If I am doing a Belgian beer and the recommended fermentation temp is 72F and the temp rises naturally during fermentation, should I turn on my chiller to keep it at 72F or let it naturally rise? For this beer I did not use the chiller and the ferm activity was very active getting up to 80F. Any thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated. Cheers!
Wow, 72 is a lot higher than I’d start a Belgian beer. I wouldn’t let it get any warmer during the first week.
I agree. I’ve done a number of Belgians and I like to start my fermentations at 65°F. Then I’ll raise to the recommended LOW end temperature from the yeast lab and slowly (4-5 days) move to the recommended high end temperature to draw out some fruity esters. Most Belgian yeasts that I know of favor a low end temperature in the mid to high 60’s.
Frankly, I pretty much ignore the temp ranges manufacturers use.