Bottle conditioning question

I there any harm letting bottles condition next to a forced air heating vent? Would excess heat potentially harm the beer?

You just don't want them to get above 80-85 degrees. Other than that you should be fine

MachineShopBrewing said:

You just don't want them to get above 80-85 degrees. Other than that you should be fine

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Thanks. But what are the risks? Skunking? Off flavors?

Shouldn't skunk as long as they're not exposed to light or oxygen. Storing beer in too warm of an environment for a long period of time could decrease the life of the beer. Off flavors or hot alcohol could develop if they're left to ferment or carbonate in too warm of an environment. Warm air for 5 minutes at a time shouldn't cause the temp in the bottles to rise. If you left them next to a radiator that continually pumped heat, I'd be more concerned.

I'm wondering the same thing. My basement is 60-65 degrees. Fermentation seemed to go fine at those temps but after reading various things here, I'm pulling out the space heater after I bottle. Hoping to be able to control the temp but am guessing I'll be high more likely than I'll be low.

There's no danger of the beer getting to 80-85 degrees. Lord knows the temp shifts commercial beer goes through through the distribution chain.

No, there's nothing wrong with setting them by a heat vent. If you have a sleeping bag or a box you can put around it, it will block out any light.

I had to do this with my Iron Brewer Entry, since it was carbing fast enough in my 60 degree apartment. Wrapped the milk crates in a thermal snuggy, and put them in my kitchen between my keezer and the heat vent. Worked like a charm.

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If fermentation was OK at 60-65, then what problem are you trying to solve by storing the bottles at a higher temperature? All you're doing is adding a risk of off-flavors from the yeast working at higher temps.

SagamoreAle said:

If fermentation was OK at 60-65, then what problem are you trying to solve by storing the bottles at a higher temperature? All you're doing is adding a risk of off-flavors from the yeast working at higher temps.

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I just keep reading from people who know a lot more than me that bottle conditioning should be at 70 degrees. I'm too wet behind the ears to question the logic.

60-65 is a fine temp for your beer to bottle condition... it just may take a bit longer than it would at 75. If youre dealing with a high gravity beer i'd stick them in the warmest place at your house.

Bamsdealer said:

60-65 is a fine temp for your beer to bottle condition... it just may take a bit longer than it would at 75. If youre dealing with a high gravity beer i'd stick them in the warmest place at your house.

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That's what I was thinking. I've been pretty patient for a first batch (at least I think so) and I will be as patient as need be to give the beer the best chance of being good. That being said, if it takes 5 weeks at 65 degrees v. 3 weeks at 75 degrees, and there is no off flavor as a result of 75 degrees, then why not shoot 70-75 with the space heater?

And this is a Porter but not a really high OG porter (1.052 I think was my OG).

SagamoreAle said:

If fermentation was OK at 60-65, then what problem are you trying to solve by storing the bottles at a higher temperature? All you're doing is adding a risk of off-flavors from the yeast working at higher temps.

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Perhaps you misunderstood my original question. I am not storing/cellaring the beer, I am bottle conditioning it. I've always been under the impression that bottle conditioning rule of thumb is 3wks @ 70*F. Im certain that you can condition at lower temps, but why wait if you dont have to? My question was whether or not conditioning temps of 80-85*F posed any risks. I usually cellar @ 50-60.

Revvy said:

No, there's nothing wrong with setting them by a heat vent. If you have a sleeping bag or a box you can put around it, it will block out any light.

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Thanks Revvy! This is what I was hoping to hear. I do keep the bottles in insulated bags while they're keeping toasty warm

SagamoreAle said:

If fermentation was OK at 60-65, then what problem are you trying to solve by storing the bottles at a higher temperature? All you're doing is adding a risk of off-flavors from the yeast working at higher temps.

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unionrdr said:

High temps at the bottle carbing & conditioning phase won't hurt it. But low temps can. The yeast can go dormant & stop carbonating. Simple as that.

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Union's right, you're ONLY fermenting a couple of GRAMS of sugar in each bottle, when you are bottle conditioning. Hardly enough to get any noticeable "off flavors" from it.

There's no danger of the beer getting to 80-85 degrees

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Thanks. But what are the risks? Skunking? Off flavors?

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I was more concerned about yeast health if you were to get above that more so than any harm to the beer. Some people's vents really kick out the heat and could feasibly get the beer warm enough to kill the yeast before it carbonates. That's all I was concerned about.

I had a similar question, I had an imperial stout conditioning in my basement for a week at 55-60* I just moved them into a cooler with a seed germination mat. The cooler is staying at 70-75*. In that first week could my yeast have gone dormant? Do I need to shake them a little or will the warm temps wake it back up if dormant ?

unionrdr said:

After they warm up,swirl them a bit to stir the yeast off the bottom back into solution.

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This. High gravity beer can be quite finicky when it comes to bottle carbonation. Especially after a long secondary. Stack your odds and give them a swirl every now and then. A little champagne yeast at bottling can work wonders too

Two weeks in a cooler around 80* swirling twice a week worked amazing. Fully carbonated after 2 weeks. Taste great, really starting to mellow