Best beer for warm fermentation temps

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Puddlethumper

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I live in central California and summer temps are often in the 100's. Can't afford to keep the house at 70F to ferment my beer and another refrigerator and the controller unit aren't in the budget. Any suggestions for beers that can handle fermentation at 75 - 78F ? I can keep the house at that temp without busting the utility budget.
 
Saisons are probably the best for that temp. Search for swamp cooler cheap and effective way to keep temps down.
 
I live in central California and summer temps are often in the 100's. Can't afford to keep the house at 70F to ferment my beer and another refrigerator and the controller unit aren't in the budget. Any suggestions for beers that can handle fermentation at 75 - 78F ? I can keep the house at that temp without busting the utility budget.

You'd be surprised at how reasonably you can set up a digitally controlled fermentation chamber. A used freezer/fridge from Craigslist and a STC-1000 dual temp controller can be done for about $100.

Then you can brew whatever you like, ferment at ideal temps, and it will be tasty.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

 
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Saisons are probably the best for that temp. Search for swamp cooler cheap and effective way to keep temps down.

Yup, grew up with swamp coolers. No place to set one up to just cool my fermenters and not practical to change the HVAC for the house. (cheaper to get a fridge and controller).

Good suggestion about saisons. Have had no experience with those so will follow up on that. Thanks for the tip.
 
If you have fermenters, but think there's no place to set up a swamp cooler to cool your fermenters, then you're thinking of something different. Seriously, do a search here and you may be surprised - we're talking a Rubbermaid bin just big enough for your fermenter and some ice water for chilling. Not talking about tons of space.
 
If you have fermenters, but think there's no place to set up a swamp cooler to cool your fermenters, then you're thinking of something different. Seriously, do a search here and you may be surprised - we're talking a Rubbermaid bin just big enough for your fermenter and some ice water for chilling. Not talking about tons of space.

Obviously must be thinking of something different. The swamp coolers I know about are boxes 3' - 4' square with poplar or foam pads in the sides, a water reservoir and pump, and a big squirrel cage fan inside used to cool a whole house. Can't see how that would be any better or cheaper than a fridge and controller. And trying to keep cold water around my fermenters all summer would be just as much hassle.

Nighttime temps here drop into the mid to high 70's. And I may have a couple of fermenters going at a time. I know that people somewhere in the world are brewing beer year around. Therefore there must be some varieties of yeast/malts/hops that lend themselves to warmer fermentation temps.
 
Yup, grew up with swamp coolers. No place to set one up to just cool my fermenters and not practical to change the HVAC for the house. (cheaper to get a fridge and controller).

Good suggestion about saisons. Have had no experience with those so will follow up on that. Thanks for the tip.

He's not talking about an actual swamp cooler that you'd use for cooling your house. He's talking about a big tub that you'd fill with water and put your fermenter in the water. Then you periodically add ice to keep it in a certain temp range. Never tried it myself but I know a lot of guys do and they say it works well.
 
He's not talking about an actual swamp cooler.

Search swamp cooler on the forum. You can use frozen 2 liters, a wet t shirt, and a fan and it should get your fermentation much lower.
 
Then you periodically add ice to keep it in a certain temp range. QUOTE]

I can see where that would work but trying to stay attentive to it while also working a job and other chores is a invitation to failure. It would be great if I were home all day and could monitor the temperature and ice when needed. But loading up with ice and then leaving it in a warm house all day would result in beer that was chilled in the morning and hot when I got home and all the ice was melted.

Again, I can keep the house at 75 - 78 and I really am trying to learn if there are recipes that lend themselves to those temps.
 
I really appreciate the comments and guys wanting to help with this. But my question was about beers that would handle warmer fermentation temps, not how to change the temperatures I'm working with. I know that there are plenty of gizmos out there to create a cool area for fermentation. I may end up having to go that route, but, for the purpose of this thread I'm looking for beer recipes, not gizmos. Thanks again for any insight you might have on the subject.
 
The only answer is Saisons.

