Secondary fermentation temperature

[Whrrr]

Hi All,

I'm about to keg my Woodforde's Wherry for secondary fermentation. The sticker on the budget barrell says it must not be stored in airing cupboards or next to heat sources because CO2 is unpredictable.

I had hoped to store the keg in the airing cupboard (24 degrees-ish) for a day or two before putting it in the garage.

What are people's thoughts on this?

With thanks,
Mark

[fractureman]

should be ok I would have thought

[cwrw gwent]

24C is higher than I ferment ale, preferring to stick to a range of 18 to 21C. It may be that the barrel instructions are warning against excessive temperatures as some airing cupboards can go well over 30C on a hot day or if you accidentally leave the immersion heater on too long. Similarly if left next to a very hot radiator or coal fire the temperature can go way over the top. You could try wrapping a duvet or sleeping bag around the barrel to insulate it against sudden surges and extremes in temperature.

I never use barrels but does yours have a pressure release valve to vent off excess CO2?

As long as it doesn't go too much over 24C I think you will be OK. Don't leave it in secondary fermentation for too long - five days should be enough before the barrel goes to a cooler spot (11 to 14C is ideal) to mature for a month or six weeks. How warm is the garage at this time of year?

[Whrrr]

This is good info - thanks.

The barrel came with two tops. One with a red screw-down to put COs bulbs in and another one with a small white wick-type thing which might well be a pressure release valve. I don't know if the CO2 valve is also a pressure release valve.

From what you say, the airing cupboard might be a bit overkill. Our room temperature is 18-19 degrees so may be that would be ok.

The garage will fluctuate with the weather, I guess. But I imagine it would frotect from frost unless it gets really cold.

[cwrw gwent]

For secondary fermentation 18 to 19c is fine. After that, do you have an unheated bedroom or cupboard under the stairs at approx 11 to 14C?

I'm sure a barrel user or two will be along to give advice on bulbs and valves. I always bottle. It means I can serve the ale at the temperature I want and it is transportable, even if it is labour intensive.

I forget to say earlier - welcome to the forum!

[dunc]

sounds fine to me too. I don't think its that critical tbh as long as its warm enough for the yeast to remain active, since you're only fermenting a little sugar to add fizz rather than the brew itself.

[Whrrr]

The cupboard under the stairs is 14 degrees so maybe that would be better than a cold garage.

Great forum - nice to be here

[Whrrr]

Does anyone know how the temperature in the garage would differ from the outdoors temperature? We've had a few frosts recently and tomorrow night is forcast for being -2 degrees. My keg is in the garage, off the floor an inch or two on some timber joists and wrapped in an old coat.

[scottmoss]

Hi,

I'm sure you will enjoy your Wherry, really nice pint. What fg did you get it to? Think mine was around 1012.

[Naich]

Hi. I'll tag onto this thread rather than starting a new one, as my question is related.

I've got a keg that is a couple of days into conditioning and I've got very few options where to put it to mature. I've got a choice between too warm; about around 18-21C anywhere in the house, or too cold; outside, braving the frost and snow. I live in a victorian terrace and there is nowhere close to the optimum temperature, inside or outside. Any suggestions? Would it be OK to make a little hutch for it to live in outside? I would have thought too cold would be better than too warm, but I am a complete beginner to all this. Thanks for any advice.

[EoinMag]

Hi. I'll tag onto this thread rather than starting a new one, as my question is related.

I've got a keg that is a couple of days into conditioning and I've got very few options where to put it to mature. I've got a choice between too warm; about around 18-21C anywhere in the house, or too cold; outside, braving the frost and snow. I live in a victorian terrace and there is nowhere close to the optimum temperature, inside or outside. Any suggestions? Would it be OK to make a little hutch for it to live in outside? I would have thought too cold would be better than too warm, but I am a complete beginner to all this. Thanks for any advice.

You are right in thinking colder rather than warmer, I've had a keg get a banana off-taste from the conditioning process cos it was too warm. Don't let it freeze and you should be alright. Can you maybe stand it on a windowsill inside right up to the window?

[sladeywadey]

Hi. I'll tag onto this thread rather than starting a new one, as my question is related.

I've got a keg that is a couple of days into conditioning and I've got very few options where to put it to mature. I've got a choice between too warm; about around 18-21C anywhere in the house, or too cold; outside, braving the frost and snow. I live in a victorian terrace and there is nowhere close to the optimum temperature, inside or outside. Any suggestions? Would it be OK to make a little hutch for it to live in outside? I would have thought too cold would be better than too warm, but I am a complete beginner to all this. Thanks for any advice.

if you've no shed, maybe build a suitable box out of polystyrene (wickes do sheets of them 50mm thick), insulate with a foil based insulator and put the keg in there. Mine is in the shed at the moment, wrapped up in several layers of old towels. I've hooked up a digital temp display with a probe and the temp of the keg inside the towels is 11C whereas the shed air temp is 2C

[Naich]

Thanks for the replies. I've got some aluminium-backed mylar foil of the sort they use in satellites and cryostats, so I'll wrap it up in that and a duvet and keep monitoring the temperature. I also did some skip diving and found a heated underblanket which I've rigged up with a temperature control, so if I can find a reasonable way of getting mains outside I might use that to keep it a few degrees warmer. I've used an old Avo for the temperature readout, which gives it a wonderful Frankenstein-type feel

[Lillywhite]

Once a Wherry has been through the secondary fermentation stage in the warm, ideal conditioning and maturing temperature is between 10-14C which is similar to that used in pub cellars.