2ndary Ferment Temp - SoCal fires

Have you heard the news of the all the fires in So Cal?
Its really starting to heat up here, literally. I usually get consistent temps of 72 but the weather has been crazy lately (Global warming??). I have my beer in the secondary but now i'm getting temps closer to 78 approaching 80. Is that going to ruin my beer? I read that secondary ferment temps are more forgivable... True?

jiffybrew said:

(Global warming??).

Click to expand...

Are you talking about the climate thing, or the fact that a portion of the globe's surface is actually 'on fire'?

The Climate... the fires were fueled by the Santa Ana winds. It feels like its warmer and warmer these days. I remember a time when it was actually chilly in October.

Put yout fermenter in a cold water bath while it is that warm to keep out off-flavors. I am doing this during this week.

I had heat problems on my last brew. I put the carboy in a basin that had some water in it, covered the carboy with a tee shirt and let the bottom of the shirt sit in the water a little (just touching it). I then wet the shirt down and left it to continue soaking water from the basin on its own. Seemed to work out ok and dropped and maintained the temp a few degrees. Every few days i checked the water level.

Tell the SWMBO that no one gets to take showers for the next two weeks while the beer ferments, then place the carboy in the shower, and allow the shower to run over the carboy. Make sure you do this in a pleasing and tranqul manor so as not to upset the yeast. You also might want to look at the fung shui of your bathroom because beer likes freaking harmony damit!

If those wild fires are coming your way, I think you have bigger things to worry about than off flavors from a warm fermentation...

Luckily my problems arent that huge. We reached close to 100F today.

I would say the higher temps are due to the Santa Anna winds that happen every year, not G.W.

Ya, the winds come annually and always dry the air out and turn up the heat. I'm soaking a damp t-shirt around my fermenters and try to keep a fan going. We've hit 99 the past two days while it was hovering right around 70 just a week ago. Talk about a good brewing temp gone wrong.

Would bottled/conditioning beer be relatively safe from the heat since the fermentation is done or could the heat still add some esther-y flavors?