too cold to carbonate?

[dubicus360]

i know it is recommended to carbonate over 70 degrees for 3 weeks. i just don't keep my house that warm in the winter. It's in the mid 60's. The beer has been carbonating for a week now. If the temp never gets to 70 will it still do anything. This if my first lager, and at bottling I was very impressed and excited with the flavor. i just hope that I didn't ruin it's chances. Any words of wisdom?

 

[GAbrewer]

I'm mostly guessing, but I think it will still work as long as the temp is high enough for the yeast to stay active. Most likely it will just take a bit longer at the lower temp. I'd give it at least another week or two, try one, and if it's not carbed enough just wait another week or so.

 

[rocketman768]

I'm also interested in the answer to this b/c I'm bottling next week, but my apartment is only 55-60F.

 

[HSM]

I'm also interested in the answer to this b/c I'm bottling next week, but my apartment is only 55-60F.

Is that by choice? 55-60 is on the cool side for living conditions. Better check your yeast specs because you are close to inactivity.

 

[Revvy]

Most of us are in the same boat this time of year. It will more than likely take longer for the beer to carb up...so don't panic. My place is in the low to mid 60's...so the three weeks at 70 is just a long ago dream right now.

Just try to put your beers in the warmest place you can find...I have cases stacked in a thermal insulated sleeping bag in my bedroom closet.

It's just about getting creative....some people have wrapped their bottles cases in christmas lights, or stuck a space heater in their closet. Another guy stacks his boxes above his fridge (which is great if you are single or have an understanding partner.)

It won't harm your beers, just that the cooler it is the slower your yeast will be, and the longer it will take...

 

[Got Trub?]

RDWHAHB - it will carbonate fine. Even an ale would carbonate at those temperatures and while it might take some extra time compared to 70F your beer will be better tasting for it.

GT

 

[rocketman768]

Is that by choice? 55-60 is on the cool side for living conditions. Better check your yeast specs because you are close to inactivity.

Sort of. This freaking apartment only has pure electric heat which skyrockets the electricity bill since the outside temperature is normally 5-15F.

 

[kendrid]

Here is my experience with 60 degrees vs 70:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/bottle-conditioning-experiment-100510/

 

[rocketman768]

So, could I fill a cooler up with bottled beer and then warm water to keep them at 70?

 

[snailsongs]

So, could I fill a cooler up with bottled beer and then warm water to keep them at 70?

I would think this would only work if you had a continuous flow of warm water.....water sitting at 60-65 degrees is much denser and cooler than air, so it would essentially slow you down even more....this is based on my own, possibly incorrect assumptions of water density and temperature though.

Edit, I just realized you are talking about using an insulated cooler, in which case it might work a bit better, as long as you replace the warm water whenever the temp starts to drop.....good luck.

 

[Revvy]

So, could I fill a cooler up with bottled beer and then warm water to keep them at 70?

Some of us have talked about it, but no one's tried it yet..the issue I've noticed is that even a full bottle of beer has the potential to want to tip or try to float when submerged it water...it doesn't but they start to become unsteady, and you don't want them to tip, you want the yeast to settle on the bottom.

The thing that might work would be some sort of plastic bottle rack, like a plastic 6-pack holder, that would support the bottles while sitting inside the water bath. Or a container there the bottles support each other.


I think it's a great idea, so if you try it, report back...

An aquarium heater would be good to keep the bath at a constant temp.

 

[david_42]

It's a lager, so it will carbonate at 60F. Just take a bit longer.

 

[impatient]

You could stick an aquarium heater in the cooler to maintain the temp.

 

[MassMark]

I'm in the same boat. Keeping my 1750's farm house at 70-degrees would make for the most expensive beer in the history of home brewing. I was relegated to keeping my beer in the place with the most consistent temperature - next to y furnace. Through the entire brewing process, the air temp has been in the mid 50's, but the brew remained between 65-67 degrees. Initially, I wrapped my barrel with sleeping bags and had a digital thermometer sensor attached to the barrel. The temperature never dropped below 65 - ever. Now that it's bottled, I have all the bottles in a cooler that I took out of my shed. To bring the temperature up initially, I tossed in a HotHands handwarmer and placed the cooler next to my hot water discharge. The temp has been pretty consistent - remaining in the mid 60's. Every day or two, I toss in another handwarmer, (they're cheap) and the temp rises by a degree or two. My test bottle had plenty of carbonation and the beer is quite tasty...It's all going up into the laboratory fridge on Thursday for some cold time...The man who once lived here was a renowned scientist and there's an old lab in the attic complete with a fridge...Getting close!

 

[Orfy]

A light bulb in a card board box can raise the temperature considerably.

 

[Thumper]

A light bulb in a card board box can raise the temperature considerably.

^^^^^^^^^
This is what I am trying now. I have taken two old fish boxes (cardboard with styrofoam insulation lining all inside surfaces ) and taped them together. I have an old lamp with a 25 incandescent light bulb in it. I am currently controlling the temp by manually turning the lamp on and off. I have a wireless outdoor thermometer sending unit in the box to monitor temps. I am debating getting a ductstat 120 VAC plug in controller to have automatic temp control. It gets old going downstairs (basement) to turn the lamp on/off numerous times a day.