Yep, but even with Saisons I like to start them off around 68F (depends on yeast and recipe) then ramp them up over a couple days. I'd say try a batch see how it turns out. There's usually certain places in a house that are a bit cooler or warmer than the rest of the house...so try to keep it in a cooler location at least for the first few days. If you find the ester profile is too high or you're getting fusel alcohols, you might have to consider brewing in cooler months until you can set up some kind of temp control.
 
you might have to consider brewing in cooler months until you can set up some kind of temp control.

I'm afraid that may be where I end up when all is said and done. But this being my first year of brewing I'm trying to learn what I can and cannot do with what I have to work with. We don't have basements in this part of the country so I'm sorta stuck with what the house HVAC system will do.

The ideal solution will keep me supplied with nice cold beer all summer but our summers are really long and hot and that means a lot of beer. So I either brew a ton in the winter months (then have storage issues), find a way to brew through the summer, or buy store-bought when my own supplies run low. (ugh!)

aha!---maybe saving the cost of the store-bought beer will offset the cost of the fridge and temp control ... new thought! ...hmmm

Thanks for the input!
 
YMMV, but I kicked off my post-move brewing last August by using WLP029 in the basement (really just a storage room in the garage) and temps were around 74-78. I had some excellent results with that yeast in PAs and IPAs. The Nottingham ale yeast, not so much.
 
I'm glad you mentioned the vaiable results with the different yeasts. I typically brew PA's and Amber Ales so it is good to know that if I attempt one there is some chance for success.
 
You can get pretty good temp control with a towel and a tub I water once you get a feel for it.
 
I just don't think it's a problem. I have no air conditioning and have had brews that fermented close to 80*. Maybe I just don't have delicate tasters but my beers turned out great for my taste. I've made light ales to heavy barleywines that way.

Safale -05 says 75* is the top end of the ideal temperature range. You might want to try it.
 
BRY-97 says 78 at its top end. Again another option for a yeast. But I think Saisons sound like a great option for you.
 
I just don't think it's a problem. I have no air conditioning and have had brews that fermented close to 80*. .....
Safale -05 says 75* is the top end of the ideal temperature range. You might want to try it.

Thanks for that comment. I just used Safale dry yeast for the first time yesterday (S-04 in some Porter). I didn't realize the 05 was that tolerant.
 
YMMV, but I kicked off my post-move brewing last August by using WLP029 in the basement (really just a storage room in the garage) and temps were around 74-78. I had some excellent results with that yeast in PAs and IPAs. The Nottingham ale yeast, not so much.
I'm using WL029 yeast on 2 batches right now. I made a starter for the light colored one,pitched straight on the dark colored one. They both fermented steady as a rock in the recommended 65-69F temp range. Since it ferments at a slow to medium pace so steadilly,not much residual heat is produced. Cleaver,these Germans...gunna wash both of them.
Thanks for that comment. I just used Safale dry yeast for the first time yesterday (S-04 in some Porter). I didn't realize the 05 was that tolerant.

Yeah,US-05 can ferment pretty well even at 60F for some very clean tasting beer. I was surprised at that myself when I observed it the first time.
 
Yeah,US-05 can ferment pretty well even at 60F for some very clean tasting beer. I was surprised at that myself when I observed it the first time.

It's nice when things work out ...

I just decided to save some bucks on my beer by switching from liquid yeast to US-05. So I bought a half dozen packets. It is amazing how versatile this strain is. I keep learning of new applications for it.
 
The only answer is Saisons.

Yes, this is the answer.

I am sure someone will try to say Belgians, but they need good temp control for the first part of the fermentation, or they will create fusels.

Good advice. Thanks. Have looked into these beers and it looks like they may just do the trick. I just started a new thread in the Recipes forum looking for saison recipes so if you've got a recipe you were happy with I'd appreciate learning about it.

Thanks again.
 
Any kind of wheat beer would be good as well at warmer temps. I like the Sam Adams winter lager,as it's a dark wheat bock. The WL029 yeast would likely work well in that one too. It's supposed to give a clean,lager-like flavor at 65-69F. US-05 would likely be as clean.
 
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