Quick Temperature Question

[buhay]

I have made many batches of beer and am making my first wine kit. It's a Merlot. The kit says to keep it between 20-25C (68-77F). I noticed my room has been more like 18-19C. Is that gonna be an issue? It seems to be fermenting fine. I just really know nothing about temperature importance with wine.

Thanks for any tips. Also it is in day 3 of primary.

 

[buhay]

Also it's a 40 day wine kit from Costco. Vino Europa. I don't know if that matters.

 

[calmingapple]

I am fairly new to wine making but I am quite confident that you will have no problem with those temps! Just try to make sure the temp doesn't go lower than this.

Let us know how it goes!

Also it's a 40 day wine kit from Costco. Vino Europa. I don't know if that matters.

 

[calmingapple]

So to follow up C JJ Berry states in his book the following for the first fermentation stage:


"The jar is then best kept at a temperature of 60-65 deg. F. until fermentation is finished."

I've been fermenting my apple wine in much warmer temps than this. 25 is average around here and in summer it was reaching 26 or 27 in here. because I've been doing one gallon batches I wasn't worried about it. But I did notice my first batch was a bit like rocket fuel! So I do see how temperature control does play a role especially with larger batches.

 

[RegarRenill]

I have made many batches of beer and am making my first wine kit. It's a Merlot. The kit says to keep it between 20-25C (68-77F). I noticed my room has been more like 18-19C. Is that gonna be an issue? It seems to be fermenting fine. I just really know nothing about temperature importance with wine.



Thanks for any tips. Also it is in day 3 of primary.

Most wine yeasts should still be ok at that temp. I wouldn't advise letting it drop much lower, though. Ideal wine ferment temps vary by yeast, but usually around 70 F (21 C) is best. The exception being D47 which throws ALOT of fusels if you ferment over 65-66 degrees. I'm still waiting on a batch of traditional 13% mead to mellow because of that. Fermented at 75 F and after 16 months, whoa, talk about rocket fuel!

 

[Bob_wv]

But I did notice my first batch was a bit like rocket fuel! So I do see how temperature control does play a role especially with larger batches.

That's an interesting observation. Have you seen that anywhere else? I always took, "rocket fuel" to mean poor quality of fruit or not enough of it. A problem with apple.

sorry for the hijack but looks like the question was answered

 

[calmingapple]

I didn't want to wait any longer to start my first apple wine (one gallon) but it was during a heat wave and our place holds onto heat like you would not believe, even the oven turned just once, will linger till evening! So I had temperatures of 25 to 29 for a good few days. I tried to keep it cooler in a closet but the reading said the fermentation itself stayed around 26 degrees C probably for the first 7 days.

Well I have rocket fuel now. Haha. Nothing I can do about it, I guess. Just hope my parents don't mind a boozy apple wine ;-) I realize I just wanted to make the damn thing and get the process down pat so I could plan on future batches.

I realize if I could have waited two more weeks my place would have been ideal for fermenting!

That's an interesting observation. Have you seen that anywhere else? I always took, "rocket fuel" to mean poor quality of fruit or not enough of it. A problem with apple.

sorry for the hijack but looks like the question was answered

 

[bernardsmith]

Not sure I totally agree with some of the thrusts of this discussion. The best cider makers try to ferment at the lowest temperatures their yeasts can tolerate and not the highest. A low temperature slows down the fermentation but that a slow fermentation is not a problem (quite the opposite) if you want to keep the most volatile flavor and aromatic molecules in the wine or the cider or the mead. (see for example Claude Jokicoeur's The New Cider Maker's Handbook). If the ambient temperature is high you can cool your carboy down by standing it in a bath of cold water and keeping the carboy covered in a wet towel . The heat will evaporate the water in the towel and evaporation has a cooling effect so it will shift air from the warm room to the glass and that movement of air conduct heat away from the carboy...

 

[calmingapple]

Those are some helpful suggestions. I am also able to cool my place down considerably by keeping my windows and doors open now. I was able to bring the ambient room temperature down to 21 degrees now.

Not sure I totally agree with some of the thrusts of this discussion. The best cider makers try to ferment at the lowest temperatures their yeasts can tolerate and not the highest. A low temperature slows down the fermentation but that a slow fermentation is not a problem (quite the opposite) if you want to keep the most volatile flavor and aromatic molecules in the wine or the cider or the mead. (see for example Claude Jokicoeur's The New Cider Maker's Handbook). If the ambient temperature is high you can cool your carboy down by standing it in a bath of cold water and keeping the carboy covered in a wet towel . The heat will evaporate the water in the towel and evaporation has a cooling effect so it will shift air from the warm room to the glass and that movement of air conduct heat away from the carboy...

 

[buhay]

Thanks for the replies guys! Room has gone back to its usual 20 now.