Brewing without fermentation temperature control

[New Brew]

So, after a couple years hiatus in brewing, I'd like to resume again with a limited financial/space investment (apartment living). This means I won't have access to temperature controlled fermentation chambers, lagering fridges or any of that stuff.

So, I'm limited to ales off the bat (which I'm fine with), and rather than trying to fight my limitations, I'd like to play into them as much as possible.

The biggest concern I have is fermentation temperature. My apartment sees ambient temperatures cycling between 68-73 *F daily, w/ cool periods at night and the warmest during mid-afternoon (as one might expect).

What strains of commercially available yeast will do OK at these temps, without producing too many off flavors and/or fusel alcohols? I figure the types of yeast I'm able to use will largely determine what styles I'm able to successfully brew. I'm pretty open to most styles, though I prefer a malty character to a hoppy one, and high-IBU IPAs are right out; I just have no interest/taste for them.

 

[Shizog4]

As far as space goes.......I'm in a tiny apartment with a separate laundry room, with like 5 sq feet of space. I just take a circle laundry bin and make a swamp cooler out of it, worked perfect for ale temp
Control......check it out, it wont get you lagering temps unless you baby it by adding new ice constantly

 

[poley]

If you like belgians or saisons, those work well for the upper 60s and low to mid 70s. Otherwise, yeah, you can use a plastic keg bucket and some frozen water bottles to cool it down a few degrees, and then you're good with most ale yeasts. Also, using plastic instead of glass will keep your fermentation temp down, as it's less insulating.

 

[downinit]

I would suggest sticking mostly with American Ale Yeast. It ferments with the cleanest taste at your temp range. Either Safale US-05 or one of the liquid varieties.

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

There are plenty of strains that are good for 68-73.
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_strains.html#ALE_YEAST
WLP001 California Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP008 East Coast Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP400 Belgian Wit Ale Yeast 67-74°F
WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast 65-72°F

With these strains you can make a ton of recipes/styles. Check the reviews and detailed info for each strain at the website for recommendations of recipe/style.

 

[dcott]

There are plenty of strains that are good for 68-73.
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_strains.html#ALE_YEAST
WLP001 California Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP008 East Coast Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast 68-73°F
WLP400 Belgian Wit Ale Yeast 67-74°F
WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast 65-72°F

With these strains you can make a ton of recipes/styles. Check the reviews and detailed info for each strain at the website for recommendations of recipe/style.

I've definitely had success with WLP001 and WLP400 at higher temps.

 

[New Brew]

Thanks for the advice on yeast strains; it looks like I have quite a few more options than I had worried I would. Looks like I can make most "standard" ale style with that range of yeast, maybe just not some of the more particular geographic variants.

Guess I'll just relax, and start brewing something.

 

[Phalex]

I'm going to put on my flame retardant suit and throw Cooper's dry yeast out there. I don't know why it gets a bad rap around here, but it's never let me down. It's very forgiving of higher temps.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

I have made some smashing ales with Trappist style belgian yeast that were most likely fermenting around 75-80deg.