fermenter and when fermentation dies down, they are essentially the same.

 

[Minbari]

+2

I use a simple thermo well in the center to drop temp probe into. But i have full temp control too. You can drop a lab style stick thermometer in the well too

Unless you have a way to control the temp, i am not sure if matters much.

 

[Sandy Feet]

Relax and have a beer LOL. I use a refrigerator with a controller. The wort is going to be warmer when it first enters the fridge and if it is really active, but I guess by ambient with a 3 degree F difference in the controller. Whatever temp I want, I guess by splitting the difference in the 3 degrees.

 

[Andrew_D]

I have brewed a few Hefeweizens and try to ferment at lower temperatures. If a recipe says "ferment at 68 degrees for 2-3 then raise slowly to 72 degrees" do they mean ambient room temperature or wort temperature? I am trying to be more accurate. Should I read the room temperature, the thermometer on the side of the bucket, or take a temperature directly from the wort? Thank you. I have had good results so far so maybe I should just relax and have a beer.

Given that the ambient temperature in my Northern English brew shed is lower than my desired fermentation temperature, for much of the year, my set up for fermenting in plastic buckets used to involve gentle heating with a heating belt and/or mat, controlled by an Inkbird device, with the probe held under a foam block (pan scrubber) taped to the side. More recently, I've found and fitted some cheap thermowells, allowing the probe to be inserted deeper into the wort. Yes, it's a bit of an investment, but the results of temperature control have been worth it. Lots of other potential approaches are covered here...

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

I would say look at getting a Tilt Hydrometer or what the others recommended. I think we all started out with no temp control and the beers came out ok.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Yup I've done it uncontrolled then probe taped to side of fermenter and lately probe in middle of fermenter via thermowell.
All that jazz doesn't = better beer.

Main thing is maintaining a temperature whatever it may be.

Hefeweizen yeast are pretty forgiving and I hear it's a broad temp range for them.

 

[Craigerrr]

My first several batches were beer, but they weren't really very good. Temperature controlled fermentation improved my beer tremendously. It isn't essential to making beer, just to making good beer.

 

[Zambi]

One of the main things is trying to make sure the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much.
I only recently got temp control. Before that I would choose my yeast based on the expected temperature and place the fermenter in a cooler box lined with an old duvet.
I measure to the side of the fermenter, with a sponge over the probe

 

[Donoroto]

Yup I've done it uncontrolled then probe taped to side of fermenter and lately probe in middle of fermenter via thermowell.
All that jazz doesn't = better beer.

Main thing is maintaining a temperature whatever it may be.

Hefeweizen yeast are pretty forgiving and I hear it's a broad temp range for them.

Indeed, stressing Hefeweitzen yeast is desirable, as it produces the banana/clove esters essential to the style.

 

[Minbari]

Temp control is definitely important.

One thing I have found over the years, weather you measure on the outside or Thermo well. Once active fermentation is done, temperature stratification is a real thing. If I measure temp at the top vs the bottom, a 10°F swing is not uncommon. Being a bit of a perfectionist, this drives me crazy, lol.

I guess my point here is, be aware. Where you measure will make a difference