bottle conditioning temp for Irish Stout

I recently bottled my Stout and I wonder what the safe temp ranges are for storing the cases of bottles. I have them currently at 80F. We are in S.Florida, so finding a spot with an ambient temp any lower is tough, no basements here. I do have a wine bottle chiller, but the warmest I can get it without turning it off is 60F. If I turn it off it stays at 80F. Quite the conundrum…

I would say leave it at 80 for a week or two, check one for carbonation, then keep them cooler. 80 degrees will make it carbonate pretty quickly and you don't really have to worry about off flavors during carbonation. The beer will slowly degrade if you store it for a long time at that temperature though, so once you know they're carbonated I'd bring them down.

Set that wine cooler to 50 degrees or so and you've got a great way to cellar the stout without a cellar! Plus the stout will probably taste best on the warmer side.

zachattack said:

I would say leave it at 80 for a week or two, check one for carbonation, then keep them cooler. 80 degrees will make it carbonate pretty quickly and you don't really have to worry about off flavors during carbonation. The beer will slowly degrade if you store it for a long time at that temperature though, so once you know they're carbonated I'd bring them down.

Set that wine cooler to 50 degrees or so and you've got a great way to cellar the stout without a cellar! Plus the stout will probably taste best on the warmer side.

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Thanks for reply. I like the cellar idea. I took a gravity reading before I bottled and it was 1.019-1.02. The kit's instructions called for 1.010-1.012. I wonder if and how this may affect the outcome. I tasted my gravity sample and it was pretty good, no crazy flavors or anything. I brewed, cooled to 66F,pitched, and transfered to bucket which I stored in a shaded spot in our house(probably high 70's, A/C not on yet). I wrapped the bucket in a cold, wet towel to hopefully help keep it cool. The airlock stopped moving, after about 36 hours, and I continued to store it that way for about a week. I then transfered it to a 5gal glass carboy which I put in the wine chiller until I bottled(about 3 weeks). This is only my second attempt at home brewing, and the first one, a Pale Ale did about the same thing regarding the fermentation. That batch I put directly into our 6gal glass carboy. I pitched the yeast directly into the carboy without booming it. I pitched when the wort was way too hot, come to find out, so I can see why it did some fast fermenting, but this stout I chilled to 66F and it acted the same way. I did bloom the yeast for the stout. Would that make a big difference?

As long as you got the same gravity and took readings a couple days apart you should be fine. A lot of people on this forum say that 1.02 is normal for kit beers. Look into getting/making a "swamp cooler" or use your wine chiller to control and regulate the temperature of your fermentations. I live in S.Florida too(about 90 miles from Cuba) so I understand what your going through and my swamp cooler keeps my carboy at 66 no prob. As for conditioning....3 weeks at 70 degrees then a week in the fridge, sometimes it may be a month longer than that. When you say "bloom the yeast" do you mean make a starter? If so then go to Mr. Malty and plug in your OG and it will tell you how much yeast you should be pitching, liquid or dry, and how big of a starter youd need to make if you need it.

I agree with Zach too....dont drink it ice cold. Stouts are better cool so the roastiness and flavors come out more.

When you say "swamp cooler", I am assuming you mean a foam box with ice cube trays and a fan. I have considered it, but space and maintenance are issues. The wine chiller would be ideal if I could get it to stay at a warmer temp. I can only get it to 60F. It's out in our carport next to the beverage fridge Now that summer is here, the temp out there will probably reach 85-90. With the chiller turned off it becomes about the same as the ambient temp. That won't work. Do you have any suggestions for "swamp cooler"designs?

I also agree that the stout needs to be drunk at a bit warmer temp. Looking forward to trying it

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LMAO I have to call myself out here...after rereading your OP I realize you were talkin about bottles not your carboy ...maybe get a temp regulator for the wine chiller, like people get to convert freezers to kegerators.

KeyWestBrewing said:

LMAO I have to call myself out here...after rereading your OP I realize you were talkin about bottles not your carboy ...maybe get a temp regulator for the wine chiller, like people get to convert freezers to kegerators.

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Thanks. I'll look into that.