When can I remove carboy from temperature control?

[nayr14]

I only have room to control the temperature of one carboy at a time. I have a ale that is in a secondary fermenter while I wait for the yeast to 'clean up' the beer before bottling. The primary fermentation was complete almost two weeks ago (pitched almost 3 weeks ago).

I used Wyeast 1056 (60-72F) and ambient where I am is 76F. Do I need to keep the the carboy cooled until bottling?

 

[aiptasia]

No, most of the fusel alcohols and diacetyl are produced during initial stages of fermentation. It can be actually beneficial to allow the beer to warm up during the diacetyl rest and won't harm it. Many of my lagers will sit for a week at room temperature before bottling, after a long and slow fermentation.

 

[jro238]

It's fine to let it warm up during secondary (within reason of course).

Also, not entirely important but you shouldn't really need to worry about specific diacetyl rests when fermenting at most ale temperatures as long as you let your beer sit on the yeast cake for a little while after fermentation is complete. Doing a diacetyl rest certainly won't hurt though.

 

[b-boy]

I have the same problem. I have a small fermentation chamber that will hold 1 6-gallon carboy and 1 3-gallon carboy. I generally let my beers ferment for 2 weeks at temperature, then let them finish up in my basement. That way I can usually brew every 2-weeks without a problem.

 

[Ster]

I agree... I want to brew every 2 weeks, but that is impossible because I always cold crash. So its 2 weeks at ferm temp, and 3 or more days at 37ish.

 

[RM-MN]

Your beers only need to be kept cool during the active phase of the ferment, that part that starts just before your airlock starts to bubble and ends just after the bubbling stops, usually 3 to 5 days. After that your esters, phenols, and fusel alcohols are already there and will not change as the yeast clean up the byproducts so start your beer cool, let it ferment, then take it out of the fermentation chamber so the yeast can clean up faster.
http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html