Irish ale yeast vs cold house

[Simon David kelly]

I've done a Russian Imperial Stout (1.098) using Wyeast Irish Ale, but I'm getting next to no action from it.

The house temperature has dropped to a cold 8°C, and I don't currently have any heating capability.

My question is, without heating will the yeast do it's job and will it be ok to just leave it until something happens?

Cheers

Si

[Stu McKinlay]

It'll struggle at that temp - low temps will mean a lot of stress and a lot of undesirable aromatics. Do you know what temp the fermenter is? I have room temperatures of 15-20c with no noticeable effect on fermentation temps but 8c does seem pretty cold. How much yeast did you pitch?

[Simon David kelly]

The fermenter is a little warmer, but only just showing activity at the 10°C marker on the strip.

I pitched a bag of activator and a bag of propagator. The activator swelled ok, wasn't exactly exploding but there was action. The propagator was trying it's hardest but the only signs were CO2 and a little aroma.

Do you think if I get a heat pad under it in the next couple of days it'll recover?

[James P]

You should apply heat to get it up to 15-20C as Stu mentioned. Most ale yeasts will be okay at 15C, but lower is inviting problems / off flavours.

[Simon David kelly]

Heat pad ordered ... Fingers crossed.

What would be the optimal temperature for Irish Ale?

[Mike Neilson]

Depends what you want out of the yeast? 18 - 22 is pretty standard for Ales.

[Simon David kelly]

Thanks Mike

[Glynn Foster]

Perfect segway into something that I've been thinking about in the last 12 hours. I've recently put on a stout too, but wanted to set up the ferment down under the house with a heating pad. I've currently got the heating pad to go on every other hour - was worried I might over heat in the first 24-48 hours of the ferment (even though I'm using a 2L starter), or that the heating pad would be able to generate more heat than I'd want. Anyone done much analysis of what heating capacity the typical Brewcraft heating pad?

[Stu McKinlay]

Wyeast's site says 16-24c for 1084. Over 18c will produce more esters.

I'd say you've underpitched (by quite some margin) for a beer of 1.098. I'd put that amount of yeast in 20L of 1.045 beer... and that's assuming it is really fresh. It might be worth chucking a packet of S05 in there on top of that. Check out the Mr Malty Pitching Calculator to be sure http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html


With that heat pad make sure that you have something between the pad and the fermenter otherwise it'll get up for the high 20's.

[Simon David kelly]

Would a blanket be ok?

[Simon David kelly]

Just checked out Mr Malty (thanks for the link)

I think I missed by a couple of hundred billion cells. Luckily I have a packet of S05 in the fridge, I always order two packets.

[Brendon]

Hi Simon,
Possibly not - it's going to depend a lot on how much viable yeast you pitched in the first place. 8-10 degrees is very low for that yeast and will have promoted flocculation (or it probably didn't get out of the lag phase anyway). OG of 1098 is a very big beer. Assuming you have the usual 21-23 litre brew on the go then you would need at least a 1.5 litre starter or 250mL of yeast slurry in a well oxygenated wort. Big beers can be difficult to brew.
A heat pad might get things going again but you might want to also consider grabbing some more yeast to pitch if it doesn't take off. You could also consider a lightbulb in a tea-chest (or closet) or wrapping an electric blanket around you fermenter for a while.
Brendon

[Simon David kelly]

I wish I'd known all this on Sunday, I'd have chucked everything in :o)

Stu's link to Mr Malty has gone in the favorites and will be used next time.

What's the best method for incubation during winter? Heat pads ok, or do people have incubation boxes?