Variable Ferm temp in a Scotch Ale

[landocal9]

I recently brewed a scotch ale and decided I would try to keep the temperature around 60F based on what I'd read. The problem is I don't have the best equipment for doing this (temp controlled fridge). So I put my carboy in a 10gal cooler (same one used for HLT), fill it with water and drop ice in it in the morning, after work, and at bedtime.

The problem with this practice is the temperature is variable, especially since I live in the hot south and my place is kept at 80F when I'm away. So generally I've seen the temperature drift between 58F and 63F. The amnt of Beer and water generally helps me with it's heat capacity, but I'm still concerned this may be too much.

Is it a problem for the temperature to drift within a range like that? or if the range is kept pretty tight is it still ok? I haven't had much experience with temperature control and have only recently started doing it after a couple estery batches.

 

[winvarin]

What yeast are you using for this beer? 5 degrees is a pretty wide temp swing. But depending on the yeast variety, it may still be enough to suppress the bulk of your ester production.

For a large number of ale yeasts, the ester profile is set during the first 72 hrs of fermentation, 96 at the outside. For most of my lagers, I get my desired yeast character and good attenuation by pitching about 2f cooler than my desired temp, allowing the beer to warm naturally to my desired temp and holding it there for 3-4 days. At that point I go up about a degree a day until I am 3-4 f higher. Then I leave it there to clean up

It sounds like your swamp cooler is working pretty well. Is it possible to either keep the house cooler for the first 3 or so days after pitching, or arranging to swing by the house more frequently during those first few days?

I usually try to brew on a Friday or Saturday. That way I am around the house as the beer is starting off and I can address any issues that happen at the start of fermentation.

 

[landocal9]

Thanks for the suggestions. Swinging by is not possible since I have a 1 hr commute. I could try keeping the place cooler, but your idea to brew Friday I like the best. My place is kept cooler on the weekends when I'm there, and ill be around to keep it iced. I didn't know that the first 72 hrs are the most important for esters

 

[winvarin]

One other thing occurred to me. Be careful about cooling too fast with highly flocculant strains. Especially British strains. I use WLP002 as my house strain. A temp drop of 3 or 4 degrees in a short amount of time and that yeast goes dormant on me almost every time

 

[landocal9]

Thanks for the tip. As far as I can tell, all signs point to a healthy fermentation (have not checked FG yet). I'm not concerned though since the amount of water/beer provides quite a high heat capacity and any shift in temperature occurs over several hours.