Holy Fermentation temp! How to cool?

[tj218]

Figured this was a good time of year to brew an Altbier. Made a 1.8L starter and pitched at high krausen, using Wyeast 1007 (German Ale). My basement is ambient 58F this time of year. Well I pitched my yeast 8 hours ago and the fermenter is at 68F. The Wyeast range says up to 68F, and the same strain through WL says 65-69. But was shooting for a high 50s-low 60s temp per most advice on brewing Alts.

Outside temp is 34F. Should I bring it up the stairs and leave in the snow for an hour to cool it down? Or will that cause too much splashing/or temp shock?

Should I jUst let it ride? For now I opened the windows in the basement to try and bring ambient lower, till I get some better advice.

Thanks!!!

 

[frazier]

Swamp cooler.

 

[WyomingBrewer]

Swamp cooler.

^^^This

 

[stikman33]

Yeah, put it in a pan of water and throw a towel or shirt over it to act as a swamp cooler

 

[tj218]

Thanks for the replies, I've NEVER had a fermentation take-off on me like that. I thought this time of year I would definitely be safe. I have done my last 4 brews at similar temp. w/o a swamp cooler due to the basement being a great temp.

Trying to diagnose why it took off, the only thing I could think of was that this was the first time I have pitched a full starter at high krausen. Usually I chill 24 hours then decant. I am thinking that in the time it takes for chilled yeast to warm up and get acclimated allows the wort to drop in temp. This time I pitched at 68, but the temps never dropped. I also had signs of fermentation (active bubbling) in the blowoff tube within 30minutes. Does my reasoning sound like it could explain why the temp took off?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

You can also put a fan on the swamp cooler / t-shirt for additional cooling - just watch that it doesn't get too cool.

 

[tj218]

Draped a cold wet t-shirt over it for the night. Woke up and the bucket (outside) is reading 60F and I have blow-off in the blow-off tube.

Noticed it's throwing quit a bit of sulfur smell though. Not sure if this is good or bad...

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

You might be smelling dimethyl sulfide, which is not unexpected in some lagers but I don't know about altbiers. It comes down to how much of it you have.

It amazed me a few weeks ago when I smelled apple esters coming off my ale - smelled like there was a food fight with rotten apples in my kitchen. But when I opened the fermenter and racked to bottle, the smell dissipated and the beer didn't have a notable cidery smell.

You're still in ferment, so I'd say work on controlling the temps and let it ride.