Controlling the temp of WLP002

[undergroundbrewer]

Hey all,

So I just brewed up an imperial pumpkin milk stout last week and pitched my starter slightly above fermentation temp (78 degrees), although I rapidly cooled this down to 60 and went from there.

The 'from there' part included using my kegerator without any control over the temperature. Up n down, all around - went from as far down as 50 degrees up to 62 back down, then after 3 days and multiple agitations (rolling) I pulled it out seeing that the fermentation had all but stopped as was typical of the strain (temp dropped back into the mid 50's...). I left it out the last few days only to have a heat wave strike, putting my precious soon to be holiday delight in the 78-80 degree range . I know I can expect some funky flavors, i.e. alcoholic from the warmer temps, but at what point with this strain is it safe to let it rise up? It's not an ideal situation I know, but curiosity is getting the best of me.


For all of you that fainted at my crude cooling tactic, I now own a Thermostar controller, which appears to be working just lovely after a quick 10 minute set up. Hoping to avoid these situations from recurring in the future...

 

[dinnerstick]

perhaps a bigger concern is that the yeast packed up early. once it does it doesn't like to get going again as you know. how was the final gravity? on the other hand, this strain tends to go hell for leather and can be done in a few days, so perhaps it was largely finished before the temps got high, if that's the case then all you did was a bonkers diacetyl rest, which is not a bad thing with the fuller's yeast. could be perfectly fine, could be a mess.

 

[undergroundbrewer]

After two days I was already within .010 of my target FG, so I'm thinking that I should be OK. Time will tell here, but I'm keepin my fingers crossed!