can yeast kill themselves off

I work 24 hr shifts. I am brewing my second batch of beer a double red sp 1.078 to start massive amount of co2 production. The yeast says its a 60 to 75 degree. Today when t
I got home the airlock was plugged up the bucket swollen like s blister and the fermenter temp was at least 78 by the temp tape. So I pulled the airlock and cleaned reinserted it so it would work. But is the temp to high? Help I hate feeling clueless. Tom

 

You may get some unwanted off flavors from the high temperatures but the yeast won't start dying off till much higher temperature. I believe yeast starts to die around the 120 degree range.

 

Hello, Your brew will most likely be producing fusel alcohol depending on the yeast you are using = Hot alcohol taste in your beer, not really what you want to be making, I would ferment at the lower end of your recommended yeast temp if you can.

>>>--->Make a quick Swamp Cooler for your brew as soon as you can.<---<<<

Get a $6.00 rope handle tub from Walmart, put your fermenter in it, fill it with water (I add StarSan to my water) to the height of your brew inside of your fermenter, put a towel or T-shirt over your fermenter and into the water, this will reduce the temp of your brew.

If you need further cooling, add 1 or two 32oz frozen plastic bottles of water to your Swamp Cooler water and rotate them out as needed.

On your next beer, I would highly recommend starting off fermentation using the Swamp Cooler, it will also help slow down temp swings from night to day times.

If you enjoy brewing and want to make good beer, with working 24hr shifts, you will really need to get or make a fermentation chamber to control your temps while you are gone, fermentation temp's are a very important in the brewing process, especially in the first 3 to 5 days of fermentation.

[Edit] Also I would use a blow off tube into at least a 1 gal jug, for the first 5 days on every brew you make, seeing as how you are gone for 24hrs at a pop.

I hope this helps.

Cheers