Oh the frustration.....too late to cool it further?

[cchart]

Ok - so I brewed my 4th all-grain batch on Friday. Each time there has been at least one mistake, mostly minor, but it's getting frustrating.

So, this time, I'm brewing a brown ale, using WLP002. Made a great yeast starter, had good temp control during the mash and finished with what I thought was going to be a good beer.

Last night I noticed my fermentation temp was reading 79 degrees on the temp gauge attached to my bucket. Seriously? I stuck the bucket in a dark closet in my basement which should have been no more than like 68-70 degrees - optimal for my brew.

I moved it to another spot and this morning it was down to 77. From what I've read any damage that was to occur has already occurred, correct? Is it too late to try and cool it down for the remainder of the primary and secondary?

Thanks for any and all advice.

Cory

 

[Hello]

I'd cool it and look into ways to control your temps. During active fermentation temps can get very warm and maybe your basement isn't 70F.

Also, I don't see the need to secondary a brown ale unless you're adding something else, and even then it is debatable.

 

[Darwin18]

Unless you're controlling the temperature of your basement and not just relying on ambient temperatures then the temperature in your basement will range widely throughout the day and night. Also consider that fermentation releases heat which adds to your problem.

There are several ways to control your fermentation temps on this site. I'd recommend looking through them and finding one that suits your needs. I personally would have very low expectations for that beer but there's nothing to hurt to let it finish and see it tastes in the end.

 

[Sacchattack]

If fermentation has already started, i would just bundle it and mitigate anymore large swings in temperature. I have brewed an ESB with that yeast and just tucked it into a closet insulated with sleeping bags and it tasted awesome.

The last thing you wana do is let it start hot and keep cooling down, the yeast will drop out of solution (highly flocculent strain) and will not eat up any esters that it spewed out early on. Just wrap it up and let it ferment for a couple weeks, taste it and if it is buttery/estery i would do a diacetyl rest in the 80's.

 

[cchart]

So, I mis-posted my original - I brewed on Saturday not Friday. Regardless, I appreciate the advice. When I checked on Sunday morning, fermentation was kicking and it was about 73 degrees at that point. When I checked again Sunday night, it was up to 79. So I moved it to another spot in my basement and by yesterday afternoon it had cooled to 73. I put it in a water bath and it was 68 this morning. I will leave it there for the duration and hope that it turns out ok. I will definitely read up on temp controls during fermentation. Still a learning process for me.....thanks again everyone.

 

[grittanomyces]

I'm not sure your fermometer strip is reading correctly, because it seems like it would be tough for your beer to swing so wildly in temps, especially in places that should be room temp at most. Up to 79 degrees in a day in an air-conditioned closet? That just doesn't seem possible.

Though what temp was the wort when you pitched the yeast? Pitching too warm is the only other reason I could see that even being possible.

 

[fmr_army]

I will commit some heresy and say that I don't worry about my fermentation temps. I too have a basement, and it stays a pretty rock-solid 65 degrees all year 'round. I leave my beer in primary (sometimes in secondary) for at least a couple of weeks and often up to a month (sometimes on purpose, sometimes because I have higher priority demands on my time), which seems to be longer than many others do. My thought process is that the extra time on the yeastcake serves to allow for bulk conditioning/rests, and also allow for some extra clearing time.

Not saying it's the right way, but it's my way and I have yet to have an undrinkable batch - just brewed my 40th. Don't fret too much - part of the hobby is experimentation to find out what works for you.

At least you'll have several gallons of *probably* drinkable beer - and some more wisdom/insights.

 

[jekeane]

Peak fermentation can raise the temp of the beer by 5°F pretty easily. So if it 70° in the closet it can easily get up to 75° which can can be problematic for yeast. 002 likes the 65° end for Brown Ales and Once it breaks 70° you getting into ESB territory from what I have read.

Fermentation temp control and pitching at the correct temps are two of the best things you can do to improve your beer and get consistent rebrews.

The closets are actually the hottest areas of my house. Especially the ones that are on exterior walls. With the doors closed they get no airflow from the central AC.

 

[grittanomyces]

I will commit some heresy and say that I don't worry about my fermentation temps. I too have a basement, and it stays a pretty rock-solid 65 degrees all year 'round. I leave my beer in primary (sometimes in secondary) for at least a couple of weeks and often up to a month (sometimes on purpose, sometimes because I have higher priority demands on my time), which seems to be longer than many others do. My thought process is that the extra time on the yeastcake serves to allow for bulk conditioning/rests, and also allow for some extra clearing time.

Not saying it's the right way, but it's my way and I have yet to have an undrinkable batch - just brewed my 40th. Don't fret too much - part of the hobby is experimentation to find out what works for you.

At least you'll have several gallons of *probably* drinkable beer - and some more wisdom/insights.

Sorry to fly off the handle a little bit, but this is twice today someone has made talked like fermentation temp control is overrated, then follow by saying "I just ferment in a 65 degree basement and don't worry about it".

:facepalm:

As a southerner who would have to take out a second mortage just to keep the house around 70 in the summer, it makes me want to scream.

Yes, if you already have a controlled temperature in the right range, then no, I do not think temperature control is a concern for you... Thank you for making us who do have to worry about it feel ****tier.

:rantover:

 

[Hello]

I will commit some heresy and say that I don't worry about my fermentation temps. I too have a basement, and it stays a pretty rock-solid 65 degrees all year 'round. I leave my beer in primary (sometimes in secondary) for at least a couple of weeks and often up to a month (sometimes on purpose, sometimes because I have higher priority demands on my time), which seems to be longer than many others do. My thought process is that the extra time on the yeastcake serves to allow for bulk conditioning/rests, and also allow for some extra clearing time.

Not saying it's the right way, but it's my way and I have yet to have an undrinkable batch - just brewed my 40th. Don't fret too much - part of the hobby is experimentation to find out what works for you.

At least you'll have several gallons of *probably* drinkable beer - and some more wisdom/insights.

It is not about what "works for him" when it comes to temperature control during fermentation, it is what works for the yeast. Yeast labs clearly display the preferred temperature range for their yeast. They don't do this for nothing. Your situation is not common for all brewers which means that telling someone you don't worry is totally fine but perhaps the caveat should be that temperature control matters but your situation is so ideal that you'll never have to worry about it. On a side note, how your basement stays rock solid 65 all year round is interesting to me.

So to the OP: Temperature control is very important and if you have a basement where you could move your beer from one place to the next and it dropped in temperature then you do not have complete control over your temps. If you can find a place where the temp is in the mid 60's year round without any fluctuations then that is ideal. If not, you're in the boat with the rest of us who have to make accommodations to control their temps.