Heating pad under primary fermenter

[Aeludor]

Hi,

I started my first wine the other day but am having problems keeping the temperature up. I have a heating pad and a belt. The pad is under a towel below the fermenter. If I can't keep it to temperature that way, is it ok to put the pad directly on the bottom? I'm worried that the batch is ruined because of the low temp. (19 celcius)

 

[iridium]

Have you tried wrapping the bucket in a towel itself? I have used that with the heating pad and the insulation provided by the towel helped keep the temperature where it needed to be. I have generally put a towel between the pad and the bucket.

 

[Aeludor]

I haven't put a towel around it, I did put one of those foldout things that go on your car windshield to reflect the heat out hoping it would insulate enough to keep it in .
I have a blanket I can wrap around it, and I'll change the towel under it to a single layer.

 

[cmason1957]

You should stop worrying about the temp. The yeast work fine at much lower temps than 19C. You won't ruin your wine at lower temps and might even make it better.

 

[Aeludor]

I got home from work and checked the progress. The heat pad on a towel with the reflective sun visor around it and the belt seemed to be working. Its sitting at 23c and has a wonderful froth all around it.

 

[Scooter68]

Now that it's fermenting take away that heating pad. The fermentation itself is generating plenty of heat and at most a towel is all you might need, if that. (See cmason1957 comments)

 

[Aeludor]

Will do, thanks Scooter.

Edit. I went and turned the pad off. It was up to 28 or 29 celcius. I'll check it again in the morning, and turn the belt off too if necessary. It's in my garage and want to maintain some heat. Have the garage furnace set to 19, otherwise it gets too be running all the time and gets expensive.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Yeast fermentation is exothermic. We work more keeping the fermentation temperature down as it progresses than heating it.
As cmaison said, don’t worry, , , , I have run a few test ferments at 10C (50F) and been happy. Low temp will retain more fruity flavor, higher temp moves to more tannic and stable reaction flavors.

 

[JustJoe]

19C is about the warmest fermentation I have done. Usually it's 16-18

 

[Aeludor]

19C is about the warmest fermentation I have done. Usually it's 16-18

How long does it take the yeast to work at the lower temp? Mine didnt appear to do anything until 22c. Do you start it then lower the temperature?

 

[JustJoe]

How long does it take the yeast to work at the lower temp? Mine didnt appear to do anything until 22c. Do you start it then lower the temperature?

It depends on the yeast. Lalvin 71B was the slowest. It took 12 days to get down to SG 1.010 and about another 3 weeks to ferment dry to 0.992. I use mostly red star premier classique and that takes 6 to 8 days to 1.010 about another 10 days to dry. I start all of my wines at 1.090 - 1.091.

 

[Aeludor]

It depends on the yeast. Lalvin 71B was the slowest. It took 12 days to get down to SG 1.010 and about another 3 weeks to ferment dry to 0.992. I use mostly red star premier classique and that takes 6 to 8 days to 1.010 about another 10 days to dry. I start all of my wines at 1.090 - 1.091.

Interesting. I'll have to remember that. A lower temp yeast would be better for my winter wine due to the fermenting location.

 

[Aeludor]

I'm wondering if I should remove the bag of apples from the primary. They have been in there seven days. The plan was to take them out tomorrow, but because the yeast took 3 days to get started, it's behind a couple days. It was bubbling pretty good last night when I stirred it (lots of foam when stirring). The SG went from 1.098 on Thursday to 1.066 yesterday. I was going to keep the apples in until <1.030 or 1.020, but would it hurt the wine to take it out tomorrow as originally planned even if the SG isn't at my target to transfer to the secondary?

 

[Rice_Guy]

I would not suggest fermenting below 50F / 10C for most wine yeast. Yes there are beer yeast that run colder.

How long does it take the yeast to work at the lower temp?

To have reasonable cell population this test was started at room temp for over night. The first phase is cell reproduction, not active fermentation/ sugar reduction/ alcohol.

Do you start it then lower the temperature?

sorry the graphics weren't cleaned up

 

[Aeludor]

Sg is at 1.046 today, going to take the apples out tomorrow. If it keeps the same rate it should be mid 1.020s tomorrow, maybe Monday.

 

[Scooter68]

I'd leave the apples in until you are ready to rack to the carboy (s). Get everything out of that pulp that you can.

 

[Aeludor]

SG hit 1.020 today, so it's been transferred to my secondary.