Fermentation Temperature

[Craigerrr]

So I recently received my inkbird temp controller, and heater. I had picked up a good used fridge a few months ago. I put my first batch in the new setup this past Friday and set the temp at 65F with the probe in the wort. Yeast is US-05, temperature has been fluctuating between 63 and 66.

Is this close enough control?

 

[Mark Farrall]

During active fermentation, that'd be close enough for me, but (surprisingly to my wife) other people are more obsessive.

edit: or to put it another way, it'd be surprising if anyone could tell the difference between those numbers and perfect control in a blind test.

 

[Nosybear]

So I recently received my inkbird temp controller, and heater. I had picked up a good used fridge a few months ago. I put my first batch in the new setup this past Friday and set the temp at 65F with the probe in the wort. Yeast is US-05, temperature has been fluctuating between 63 and 66.

Is this close enough control?

It is, but if it's like mine, the Celsius readings are much more accurate. Set to read in Celsuis, my Inkbird is accurate to 0.3 degrees +/- the set temperature. The Fahrenheit spread is wider, I believe it's 2 degrees F. Potential problem: The probe, if it's like mine, isn't water resistant. It'll short out eventually.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

seems fine to me there is a difference setting of high and low to how much they will go over and under the set pint, I set mine to 1 degree and I would look at your book or youtube is very helpful for chinese made products with bad directions

 

[J A]

Yeah, inkbird will let you hold closer than that. If your setpoint is 65 it'll let you set for a 1 degree differential so you won't go below 64 before you heater kicks in. The swing on the up side is the residual heat in the system. If you have a control on the heater itself so that the wattage can be attenuated, you'll get a little less upside swing. Also you can be sure that the heat source is fairly close to the temp probe so that the heater shuts off sooner in the cycle. One degree swing high or low is definitely possible.
Lagers will be more sensitive than ales so your current swing is okay. For most ale yeasts I like to start at 60 or so and raise a degree at a time after the first couple of days, depending on yeast strain and beer style. For some Pales or IPAs, I'll go right to 64 and let it ride. I'm almost always in the position of having to cool rather than heat, though.

 

[N0mad]

Like @Ozarks Mountain Brew said that probe is not liquid resistant and will rust... I use glass carboys with the orange bung to ferment and this Thermowell from Brewers Hardware works great for me... depending on your setup you may need something else.... you can use old fashion plumbers putty to stick it on the side of the fermenter if you wish...

I put my first batch in the new setup this past Friday and set the temp at 65F with the probe in the wort.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I have mine in a thermalwell, works great

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I have the differential on my Inkbird set to +/- 1°f and it holds that perfectly. I tape the probe to the side of my PET carboy, and tape a few layers of bubblewrap over it so that it is less affected by the ambient temperature in the fermentation fridge and mostly by the temp of the beer. So far this has worked well for me.

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks for all of the great responses. I will change the +/- to 1, and will look into a thermowell solution as well. I just assumed, and I think fairly so the the probe that came with the controller that is designed specifically for this purpose would be okay to immerse in liquid. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Over time it may become an infection risk as well the tiny little grove between the two wires is nearly impossible to clean. I make yogurt with SS temp probe immersed in milk solution and its working fine. I wouldnt do it with beer though just from infection point of view...

I think regulating ferment temp within 1c is better then temp swings on the yeast

 

[Nosybear]

Over time it may become an infection risk as well the tiny little grove between the two wires is nearly impossible to clean. I make yogurt with SS temp probe immersed in milk solution and its working fine. I wouldnt do it with beer though just from infection point of view...

I think regulating ferment temp within 1c is better then temp swings on the yeast

Agreed. In fact, I use the Celsius scale where I can set the swing to 0.3 degrees, slightly less than 1 degree F. And find a way to use a thermowell. There are stoppers out there with two holes, one for the airlock and one for the thermowell.