Temp question

[CoreyD]

I'm new to brewing, and want to make a wheat ale. Don't have a/c in the room I will ferment in. Will it be ok in 75-80 degree temp? If not what other styles would do fine in that temp range?

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Do a search for swamp cooler. Basically, put the fementer in a large bin and fill it with water. Wrap the fermenter in an aborbant towel that extends into the water bath. Position a fan to blow across the fermenter. The towel will wick up water from the bath and the fan will evaporate the water in the towel and cool the fermenter. This arrangement will cool the brew down about 4-5F. For more effective cooling, add an ice jug or two once a day and occasionally dowse the towel with water.

This should get you in the 68-70 range. Wyeast 1010 is a good clean wheat beer yeast that is OK up to 74F. Good luck.

 

[zippy84]

Improvise:

I don't have a bin or bucket big enough to fit the fermenter into, so I just wrap a towel around it and put either side in a bowl/glass of ice water. Works for me.. brings it down 5 or 6 degrees to 66 f. If I needed to bring it down more, I could use a bigger towel or also use a fan as BHB suggests.

Think about it, if you had a damp towel around you on a summers day, you'd be cool!

 

[unionrdr]

Saison's do well at high temps like that.

 

[Calypso]

I bought a big green tub from Meijer (like Wal-Mart). I fill it half way with water, put the fermenter in there, and wrap it in a towel that drapes into the water (for wicking / evaporation purposes). If I want to drop the temperature more, I can cycle frozen water bottles in and out. I'm able to easily keep my beer in the low 60s using this process.

If you don't want to do that, I suggest you look into brewing Belgians.

 

[CoreyD]

thanks for the tips. Think I'm gonna go with the swamp cooler technique.

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Swamp cooler is a must even if that room is 65 degrees. Until you buy or make a fermentation chamber from a fridge or freezer you will need to keep the beer cool. Yeast makes heat. It will warm the wort to 75-90 degrees. You must keep it cool to stop the off flavors from forming. I use a keg bucket filled with water. My beer has done nothing but improve.