Fermentation Temps
 

I have searched but could not find an answer. When yeast manufacturers give recommended temp ranges are they talking ambient/room temps or internal fermenter temps? For instance, I plan to pitch Nottingham to or row which has a range of 57° to 70°F. My fermenter is in the basement with a max ambient temperature of 69 over the past few weeks.

I understand the myriad of methods to lower temps, but I am lazy, at the same time I want to do what's right (just with the least effort :D )

internal temp, I find even a fan blowing on the bucket will help lower the temp a couple of degrees.
Also if your basement has a concrete floor, placing your fermenter directly on the floor will also help keep temps down a bit.

The range given is the actual fermentation temperature range in the primary. Remember that actual temperature during fermentation can rise 5-10 degrees inside the primary so if you pitch, say at 69 and that is ambient then inside the temp could actually be 74-79 and that's too high.

You say you are lazy but want to do what's right so IMO you find a method of temp control that works for you and use it and your beer will be amazingly better for the effort!

With Notty, you'll want to keep it on the cooler side of the range. It can get pretty funky up near, or over 70 IME.
Check out these articles I wrot of ferm temps and controlling ferm temps.

'cool' temperature ale fermentation



'Swamp Coolers' and temperature control

Alright, you guilted me into it. :-) I just pitched the yeast ~1.5 hours ago. Its sitting in a tub of water, draped with towels, in a room that is ~68 ambient and will soon have frozen water bottles added. I can swap the water bottles 2-3x a day.

Should that drop the temps enough to get through? I am thinking to do this until vigorous fermentation stops for a few days then I should be ok with the 68 ambient temp

That will work great. Letting the temp rise to 68 after fermentation slows is fine. During active fermentation the yeast generates heat so it can get several degrees over ambient. Once it slows the brew will stay at ambient temp.

Yep, that'll do it for sure. This time of year, depending on your house, you may not have to switch out bottles all that often. The beer I pitched last week stayed around 64 degrees with only changing bottles once of twice a day in a ~70 degree room.

I need to get a themometer with memory but for now my random checks show that the water in the temp is right around 60 with the frozen water bottle additions with a few degrees of fluctuation as the bottles melt.

Fermentation has started but is rather slow (from all visible signs), I suppose that the temps alone could slow down fermentation along with a strain thats nor familiar to me (Nottingham). I am more accustomed to S-04 and S-05 going ape**** withing 8 hours of pitching. This guy started a few bubbles after 5 or 6 hours and is still going at that rate some 20 hours after pitching.

Either way temps are down, and I have signs of life, the yeast should be happier with the lower temps and I need to start planning for a way to do this long term and hopefully without swapping bottles! (freezer or fridge or something)

I've been doing this same method, last time I got down to 59 and everything stopped, had to remove the water bottles and bring the temp back up to mid 60's before the airlock started again..........

The lower temps will definitely slow down the fermentation, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. With the yeast you're using, a cool and steady fermentation will produce a much better beer than a quick, warm one will.