temperature

I tried to search for this answer but came up empty handed. I want to get started in brewing, but I'm afraid I don't have a good place to do it. I wanted to use my garage, but it isn't temperature controlled. Therefore, I imagine it will be way too hot in the summer 90 degrees or more, and too cold in the winter, almost freezing. Where do you guys brew, and what and how constant is the temperature?

I brew in my house where it is about 68-72 degrees at all times... NOW, I also have a freezer with a temperature controller on it for brewing in the summer or for making lagers that have to ferment at 50 degrees. You want to have a pretty constant temperature... +/- 4 degrees or so? It is easier on the yeast and makes a more consistent beer.

In the winter I brew in my house which we keep at 65 degrees. In the summer I also brew in my house but I bought some coolers and made some polystyrene insulation lids for them to keep the temps down.

A constant temperature is one of the greatest challenges many of us face. I ferment in the laundry room in the summer (it's around 68 degrees in there) but it's too cool in the winter, so in the winter my fermenters go in our den/office. That's the warmest room in our house in the winter, around 64 degrees. You might have a spare bathroom, a closet, a spot in the basement, etc that would be ok, but the garage would never work with those variances. In fact, even if the temperature was 70 during the day in the spring, it would drop at night. You want to avoid fluctuations.

i built a fermentation chiller:

http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF

simple construction (i just hold it together with silicone and duct tape ) and works like a charm!

I took over my daughters iron bathtub. Drape a cold wet beach towel on top. Rewetting daily. My temp is running about 78-80 in the house but my fermenter is 70.

Good Luck.

Kevin
Tidewater Brewing

I brewed last night. Earlier today it started bubbling like a bastard. So i guess thats good..My room temp is around 70-72. My temp in the bath is around 60. It was a little cooler ealier today.

Is 60 or lower too cold?

i say don't go below 60 unless it's a lager or hybrid yeast.

Last night I tried to find a thermometer to figure out which room in my house is the coldest. I'm fairly confident I'll find a room that is consistently 70ish. Does using a wet towel really work? I can't imagine it would affect the temp more than a degree or two. Anybody know for sure?

A wet towel and a fan will drop the temps on my fermenters by 10 degrees. I brew in the garage. In the summer I use a cooler, filled with water. A towel drapped around the fermenter with a fan blowing on it (one end of the towel in the water) when temps are normal, 80 or so. When it gets hot (95+) I'll drop frozen 2 liter soda bottles in the cooler as well. Beer stays close to 68 all the time

I've used all of the tricks listed, but this summer I haven't brewed at all. Winters are nice for brewing as it is easy to keep a fermenter warm. Sometimes, just putting it in a cardboard box is enough. As it gets colder, switch to lagers.

Now that my new kegger is online, I'll use the old one as a fermentation cabinet.