Quick question about pitching temps

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mrboxpiff
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Quick question about pitching temps

Post by mrboxpiff » Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:57 pm

One advantage with this hot weather is that bringing the wort to boiling is quicker. One down side though is cooling it to pitching temp. Today, because of time restraints I was forced to pitch an S-04 yeast at just over 26°. The packet says max 25, I'm I likely to have a problem?
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Kev888
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Re: Quick question about pitching temps

Post by Kev888 » Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:53 am

26C is okay for pitching, but you'd normally want it to drop a bit more before the fermentation gets going. This is because the fermentation generates heat which will add a few degrees, sometimes several, so that would be getting really quite warm.

In that case, the yeast would still work but the flavour they produce in such a warm fermentation would be different and probably more pronounced. Most people wouldn't consider this desirable (for most styles of beer), though these things are a matter of preference and you may or may not like the results.
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vacant
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Re: Quick question about pitching temps

Post by vacant » Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:08 am

What about no-chill? Leave the jerrycan overnight and it will be at ambient temperature the next morning.

Up to now I've avoided brewing in hot weather. I recently built a fermenting fridge. Last week I did a BIAB and with a no-chill jerrycan, that's a three hour brew time. Next morning the wort was transferred to the fermenting vessel that fits into the fridge (aerate at this point if not using dried yeast) and I pitched yeast a while later when it got to the 19C I had set.
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mrboxpiff
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Re: Quick question about pitching temps

Post by mrboxpiff » Wed Jun 21, 2017 1:43 pm

Brilliant, thanks for the feedback. Things have started well and the temp is now well within range.
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oldgreywolf

Re: Quick question about pitching temps

Post by oldgreywolf » Thu Jun 29, 2017 3:53 pm

That's interesting. I don't use dry yeasts and normally, so long as the wort drops below 30c, I pitch the yeast; it will typically be approaching 25c but I've certainly pitched at a higher temp. I've not had any noticeable issues. What I do try to do is then have my FV in a room with an ambient temp around 18-20c (normally my kitchen). However for this weekend just gone the temp in the kitchen was 25c so I put it in the garage. I've now brought it back in as the temperature has plummeted, relatively speaking.

grmski

Re: Quick question about pitching temps

Post by grmski » Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:39 am

Just to add my thoughts I would normally try to pitch yeast at the lower end of its recommend temp range on the understanding that any heat produced by the process will raise the temp but still keep it within range. This would also be in a temp controlled brewfridge and measuring wort temp, basically attempting to remain within a small variation of temp and those temps within the yeast producers recommended range.

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