Winter warmer....in a bad way...

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Beernewb

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have temp control problem in the basement in the winter, ale fermenting is usually ok, it rarely gets below 64 degrees down there, but I bottled last night and payed around with the small heater I purchased to bring the temps up a bit..I put everything in boxes, covered with a blanket and into my converted freezer with the door open. Set the heat at 68 about 2 feet away. When i went to bed last night around 2am after obsessing for a bout an hour, moving the heater back and forth, playing with a low setting vs temp control at 68, i left and went to bed...

75 this morning...am i screwed here with off flavors and bitter beer?
 
If that's the room temperature, it'll be ok. It takes full carboys (especially insulated with blankets) a long time to change temperature. Do you have a stick on thermometer on the fermenters so you can see what the actual fermentation temperature is?
 
unfortunately, it's not the room temp, it fermented for 4 weeks between 64-68 degrees down there, i tried to bump the temp up last night because i bottled..they are 16.9 oz and 18.7 oz bottles in boxes.


If that's the room temperature, it'll be ok. It takes full carboys (especially insulated with blankets) a long time to change temperature. Do you have a stick on thermometer on the fermenters so you can see what the actual fermentation temperature is?
 
yes, 70-75 is perfect for just-bottled beer. It's too warm for primary fermentation though so when you start a new batch you'll want it back in the low 60s again.

I believe that the first 5 days or so of fermentation is when most of your off flavors would be produced, and the most important time for good temperature control. After that it doesn't seem to be a problem if it gets warmer (within reason of course) - I often bump up the temperature a little as they slow down just to help complete attenuation.
 
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