Temperature question

[ComusLives]

Hey all, I got myself a Craft Range Wheat Beer kit as my first, which I'm currently waiting to arrive, and I had a few questions about temperature for it. The place I'll be keeping the kit due to space issues seems to be a fairly steady 11-13 degrees, and I'm wondering if this would be alright for the kit I bought. I can't seem to find a guide to optimal temperatures, other than lager working best at 12-14 and ale working best at 18-20. Where does wheat beer fall into this continuum? I know that there'll be heat created by the fermentation process which should bring it up, but I'm not too clear on how much exactly. The same questions apply to bottling and storing the beer, as some guides seem to say it needs to be kept around 20 degrees, and others say it has to be a cool place.

Apologies if I'm missing something obvious here, it's just difficult for an absolute beginner to pick through the conflicting information.

Cheers!

Ps: if it helps, this is the kit: http://www.homebrewwest.ie/the-craft-range-wheat-beer-kit-34-kg-3695-p.asp

[LordEoin]

That kit comes with a hefe yeast and ferments well at around 20-22 if I remember correctly.
The 11-13 degrees you mentioned will be too cold for this yeast.
you won't get any heat created by the fermentation process if it doesn't start fermenting.

For bottling, you need to keep it around the 20C mark for at least about 2 weeks so that the yeast can eat the priming sugar and make more co2 to carbonate the beer. Then you can store it somewhere cold to condition.

[ComusLives]

Thanks Eoin! Looks like I'll have to push this brew back a bit so. Is there any particular method by which I could raise the temperature and keep it consistent? Would a brew belt be worth investing in or would it not make enough difference? I don't have many other options for increasing the ambient temperature in the room.

Failing that, would a lager yeast work better with these kind of temperatures? I guess I could buy another kit and save this one for the warmer months.

[johnrm]

Hi ComusLives,
The brewbelt is a simple way to get temps up. This in tandem with a STC1000, it is a fantastic way of controlling temps.

[ComusLives]

Hi ComusLives,
The brewbelt is a simple way to get temps up. This in tandem with a STC1000, it is a fantastic way of controlling temps.

Cheers John, I think a brewbelt is probably my only real option! Would this belt be ok for the task? And would I need this timer with it too? Can't seem to find too much information on whether they'd keep it within the right range or not.
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brew-belt-red-108-p.asp

http://www.homebrewwest.ie/timer-for-use-with-brew-belts-heating-pads--trays-4174-p.asp

[johnrm]

I'm not a believer in the timer.
I think an STC is a way better solution.
You are interested in keeping the temp constant, not in delivering heat at a precise time.
Check ebay for stc1000, there's lots of info on here on how to wire them up once you're not afraid of a screwdriver.

[ComusLives]

Looks like an STC would be my best bet then. One last question actually; would I be alright using just the STC and brewbelt, or is the fridge featured in the guides on here a necessity? I'm assuming the STC will just turn off the belt when it detects it getting too warm, say if the heating is turned on or we get a particularly warm day, so would I be alright just leaving it then at the ambient temperature of the room and let the STC regulate its heat?

[johnrm]

Yep, the STC will do that, just don't connect the fridge (if you don't have one)

[johnrm]

If you wish to heat only...
Place your fermenter in a location which will likely be slightly cooler than your target temp.
The STC will use the Belt to bring your ferm vessel to temp.

An alternative would be to use a fish tank heater...
Put water in a bucket larger than you FV - Sit in your FV, drop your Fish tank heater into the Water.
(Think bain marie)

[ComusLives]

Grand, should be sorted so! Now I just have to figure out how to keep the brew at 20 degrees for two weeks after bottling, but the weather will likely be a bit warmer by that point anyway.

[johnrm]

Ideally you want to keep the temp the same, but once its reasonably consistent you should be fine.
Yeast gets excited with temp rises and sleeps with drops, this impacts on the flavour profile of your beer.
Many fine beers have been produced without temp control!

[Padraich]

Hi Comus,

It sounds like you and I have similar challenges wrt to space.

My primary/secondary FV is kept under the stairs - one at a time; and my warm place for conditioning is.... the hotpress.

It's worked well to date for me; so if you can persuade whoever controls the hotpress in your house (SWMBO?) to get your beer in there, then you're home and dry - no pun intended.  It does limit me in that I can't have two batches conditioning in parallel, but if I keep consumption down, I can live with this 

Cheers