The Lesser of two ferment temp evils

Ingredients
1

So I did a quick Premium Bitter today and realized I don’t have a way to ferment it right @ 67*.

I have a faux pilsner going in my ferm fridge set at 60*.  The ambient temp in there also happens to be 60*.  The pils is in the midst of high krausen (US-05) and is bubbling pretty regularly.  I checked the gravity, and it had only dropped from 1.058 to 1.045 (if it was further through fermentation I would have moved up to the first floor of my place with a pretty regular ambient temp of 65).

My question is, is it better to ferment my premium bitter (1L starter of Nottingham) at an ambient temp of 60* in my fermentation fridge, 58* in my basement, or 65* on my first floor?  I want some ester production, but I feel like if I have it @ 65 degrees ambient, the ferment could take it up north of 70*, and I don’t want fusels.  Any thoughts are appreciated.

2

I’d start it at 60°F and move it to 65°F once it gets past high krausen.

Even at 60°F ambient, a vigorous fermentation could get into the 70s, so I’d keep an eye on it for the first couple days.

3

Thanks brutha.  I was leaning toward your camp.  The proprietor of one of my LHBS’s told me he would put it on the first floor, as I wouldn’t get esters otherwise.  I gave  him a weird look when he gave his answer.

4

I am in the camp of your LHBS.  It is my experience that the ester production takes place in the early stages of fermentation, largely when the yeast is multiplying  I have actually had good luck with removing my lagers after high krausen from the fridge and had no noticeable negative effects.

So if you are looking for esters…you may want to place it upstairs… just my two cents. ;D

5

Ok, here’s the plan:  going to start it upstairs until it gets going, then move it downstairs and wrap it in an old blanket (and I can place in front of the dehumidifier with a wet towel for some evaporative heat loss if it gets too warm).  As fermentation winds down, I’ll bring it back upstairs for a makeshift d-rest.

God I love my ferm chamber.  I just need another one :slight_smile:

6

Revised plan: moved faux pils out of chamber set @ ambient in basement.  Temp climbing a bit, but still 64ish.  Used ferm fridge for bitter, which is good because it’s churning like crazy after 8 hours.

7

Wow. Came home for lunch and saw the faux pils had climbed to 66-67* while in front of the dehumidifier fan!! Put a wet towel around it. Though gravity had only dropped 10pts when I checked, hopefully this pitch of yeasts’ fusel and ester-making days (hours) are largely behind it.