Just realized my starter was happier at a lower temperature

I overheard a guy at the brew shop saying his starter stalled out above 78°F, so I moved mine from the warm cabinet to the basement (around 68°F) and it doubled in size overnight. Who knew my kitchen was too hot this whole time? Anyone else find their fermenting stuff does better cooler than they thought?

2 comments

2 Comments

martinez.karen14d agoMost Upvoted

Wild part is yeast temp preferences actually change based on what stage they're at. When they're waking up from dormancy they like it warmer to get active, but once they start eating and reproducing they produce their own heat. So your basement at 68 is probably way more stable than a cabinet that fluctuates every time you open the fridge or cook something. Yeast get stressed when temps bounce around too much. That's why a lot of commercial bakeries keep their proofing rooms around 70-72 but let the dough sit longer. Less stress on the yeast means better flavor too.

avery_stone9514d ago

A friend who brews beer told me their yeast actually needs the temp to be a few degrees lower during the second half of fermentation. Something about the sugars changing as the alcohol builds up. It made me wonder if my starter's been struggling because I never let it cool down enough during the later feedings.