Temperature variation (Igloo)

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BADS197

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I can keep the igloo cold around 55-60 degrees or so depending on the temps in my apartment. This is a reading taken from a floating thermometer in the igloo.

I find it hard to regulate the temps around 70.

I've cut back on the amount of water in the 2ltr bottle to half but the temp still drops fairly low, around 60 or so...

I've tried the last few days by letting it go and seeing what the max temps are in the water and i've seen almost 80, so i drop the ice bottle in and the temps drop to low 60's...

Is it better for me to not worry and keep dropping a 2ltr in every morning and letting the temps be a little lower and just ferment longer or ??

thanks
Jake
 
I assume thet you are talking about keeping your fermenting wort cool by placing it in a water bath in an cooler with iced water bottles. The temp in the fermenter will be slightly higher than the temp of the water in the cooler. I would say just drop a new ice bottle in each morning and let the yeasites do their thing. Depending on the yeast you used and the recoemended ferement temps for that perticular strain, A longer cooler ferment will result in a cleaner flavor.
 
thanks

I checked the temps a few minutes ago and they were both at 70 but if the temps are higher in the bottles then that makes sense.

I would prefer to do the fermentation lower and longer than higher and have it messed up.

One of them had rasberries dropped in a few days ago so the acidity of the wort has increased. I hope the temps and the acidity don't kill the yeast.
 
I've never done a fruit beer but I could imagine a senario where the esters produced by higher ferment temps might be within style. I usually try to keep the ambient temp between 62-66 so the ferment temp is in the 65-68 range.
If you're using a carboy, and old t-shirt over the bottle wicking moisture up from the water bath will help too, possibly give you another 2-3 degree drop in the wort temp.
 
I'm using 2 60qt Igloo coolers, with 1 carboy in each. Half filled with water and using 1 (2ltr) bottle of ice water for cooling.

If I keep at it every morning, the temps stay as low as 55-60 degrees.

Amazing considering my apartment is often 100 degrees inside.
 
I use an igloo cooler (the square kind, not sure what size) for fermenting too, and I've found that with a 32 ounce gatorade bottle and a 20 oz water bottle I can keep it very consistent (+/- 1.5 degrees) by changing them out before work and before bed. If I want it cooler or warmer I skip a cycle or add and extra gatorade bottle in one or two cycles, then I go back to my normal 52 ounce cycle. I've been pleased with the results. I can adjust the temperatures slightly with the top of the cooler open or closed. My apartment only gets up to about 80 or so in the day, however, as my cat might not like it being 100. Also, as a side note, I keep my water level in the cooler at the same level as the beer in the carboy.
 
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