Brewing in the summer
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chickypad
lupulin shift victim
Not brew in the summer, that's crazy talk!!
Seriously though what exactly are you asking, worried about fermentation temps? Yes, most of us need some type of temp regulation for summer - swamp cooler, fermentation chamber, etc. If you can't control that then Belgians are probably your best bet for high fermentation temps. But anyone should be able to do a simple swamp cooler - search the forum.
Seriously though what exactly are you asking, worried about fermentation temps? Yes, most of us need some type of temp regulation for summer - swamp cooler, fermentation chamber, etc. If you can't control that then Belgians are probably your best bet for high fermentation temps. But anyone should be able to do a simple swamp cooler - search the forum.
i got into home brewing last may/june. Did my first batch, was all psyched, and then the warmest week of the summer (til that point) hit. I just picked up a johnson controller and have been trolling Lowes and Home Depot for chest freezers for real cheap. Craigslist works too from what i hear but haven't had much luck in my area. It'll all depend on the beers u wanna brew but im a lager/stout kinda guy so i'll need a chest freezer to get the low temps.
You can go the swamp cooler route if you don't have a fermentation chamber. Or you can go the Belgian route - those Belgian yeast strains can handle/prefer warm fermentation temps.
I'm actually looking forward to brewing this summer! I can't wait to knock out a few saisons when the temps get into the 80s instead of having to wrap my carboys in heating pads or use aquarium heaters. Quick, fruity wheat beers do well in the summer just find the right yeasts.
But I have a basement that still keeps in the low 70s even in the dog days. Have any place like that? If not build a cheap cooler box or find an old fridge/freezer and keep some frozen water bottles in it. That's how I do my lagers in the basement. I can keep it around 50F in the winter. Definitely in the 60s in the summer.
But I have a basement that still keeps in the low 70s even in the dog days. Have any place like that? If not build a cheap cooler box or find an old fridge/freezer and keep some frozen water bottles in it. That's how I do my lagers in the basement. I can keep it around 50F in the winter. Definitely in the 60s in the summer.
wolfstar
Well-Known Member
maybe not the most practical thing for some of y'all...But we have a brew room.
We brew in a spare bedroom (10'x10') in our home that has a window ac unit. The room is typically kept around 62-65 degrees, even in the 115 degree Arizona summer.
It is doable.
We brew in a spare bedroom (10'x10') in our home that has a window ac unit. The room is typically kept around 62-65 degrees, even in the 115 degree Arizona summer.
It is doable.
YeastHerder
Well-Known Member
Swamp cooler and some empty soda bottles. Freeze water in the soda bottles and those are your giant ice cubes. You can get pretty fancy, or you can just use a $12 tub from target/walmart. And summer temps scream for a nice german hefeweizen.
Any fridge or freezer that has room for your fermenter, coupled with a temp controller, will work. You can build one yourself for cheap (~$40) if you are remotely handy, or you can buy one ready made like a Johnson or Ranco.
Do you know if there's a tutorial somewhere on a DIY controller?
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Saison's if you don't have a temp controlled fermentation chamber.
Brewing in the summer has its challenges, especially where I live, 115+deg all summer long.
Cheers
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
+1 wolfstar, This is exactly what I have done too, I have already converted the room but still have to get an A/C unit, what size A/C unit are you using? and how hard is it running to keep your room @ 62-65 during 115 days ?
Cheers
Thanks. I forgot that HBT has a DIY section.
Sorry, I figured someone with that many posts had seen that thread 30,000 times
This will be my first summer brewing, so I decided to do a wheat beer in the spring as my basement temps go up a little, likely into the upper 60's (so fermenting in low-mid 70's) and then I have a saison planned for summer time when my fermenting temps are likely to be upper 70's, possible low 80's.
(Im going to try WB-06 for the wheat, and T-58 for the "saison", so it wont be a REAL saison, but whatever T-58 produces, its MY saison.)
(Im going to try WB-06 for the wheat, and T-58 for the "saison", so it wont be a REAL saison, but whatever T-58 produces, its MY saison.)
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Beergazzi, In the middle of summer when it gets real hot you might also want to try using Belgian Saison Yeast 3724 Ideal fermenting temp is from 70 to 95 deg.
I use this one in summer often, I start it off at 70 deg for 3 days then ramp up to 85 deg until finished, I haven't had any of the dreaded 1.030 stuck fermentations since I started using the ramping up temps technique.
Something to think about anyway.
Cheers
darrenbrews
Well-Known Member
Can't wait for summer brewing.
Brewing a batch on the deck, with the bbq grill flaming, and drinking a beer sounds like a great way to spend the day.
Brewing a batch on the deck, with the bbq grill flaming, and drinking a beer sounds like a great way to spend the day.
Thanks. I forgot that HBT has a DIY section.
Lol. I have that same thread bookmarked to share with those wanting some guidance building an STC-1000 dual controller box.
There's a good YouTube video as well -
I have two of them built, one for the keezer and one for the upright freezer I use for fermenting. Total cost for craigslist freezer and controller= $100. Even if it hits 105* here in Texas, I can still ferment a lager if I wish.
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I haven't tried the other Saison yeasts but I have been very happy with Wyeast Belgian Ardennes 3522.
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Im already doing that here lol, its to hot here to do that in the middle of summer.
Cheers
wolfstar
Well-Known Member
+1 wolfstar, This is exactly what I have done too, I have already converted the room but still have to get an A/C unit, what size A/C unit are you using? and how hard is it running to keep your room @ 62-65 during 115 days ?
Cheers
5500 BTU, and thermal curtains for the windows.
We do have really good insulation, 2x6 walls and double pane windows in our home. Some of the homes in AZ Are 2x4 with single pane windows (and there are plenty of other construction variations around here as you know) ...probably would have to go up a couple of thousand BTU to deal with comparative inefficiency, so YRMV.
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Our house has 2 X 6 insulated walls too but they cheaped out on the windows they are only single pane.
My brew room is 6' 9" X 12' 6" and I have Insulated over the window, I will need to remove some of this to install the AC unit and build a out side shield, or go with a floor model.
So in the summer when its 115 deg how hard is the 5500 BTU unit running, I was guessing that for my room a 8000 BTU unit would be more than enough and I could probably get away with a 6500 BTU unit.
I would imagine that once everything in the room gets cold, that would help the AC unit to maintain temps, like a full fridge dose compared to a empty one.
Cheers
