Very first homebrew complete! Recipe, pictures & a question about temperature inside.

Completed my first homebrew of an Irish Red Ale/IPA mashup last night at about midnight! Recipe:

• 5 gallons Deer Park spring water with 8 grams gypsum added, 3 gallon boil with two for top-off in fermenter
• 6lbs Gold LME
• 16oz specialty grain (12oz Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L, 2 oz Roasted Barley, 2oz Special B) steeped at 155F for 20 minutes
• 1oz Centennial-type hops (pellets, Cascade/Columbus blend) @60
• 1oz Centennial-type hops (pellets, Cascade/Columbus blend) @40
• 2oz Centennial-type hops (pellets, Cascade/Columbus blend) @5
• 1 package Muntons Ale Yeast
• 1.046 OG

Picture album of the process

; is it going at a good pace?

I feel as if it's fermenting at too high of a temperature though, unless I'm reading the sticker-thermometer on the fermenting bucket incorrectly. Three temperature ranges are colorful, with the 77F line being the most prominent color-wise; here's a picture:



Should I move the fermenter somewhere cooler, like my basement? According to Northern Brewer's store page, 77F is the upper-bound for the yeast that I'm using.

I already want to brew again. Maybe a porter or a stout. I need to get another bucket or a carboy, damnit.

77 is way too high. You should move it somewhere cooler. 70 is about max ambient temp for me. The fermentation will generate its own heat as well. Look up swamp cooler.

O ya too high. You really want to be in the 65-68 area. Look up swamp cooler. I consistently have a temp of 65 with this technique. Plus you must remember that the beer itself is a couple degrees higher than the ambient temp. Outside temp =77. Inside beer temp 79ish easily. That batch might taste like straight booze from fermenting so high. I had that problem often before I started using a swamp cooler. Good luck! And congrats on the first brew.

Ya get a swamp cooler going. Basically it's a large enough bucket/ container partly filled with water. Add some frozen water bottles. Drape a towel over your carboy into water. This will keep your temps in the 60's.
Slainte

The temperature strip is showing you the temperature of the beer. The liquid and bucket will conduct temperature way more than the outside air.

Your fermenting at 77 F. Might turn out good. Probably will have some fruitiness from the yeast.

Invest in a swamp cooler (large plastic bucket from Walmart). The water in the cooler acts as a pretty good heat sink, taking away most of the heat generated during fermentation.