4 Tips for the Best Fermentation in Your Beer

Fermenting your homebrewed beer will be the make-or-break point for the entire batch. No matter how much preparation you’ve done up until that point, a bad fermentation can instantly ruin your beer and make it undrinkable. That’s why you can’t take fermenting lightly; it requires regular supervision and monitoring to ensure that everything goes well. We’ll give you a few tips for the best fermentation in your beer, so you never end up with unpalatable swill ever again.

Don’t Skimp on the Yeast

Of all the factors that affect fermentation, your yeast will be the key ingredient that you need to focus on. Perhaps the biggest mistake that new brewers make it not pitching enough yeast in their beer in order to get a proper fermentation process started. Under-pitching the yeast in your beer can lead to it tasting unpleasantly sweet and encourages the production of fusel oils, which only make the drinking experience even worse.

Monitor Temperature Closely

A good tip for quality beer fermentation is to make sure that you keep a close eye on the temperature as fermentation happens. Fermentation naturally increases the temperature of the entire liquid, and you want to make sure that the temperature doesn’t get out of control. Higher temperatures mean that your beer will produce more esters and fusel oils, leading to a much worse-tasting final product. Carefully watch the temperature as the fermentation begins, as it will be more vulnerable at that time.

Use Yeast Nutrients for Some Worts

If you’re making a strong beer, there’s a good chance that your wort will have enough nutrients to fully support the yeast that you add in. However, not all worts will have the required amount of nutrients to make it work. Yeast nutrient additions are a good choice when the wort you plan on using isn’t particularly dense with natural nutrients of its own. Err on the side of caution though; too much can spoil the whole thing.

Prevent Oxygen Contamination

Anything you can do to protect your beer from oxygen is something you need to take seriously. Especially if you’re brewing from home, where you’ll likely leave your beer to ferment for quite some time, oxygen can find its way in and completely ruin your beer if you aren’t careful. Never open up your fermenting beer unless it’s absolutely necessary and keep your measurements quick without lingering too long.