Cold Fermentation Temps Question

[WSURaider41]

Ok, so I haven't brewed in about a month or so. Lots of stuff has kept me from taking the time to do so. However I have had my AHS Northwest Cascadian Dark Ale recipe sitting in the fridge/freezer for a couple weeks now and I don't want it to have to sit there any longer. Here is my situation:

Recently our gas/electric bill was through the roof. To remedy this we have had to shut off our heat and resort to space heaters to heat our apartment. We have 2 space heaters heating the living room and 1 heating the bedroom. However, we have just closed off the kitchen area with a blanket to keep it's cold air from seeping into the living room. Unfortunately this keeps the kitchen at very cold temperatures.

My question is: I know I can brew in there, but when it comes to fermentation, are these cold temperatures going to hurt my fermentation in any way or will it be ok? Is there anything I can do to help the fermentation without having to buy any sort of warmer for my carboy?

My thoughts: The way I ferment is I stick the carboy into a large cooler along with my blowoff tube and container. Then I will wrap the carboy in some blankets to insulate it from the cold. Will this work?

Any help is greatly appreciated guys!

 

[KoedBrew]

Hey WSU you don't have a problem you have a score! Make some Lagers! Bocks...Pilsners..whatever you want to call them you have options!
Get those Cold lagering yeasties enjoying your lack of heat!!

 

[WSURaider41]

I'm still on extract kits though so right now I'm working with the kit I have. Will the cold temperatures affect the fermentation of the kit that I spoke of in the first post? It isn't a lager, bock or pilsner.

 

[KoedBrew]

Oh sorry when you said it was in the fridge, I thought you meant ready to drink.
What is the temperature in your Kitchen?

you could just go buy a lager yeast and use it with that kit? maybe?

I have heard you can brew a good ale as low as 55 F but it will take longer

 

[WSURaider41]

Yeah I'd definitely say it is lower than 55F in my kitchen.

 

[trevorc13]

Well there isn't much remedy without making a purchase or two. Your idea will work, but I'm afraid not for the two weeks you'll need to ferment it. An idea is to buy a cheap aquarium heater. After you brew, put your carboy in a large bucket of water which is set to your optimum fermenting temp. Have the aquarium heater maintain that water temp until fermentation is over. Then you can let it get back down to your room temp if you want to cold condition it.

 

[WSURaider41]

Ok, I might look into that. I have been using a big cooler as a fermentation container. So what I do is place both my blowoff container and my carboy in it. I think what I could do if that is a decent remedy would be to fill that cooler with the water and place the aquarium heater in it... then take the blowoff tube and just place it in that water as well and ditch the jug for the blowoff container. I'll have to look into aquarium heater prices.