Brewing and hot weather forecasts?

[robertbartsch]

This summer in the northeast has been hot as hell and brewing has been a challenge trying to get fermentation temps down to a resonable level. I tossed a couple of batches and I suspect it related to high fermenting temps.

Anyway, recently, we have had a few cool spells that have made brewing easier in <70F weather.

Anyway, do you try to time your brewing schedule to cooincide with the cooler temps? I generally avoid forecasts since they are not too reliable, but now that I am brewing more, I will check the local weather forecasts more often and aviod hot spells.

I usually leave my beer in the primary for 5 or 6 weeks and I beleive the most critical period for temp control is the intitial fermentation stage (e.g., the first few days).

Is this correct?

 

[ChrisNH]

Luckily in the NE we have nice cool basements..

Can you put your fermenter down there to do its bubbling?

Chris

 

[kpr121]

Do you use a swamp cooler or anything to lower your temps? I've found that no matter the outside air temp, even in the 90's this summer in SW PA, my swamp cooler (a 70 qt cube cooler) with a frozen 2 liter bottle sitting in my basement will keep my temps down below 60 degrees if need be. In fact, lately it has been getting too cold (Fermometer read 56 this morning - good thing I'm looking for a nice clean pumpkin ale), that I'm thinking about either using 20 oz bottles or trying to automate the process (temp controller and pond pump) to keep consistant temps...

 

[robertbartsch]

yeh, I ferment in the basement which is usually much much cooler than the rest of the house. This summer, however, the basement temps were much higher than normal.

I'm a lazy extract brewer and I did not attempt to use a swamp cooler. I don't think my bad batches were infections - nothing unusual except weird bad after-tastes...

 

[kegtapper]

A swamp cooler is the way to go. I use a simple tub with water bottles. My temps average 68 degrees.

 

[Anubis]

Yep. Best thing to do is put em in water. Even a large storage bin or trash can will work. Then it's just a matter of a floating thermometer and a rotation of frozen water bottles.
I still watch the weather and aim to ferment on cooler days but I don't put all my eggs in that basket.

 

[scottland]

It was 111* here in Phoenix on Sunday when I brewed, 120*+ in the sun. Trying to keep the house any cooler than 80* costs a fortune. I have to use a dedicated fermentation fridge to keep my beers in comfortable ale range, let along lagers.

 

[Fletch78]

Edit... nevermind... I misread your post. Carry on!

 

[kpr121]

Yeah i think that if anything, a large rubbermaid container filled with water up to the wort level in your fermentor will be better than nothing. I dunno about where you are at, but around here the temps can fluctuate 30 degrees from day to night. Having some extra thermal mass will give you a steady temperature. And if you can add a frozen water bottle or two, you'll be down at proper ferment temps in no time. Its really not that much more work...

So you threw away a couple batches just because they tasted a little funny? How long did you wait before throwing in the towel??

 

[Daybis]

I had two off batches this summer because of the heat. I suspect fermentation temps got around the 80 degree mark during peak fermentation. Both bathes were the same and I had brewed some earlier in the year. After bottling and letting them age for 2 months and the funny taste was still there that something was wrong with my batch. However, I didn't get rid of them. I drank them anyways.