What is an acceptable fermentation temp swing?
I recently picked up a cheap chest freezer on Craigslist and set it up with an Inkbird controller. I made a pumpkin ale that uses WLP002, which wants a temp range of 65-69F (18-21C). The temp is being monitored through a thermowell.
I chilled the wort a little too cool down to 63F, figured I’d go ahead and pitch the yeast, threw the carboy in the freezer (on top of a few layers of bubble wrap to insulate from the freezer coils), and programmed a set value of 69F. It held temp for a really long time, and now 24 hours later I’m pleased to see the airlock bubbling and “cottage cheese” churning away in the carboy. I got concerned after reading about needing a fan in the fermentation chamber, so I threw in a 9in desk fan just running all the time (not tied to temp control). Once the wort reached 1deg F over my set temp (to 70F), the freezer kicked on and despite the freezer turning off at 69F, the wort cooled all the way to 67F. If my temp continues to oscillate like this from 67F to 70F will it negatively affect the beer? My biggest fear is that there are portions of the wort that are certainly cooler than 67F, and I don’t want to end up with a stuck fermentation. I also imagine once the really active fermentation period is over, the beer may cool down even lower than 67F since it won’t be churning away.
So my question: is a 3deg F (1.7deg C) temp swing too much, and how will that affect the beer if it continues to oscillate like that? I’m new to the fermentation chamber thing, so maybe I’m overthinking this. But I’m also worried that the fan operating 24/7 inside the freezer is going to add unwanted heat to the system, causing more freezer cycling and more frequent temp oscillations.
I know all this is probably overkill. But it’s the nerd in me that wants to solve these little problems. And hey, that’s what this community is all about! Would love to hear y’alls suggestions on how to minimize oscillations. Would adding a fermwrap help or hurt?
Thank you!