The ongoing saga of my current batches...
I made two 2.5G batches of lager, pitched with a half a package of Wyeast Pilsner Urquel yeast each, and set them on the balcony to stay cool in fermentation. They were wrapped up in blankets and towels, and managed to stay fairly cool through the day. However, near the end of their primary fermentation, the weather got warmer and the beer had to move inside. To keep it cooler, they sat in a bathtub filled half up with cold water wrapped up in towels, with a fan set on them to cool via evaporation. They had to suffer this for a day or two before they were transferred for their secondary fermentation, which I would like to be lagering. I need to keep them cool for a month, and the bathtub isn't going to cut it. In about a week, I'll be able to put them in my fridge, but until then they have to stay in the tub.
Yesterday they got up to about 21*C before getting back into the tub, and then today they got up to 24*C while I had removed them so I could take a shower. This week, I want them to stay as cool as possible, and will be using either the bathtub or the balcony, weather permitting.
My first question - How much is the heat they have suffered in the last 3 days going to hurt the flavour of the beer?
Also, when I transferred to the secondary fermenter, I discovered that one batch was low by about half a gallon (of a 2.5g batch). When I brewed it, I boiled 1.5g (I only have a small brewpot), and dumped that into clean water in a clean carboy (I also don't have a wort chiller). However, I didn't have enough water in the carboy to make 2.5g, but it was in a carboy too large for it, and I didn't know it was short until I transferred it to the secondary. To compensate, I poured in 1/2g of water into the beer once it was put in the secondary fermenter, bringing it up to where it should be.
My second question - was that wise or foolish? What do you think will happen?
These batches have been through a lot, but I still have hope. However, next time I make a lager, it'll be once I can make a proper cold room for them...
I made two 2.5G batches of lager, pitched with a half a package of Wyeast Pilsner Urquel yeast each, and set them on the balcony to stay cool in fermentation. They were wrapped up in blankets and towels, and managed to stay fairly cool through the day. However, near the end of their primary fermentation, the weather got warmer and the beer had to move inside. To keep it cooler, they sat in a bathtub filled half up with cold water wrapped up in towels, with a fan set on them to cool via evaporation. They had to suffer this for a day or two before they were transferred for their secondary fermentation, which I would like to be lagering. I need to keep them cool for a month, and the bathtub isn't going to cut it. In about a week, I'll be able to put them in my fridge, but until then they have to stay in the tub.
Yesterday they got up to about 21*C before getting back into the tub, and then today they got up to 24*C while I had removed them so I could take a shower. This week, I want them to stay as cool as possible, and will be using either the bathtub or the balcony, weather permitting.
My first question - How much is the heat they have suffered in the last 3 days going to hurt the flavour of the beer?
Also, when I transferred to the secondary fermenter, I discovered that one batch was low by about half a gallon (of a 2.5g batch). When I brewed it, I boiled 1.5g (I only have a small brewpot), and dumped that into clean water in a clean carboy (I also don't have a wort chiller). However, I didn't have enough water in the carboy to make 2.5g, but it was in a carboy too large for it, and I didn't know it was short until I transferred it to the secondary. To compensate, I poured in 1/2g of water into the beer once it was put in the secondary fermenter, bringing it up to where it should be.
My second question - was that wise or foolish? What do you think will happen?
These batches have been through a lot, but I still have hope. However, next time I make a lager, it'll be once I can make a proper cold room for them...
