Ales Only?

I live on the island of O`ahu in the Hawai`ian Islands. Elevation is about 300 feet above sea level.

Winter nites rarely get below 65 F and Summer nites rarely below 85F.

I can let by brew ferment outside in the shade

W/O extra equipment I believe I'm only into Ale.

What do you think?

There are some hybrid beer kits. Are you doing extract kits or all grain? I'm not into all grain yet. You could do a lager extract kit that's brewed at ale temps.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/california-common-extract-kit-2.html

C-Rider said:

W/O extra equipment I believe I'm only into Ale.

What do you think?

Click to expand...

Some people have had success by letting the beer ferment in ice water baths. They'll change out frozen soda bottles that are filled with water. Takes more effort, but it can be done.

You could brew using Kolsch yeast or Wyeast 2112 and get some pretty good results if you can do it in the 60's.

butler1244 said:

There are some hybrid beer kits. Are you doing extract kits or all grain? I'm not into all grain yet. You could do a lager extract kit that's brewed at ale temps.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/california-common-extract-kit-2.html

Click to expand...

That sounds interesting but I bet shipping will "kill" me.

So far I've only done 2 different Cooper's ales

waldoar15 said:

You could brew using Kolsch yeast or Wyeast 2112 and get some pretty good results if you can do it in the 60's.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I guess it I try it will only be a winter project.

waldoar15 said:

You could brew using Kolsch yeast or Wyeast 2112 and get some pretty good results if you can do it in the 60's.

Click to expand...

Winter lows maybe 64 at night, days up to 75 in the shade.

C-Rider said:

Winter lows maybe 64 at night, days up to 75 in the shade.

Click to expand...

That's too warm for ales, also. I'd suggest a water bath with a couple of frozen water bottles to keep the fermentation temperature 65 degrees.

So I live in NE and the biggest problem I found about brewing great lagers wasn't the low temps, it was the temperature fluctuation. I have a chest freezer converted kegerator which I use to hold my temps fairly accurately. In the summer here it can get will into the 90's, so it runs a bit more, in the winter time the back room gets to be about 50, but changes rapidly. If you want to try lagers, get a small chest freezer with the thermostat. I was basically told to do this by my LHBS store and it works great.

Three solutions:

1. Get a small fridge and a temp control device to on/off the fridge
2. Get a decent sized Vinotemp - temp controlled wine fridge
3. Trade houses with me - I'm in New Jersey so you can brew 2/3 the year without worrying about warm temps. I'll even throw in a free starter brewing kit.


Rev.

I keep my fermentation vessels in two igloo-style ice chests filled high with water. I swap 2-litre bottles morning and evening between the freezer and ice chest. That's been enough to keep me in the mid-60's, and you could always add additional water bottles to the morning rotation if it is still getting too warm. You don't need anything fancy to brew here

Mykola said:

I keep my fermentation vessels in two igloo-style ice chests filled high with water. I swap 2-litre bottles morning and evening between the freezer and ice chest. That's been enough to keep me in the mid-60's, and you could always add additional water bottles to the morning rotation if it is still getting too warm. You don't need anything fancy to brew here

Click to expand...

Wahoo! Someone from Hawai`i

What are you fermenting in? I'm using those 7 gallon buckets.

Do you get your supplies from the guy in Mapunapuna? Or internet?

I haven't graduated from Cooper's kits to recipes yet. Maybe soon

C-Rider said:

Wahoo! Someone from Hawai`i

What are you fermenting in? I'm using those 7 gallon buckets.

Do you get your supplies from the guy in Mapunapuna? Or internet?

I haven't graduated from Cooper's kits to recipes yet. Maybe soon

Click to expand...

I've used a couple 1gal glass carboys from making cider, a 5gal bucket from City Mill, and the 6.5gal fermentation bucket that I bought from Mike at Homebrew In Paradise by the airport.

Where I live during the summer my apartment's ambient temp is often in the triple digits and I have had success with ice water swamp coolers in the past.

Mykola said:

I've used a couple 1gal glass carboys from making cider, a 5gal bucket from City Mill, and the 6.5gal fermentation bucket that I bought from Mike at Homebrew In Paradise by the airport.

Click to expand...

Ya, Mike thats the store I was talking about in Mapunapuna Indust. Area.

Where did you get the igloo cooler big enough for the 6.5 bucket?

Try looking for a Coleman Extreme 60 quart or an Igloo 60 quart upright (upright cooler). I have a 7.9gallon wine bucket in one right now.

With some extra work you can get the Yooper build. I hate the sound of foam squeeking so I just cover mine in towels, leaving room for the airlock to poke out.



Freeze some 20oz and 1Liter bottles and change them out throughout the day to keep the temps down. You can also put a shirt over the carboy/bucket and let he water wick up the shirt while having a fan blowing on it. You'll get like 5 or more degree drop from the evaporation.

If you're handy google a Son of a Fermentation chiller. If you have cash to burn get a temperature controller and a fridge or chest freezer for the set it and forget it.

Thanks will be looking into all these options.