using christmas lights at bottle conditioning

[johnnyt471]

Due to energy saving at my house, the temp goes down to around 64-65 during the day, and then up to about 70-72 at night, so I think I have a problem with my bottles not being at a very good temp for conditioning (I've been waiting over a month, and it's not carbonated yet). What if I put some christmas lights in the box to boost the temp a little bit? I want to raise the temp, but I don't want it to get skunky.

 

[pj_rage]

I'm not an expert, but the first thing that comes to mind is fire hazard? The bulbs that would work to create some heat I wouldn't want touching anything flammable, ie cardboard, if I could help it, but that's just me. Maybe overly cautious.

 

[Righlander]

they should carb up just fine at those temps. no need to use the lights

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

they should carb up just fine at those temps. no need to use the lights

agreed. that small of a temp swing should have very little effect on the carbonation...

How much priming sugar did you use?

 

[camus]

First post here, but I think one could come up with 7 ways to boost temps that do not involve christmas lights.

I would think that if the bottles were placed somewhere in the center of the house, the temp swings would be minimal.

 

[Pappers_]

I'll be the voice of dissent here - I find that when my bottles are less than 70, it slows bottle conditioning noticeably. They carb, just more slowly.

Here's a couple of ideas that may or may not help you. We have a 1/2 bathroom, small, with a heat vent. If I close the door to that room, it gets warm in there, so that becomes my bottle conditioning room. I also have an upstairs bedroom closet that is noticeably warmer if kept closed (I think a heat duct runs through that wall). You might see if you can find a space like that in your home.

I've never done this with beer, but its a technique I use when making yogurt. I take a 1/2 gallon juice bottle and fill it full of hot tap water, then put it in a large cooler with the jars of soon-to-be yogurt. Its enough to raise the temperature inside the cooler.

Cheers!

 

[wetzie]

I haven't tried this but worth a look. I have a drafty basement and the SWMBO will not allow me to come upstairs until I learn how to make Sangria (I am enjoying my club room).
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/user/craigtube?blend=1&ob=4#p/search/0/YUcWADuFhTg[/ame]

 

[coypoo]

why not just get a heating blanket?

 

[fineexampl]

a month with no carb sounds more like another issue. something else is going on and it's not the temperature.

 

[KevinM]

I agree, at that temperature, 3 weeks should have had some results. I have a beer I just tested after 2-3 weeks and it's carbed and my temperature here is 68 from 6:30am-8:30am, 65 from 8:30am-5:30pm, 68 from 5:30pm-12pm, then 65 from 12 to 6:30 again. Ambient heat from the other apartments keeps it around 65. Sometimes I'll turn the heat up to 70 but very seldomly.

I also agree that the fermentation and carbing can take longer at these lower temperatures, but if you're not getting *any* carbonation at all in 4 weeks, somethings wrong and a higher temperature may not help. When you tested it, was it completely flat? Or just not carbed enough? (We're all assuming you used a certain amount of priming sugar and didn't bottle without, of course).

Otherwise, I do like that yogurt idea. I do the same with yogurt. I fill up a large ceramic pot with hot water and stick it in the oven with other containers. I think for beer, I would use a water temperature of about 80 to get a roughly 75-80 degree ambient temperature. Unless you want it higher of course. For yogurt, I just stick the ceramic insert back into the crockpot and heat it for a while then put it back in to keep going, or just remove some water, boil it and pour it back in. I think I aim for the high 90's when I do yogurt.

 

[Zider]

I read that you can also add yeast to speed up carbonation. I tried this in my last batch. A pinch of dried yeast (don't touch with fingers) in each bottle. Tastes great. Are your lids sealing properly? Keep it warm.

 

[Flywheel]

I carb at 60-65, it's fine, it just takes 4-5 weeks for a 1.050 brew.