Worse: temp too high or temp changes?

[bootsbier]

Which is worse for a fermenting beer? A constant temp which is too high, or a temp which changes often?

I am brewing in a new apartment and my fermenter is at 76 degrees. I have been trying different methods to cool it down. This is resulting in temperature fluctuations, up and down. Just wondering if I was doing more harm then good by trying to fix the temp.

All grain recipe with WLP002 English Ale Yeast.

 

[kanzimonson]

The generally accepted temperature swing is 1 degree per hour. If you can lower the temp no quicker than this, then you have nothing to worry about.

In practice, you can probably change it a bit quicker but you have to be careful or else the yeast will quit fermenting, flocculate, and drop. Especially with a yeast that flocculates as easy as 002.

Fermenting at higher temps can produce some really bad beer. Your temps are not so high that the beer will be terrible, but you may notice the beer is not as great as you expect. It probably won't have easily identifiable off-flavors, but you may say, "Hmmm, this beer is just okay."

 

[breez7]

If you were brewing a big belgian beer, 76 deg might not be bad at all but with 002 you'll get some ester production. Try putting your fermenter in something that can hold 6-8 inch of water (think about things we used to use in college at keg parties to keep the "go juice" cold) and drop in a few frozen water bottles as needed to get your beer to creep down into the high 60s. Might be too late this time to prevent the esters (not that this beer will turn out bad) but a thought for the next beer in your line up.

By the way... Welcome to HBT

Cheers

 

[bootsbier]

Thank you very much guys..

 

[ILuvIPA]

Check out Brewstrong archives on the Brewing Network. The 7/12/09 show is an hour of Palmer & Jamil on fermentation temp control. They go into quite a bit of detail.