Thanks for the advice Brewer. I am keeping the fermentor in a tub of water with some ice as well to make sure it stays below 70 degrees.
My only concern is that so far I am not seeing in bubbles in the airlock (brewing done about 6 hours ago) -- is this normal?
Hey, DS: I'm getting to the forum a little late;however, it looks like all the others have answered your questions.
The best way I have found to get a super quick start to the fermentation is to use one of these.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wine-wand.html
The one I have looks more like a paint stirrer with two folding plastic paddles mounted on the end of a stainless steel wand[~US$20.00]. I attach mine to a drill, insert the degassing wand into the wort, frappe it into a froth, pitch the yeast, another quick frappe and affix the airlock. I very often achieve active fermentation in a hour or two depending on the gravity of the wort, temperature and batch size. Yes, you read that right an hour or two on a 1.054 OG and maybe 4-6 hours maximum on a 1.064 OG. It makes all the difference in the world when the wort is super aerated, and a large starter is pitched.
A word on temps: read the manufacturers suggested pitching temps are usually initially higher, and then the active fermentation temps can be as much as 5 degrees lower. So if you pitch at 80F you will want to be darn certain that the wort will cool to the 70-75 F range where most ale yeasts thrive and you don't get any off flavors. The exception are some of the Belgium ale yeasts:
http://home-brewing.northernbrewer.com/search#w=belgium ale yeasts&asug=
which can take temps up to 86F such as the Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyeast-belgian-ardennes.html
"One of many great beer yeasts to produce classic Belgian ales. Phenolics develop with increased fermentation temperatures, mild fruitiness and complex spicy character. Apparent attenuation: 72-76%. Flocculation: high.
Optimum temp: 65°-85° F"
I have used the 3522 for many years with great success. The summer temps here in central Va often climb into the 90F for days on end which are much too high a temp for most ale yeast to ferment well. My kitchen will often reach 86F which is the high end for this strain, but look at the low end range of 65F for 3522. At the cooler end it will not develop the esters and phenolics that it does at the higher extreme.
DS said... "Danstar Nottingham Ale (a dry yeast recommended by Northern Brewer)"
Yes, it is an excellent yeast as are the rest of that line of dry yeasts and they are much less expensive than either White Labs or Wyeast. I have had a lot of success with
Cooper's dry yeast[south Australia origination] which can tolerate temps up to 80F, and come out clean for IPA's and American Pale Ales. If you make a large starter the day or two before you pitch your yeast you can, with proper temps, make a finished primary fermentation in as little as 12 days with a 1.064 OG wort.
This is where the aeration/degassing wand comes in and allows the yeast to get jump started and active fermentation is off and running within hours instead of much longer periods. I recommend everyone who brews to purchase the paddle type degassing wand and use it the next time you pitch your yeast. It will save you days of non super aerated wort fermentation. I much rather have a finished beer in half the time. Wouldn't you? You'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Take care.
BREWER
Ah Northern is good malt. My first brew was also a Munton's Nut Brown Ale, and many after that too.
