Fermenting at 80 Degrees

Hey All,

I spent my day today brewinig a pumpkin ale, which I hope to be serving on Thanksgiving. I pitched the yeast at about 7pm and the yeast has really taken off, but the temp on the carboy is reading 80 degrees. I just put a fan on it to cool it down a bit. Is the slightly high temp something I should be worried about?

Thanks!

80 degrees is pretty high, you will definitely want to get it down. You will get lots of fusel alcohols and fruity esters. The fruity esters may not be too bad in a pumpkin ale but the fusel alcohols will give you a wompin' headache (they are the bad alcohols). They also make the brew feel really 'hot' (not the nice warming sensation of 'good' alcohol).

Get the fermenter in a tub of water. Soak a towel and then wrap it around the fermenter so that the towel is making contact with the water. Then blow the fan on that, it should get you down a fair bit one would hope.

Thanks for your advise Brad. I did just that. Do you think we got it in time?

Thanks again.

Bob

I agree I put my fermentaion bucket in a cooler and put some ice with some tap water and put a towel around it. It is running a temp at 70F consistant and pluse its in my garage because my kids like to mess with it. It didnt cost me a thing.

The yeast would have mostly finished their growth stage and fermentation wouldn't have been too far along so I think you'll be ok. Beer is pretty forgiving stuff. Time as always is the key and will be the ultimate judge.

mayday1019 said:

Hey All,

I spent my day today brewinig a pumpkin ale, which I hope to be serving on Thanksgiving. I pitched the yeast at about 7pm and the yeast has really taken off, but the temp on the carboy is reading 80 degrees. I just put a fan on it to cool it down a bit. Is the slightly high temp something I should be worried about?

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Fermetation generates heat, sometimes almost a 10 degree differential from ambient as I've found from taping my controller sensor to the bucket in my chest freezer.

You really want to ferment in the very low 70s for good beer.

+1 on Edworts comment. Not drinking it too soon is also a must as conditioning mellows everything and it is worth the time.

I got caught in a warm spell and fermented some beer around 78 and 79 over the summer - it turned out well taste wise but you have to be careful - when you ferment that hight you can get a pretty good hangover if your not careful - especially after you drink a dizen the night before