High pitching temps...

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jamesdawsey

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I live in Georgia, and the temps for the last month or so have been sticking in the upper 80's lower 90's. And seeing how I brew outside I can't get them down to appropriate pitching temps with my immersion wort chiller. You guys know anything about pitching yeast at high temps? I'm also fermenting a bit too high (currently 68*F-72*F) but I'm familiar with the effects of that.

Yeasts used: Wyeast 1056, WLP002, Wyeast 3787

Last three beers respective to above yeasts: sessionable pale ale, American brown ale, and belgian IPA.

Appreciate any/all helpful hints!!
 
Hmm... if you have a controlled fermentation freezer, I'd recommend chilling your wort down to water you can with your IC, then putting it in your freezer until it's to pitching temp (I have to do this in the Summer too). If you pitch then chill quickly, you won't run into disaster or anything. But those first 2 days of fermentation are most critical in terms of ester development. Also, fermenting at 70F+ can create fusels... something akin to jet fuel. Be careful ;)
 
Simple, it isn't good to pitch most yeast at those high temps, you'll get lots of fusels and off flavors, plus 68-72 is a little high for most ale yeasts. Solution- use Belgian yeasts that like high temps, like the 3787 and Saison yeasts.
 
I too live in GA, so I know exactly what your going through. I have found two solutions.

1) Buy a 2nd IC and use as a prechiller. I put it in a 12qt pot. I dont add water/ice to the prechiller pot until I get the temp down to about 100. I can usually get it down to the mid 70s

2) Plan for a post boil volume of about 4.25 gallons and top off with ice cold water.

Im sure there are many other options that use other types of chillers, but most of those require a pump.
 
Thanks guys! All of these are good ideas. I've already got the temp. controlled fridge. Starting there!
 
Get yourself a second wort chiller and place it in-line in front of the one that actually chills the wort. Put the second one in a bucket and standby. Chill your wort as per usual but when you get it down to the lowest you cant on it's own, throw some ice in the bucket with the second chiller and pre-cool your last few gallons of water before it goes into the primary chiller. You'll be able to take it down to 50F or lower without any problem.
 
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