Secondary Temp

[Bruinpilot]

I am currently brewing my first sour. It is the first beer I will do that will require a long (greater than 6 month) secondary. I live in Texas where it is quite warm in the summer. Even the airconditioned parts of my home may occasionally see 80+ degrees. I always do my primary and secondary in a chest freezer which I have turned into a fermentation chamber. I am planning on doing a couple of sours, but I am wondering if, in the secondary the temperature is as critical as the primary. I would like to keep them in a closet during their long secondaries so that I can free up space in my fermenter so that I can continue to brew other beers while these sours sit. I am just curious if anyone has any experience with allowing larger temp variation and dme higher temps in the secondary fermentation of this beer type. I don't want to have to quit brewing for the next 18 months... Thanks for the input.

 

[specharka]

It helps if the space is conditioned, just to avoid wild temperature swings that could affect the beer. If you can maintain ambient temperatures under 80F, your beer will thank you. Some sour strains can be finicky -- I know Roeselare behaves better in the 70s.

I keep sours in my closet, but then again I live in New England, not Texas.

 

[CA_Mouse]

I live in Inland Southern California, similar temps to most of Texas. My sours are kept in a closet that keeps a consistent temperature in the mid 70's year round. I tend to leave them completely alone for at least 6 months, other than to fill the airlocks. If you can't keep them from wild temperature swings, try a water bath and frozen 1 liter soda bottles. This should keep them at a fairly even temperature.