Mead fermentation temp

reelseasick · 05-30-2008, 04:01 PM

I am making a mead with levin47 yeast. My kitchen warms up into the mid 70 to upper 70's. Is this too warm for mead yeast?
I once lost a batch of beer because it was around 78 during the summer and the yeast went bad and gave me that bandaid taste.

**summersolstice** · 05-30-2008, 04:37 PM

I assume you mean Lalvin D-47? This is a wine yeast and not specifically designed for mead, though it works well for mead. D-47 does best at temperatures between 59F-68F so you could develop some off odors and, later, off flavors. It's always a good idea to research your choice of yeast and take such things as fermentation temperature, flavor profile, nutrition needs, and alchohol tolerance into consideration prior to pitching.

Freezeblade · 05-30-2008, 04:38 PM

You should be fine, I've got a cranberry/hibiscus mead using that same yeast right now, and it's getting pretty warm in the room (heat spell around here, and getting close to summer) and it's still bubbling away. wine yeast in general is much more forgiving tempwise than ale or lager yeast.

reelseasick · 05-30-2008, 04:45 PM

ok, so will ferment but watch temp a bit and go to the neighbors basement to age after 30 days when I rack into secondary.

malkore · 05-30-2008, 10:31 PM

do a search on 'swamp cooler' that'll keep it in the low 70's pretty effectively.

socalamcor · 09-29-2008, 02:45 AM

from what i remember from reading d47 should do fine between 50s to mid 80s

socalamcor · 10-02-2008, 01:29 AM

past two days my primary has been getting up into the mid 90s (a.c. broke) even with the boost in temp everything is still chuggin away, hope im not killin off too much of the d47. just put her in a tub of water around 85 to bring it down slowly. should i continue with doing that? sg was 1.122 before adding peaches and is down to 1.065 after three days

**Yooper** · 10-02-2008, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalamcor

past two days my primary has been getting up into the mid 90s (a.c. broke) even with the boost in temp everything is still chuggin away, hope im not killin off too much of the d47. just put her in a tub of water around 85 to bring it down slowly. should i continue with doing that? sg was 1.122 before adding peaches and is down to 1.065 after three days

It'll live up into the 90s with no problems, but 80s (or lower) is definitely better.

socalamcor · 10-02-2008, 01:36 AM

after two weaks im going to be pulling out the fruit thats in there, i will be adding another 10-15 lbs of fruit should i go ahead and rack at that time or should i pull out some of the mead and treat the fruit in that and add it back into primary