For someone like me who can't get a temp-controlled mini fridge, summer was easy to understand, if a bit tedious - when your ferm temp is getting higher than you like, throw some ice or frozen water bottles into the swamp cooler to bring the temp down. Repeat forever.
Now I've got the opposite problem. I like to keep my house at about 60 or lower on the thermostat, but that means that my fermentor is always slowly cooling to below the yeast's ideal temp range. Being that the weather just cooled off where I am, I'm reacting by putting hot water into the swamp cooler. Now, is this the best approach, or is there some other way to keep the fermentor warmer (~65-70F) without all the constant temp adjustments?
Along the same lines, does lower than 70 temps affect bottle conditioning & carbonation? If the bottles get down to about 60, will they still carb OK, or do I need to ensure warmer temps for those as well?
Slightly unrelated, since my house is generally at 52 or so in the winter (hate high gas bills), that's right in the temp wheelhouse of lager yeast, right? So other than lower temps, what are the differences in making lagers vs ales? I take it the fermentation time is longer, but how much longer?
Now I've got the opposite problem. I like to keep my house at about 60 or lower on the thermostat, but that means that my fermentor is always slowly cooling to below the yeast's ideal temp range. Being that the weather just cooled off where I am, I'm reacting by putting hot water into the swamp cooler. Now, is this the best approach, or is there some other way to keep the fermentor warmer (~65-70F) without all the constant temp adjustments?
Along the same lines, does lower than 70 temps affect bottle conditioning & carbonation? If the bottles get down to about 60, will they still carb OK, or do I need to ensure warmer temps for those as well?
Slightly unrelated, since my house is generally at 52 or so in the winter (hate high gas bills), that's right in the temp wheelhouse of lager yeast, right? So other than lower temps, what are the differences in making lagers vs ales? I take it the fermentation time is longer, but how much longer?