Downsides to REALLY high fermentation temps?

[scottedk]

So, I have done a lot of reading and have read that if you ferment your beer at higher temps (75 or so and above) that there can be some really alcohol-y flavors in your beer that will/can diminish with some sitting and waiting.

So, aside from these alcohol/burn flavors, what other downsides are there? I am currently fermenting my third batch. It is a belgian style pale ale so I was planning on fermenting it in somewhat of higher temps anyways (74-76 or so) but right now my fiancee's sister is staying with us for spring break and I can no longer keep my fermenters in a "cool-ish" environment. Right now they are fermenting around 78 or so (and that is just the AMBIENT temperature).

I am indeed planning on letting the brew sit and ferment for another 3-4 weeks but I just wanted to make sure that there weren't any other really bad side effects of fermenting at some quite high temperatures.

Thanks

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hard to say really and is entirely strain dependant. some Belgian strains are adapted to higher ferment temps as this, to some breweries, can be SOP.

Typically tho', higher temps result in higher fusel production and a higher ester/phenolic contribution.

 

[ACbrewer]

Off flavors are the primary ones. Yeast itself won't die until about 105 -110F temps, but the flavors at that point will be terrible.

If you are making a light beer the off flavors will probably be highly undesirable. Heck even a Belgian at those temps (75+.. maybe 72+) are undesirable. I recomend what is called a swamp cooler. I'll explain, but google for better description - a swamp cooler is a larger container (rubbermaid, bathtub, etc) with water in it and your fermentor in it. The water and evaporation helps keep your fermentor cool. Additional ice can be put in to help keep it down. Also you can do something with a tee-shirt, and the cooler and a fan on the shirt to do more evaporative cooling.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Heck even a Belgian at those temps (75+.. maybe 72+) are undesirable.

Not entirely true. I believe it was Stan Hieronymous who stated taht some Belgian breweries attain their signature profiles and speedy production rates by intentionally fermenting batches at 80*F+.

I just forget which Breweries were cited for the technique.

 

[stratslinger]

Depending on the yeast strain, higher temperatures can produce fusel alcohols, which can cause headaches.

Higher temperatures will definitely generate some different esters, and those will vary based on yeast strain too. Typically they show up as different fruity flavors - bananna is very common, though some yeast come through as apricot or other fruit flavors.

What strain are you using, and what temperature range does its maker recommend?

 

[beergolf]

Which yeast did you use? Were you able to keep it cool for the first few days or did you have the high temps right from the start? IF you were able to keep it cool for a few days you should be fine.

Some Belgian yeasts can take the higher temp, but if you sart off high you probably will get some fusels

 

[scottedk]

WL500 - Trappist Ale

It was at high temperatures from the start. I live in a pretty small apartment so I normally use my guest bedroom bathtub to keep my fermenters cool-ish but being that it is being used I have to keep my brews in my laundry room which has higher temps.

 

[beergolf]

WL500 - Trappist Ale

It was at high temperatures from the start. I live in a pretty small apartment so I normally use my guest bedroom bathtub to keep my fermenters cool-ish but being that it is being used I have to keep my brews in my laundry room which has higher temps.

.

I just looked up the fermentation schedule for Chimay in Brew Like a Monk. They pitch at 68 and then rise to 81-82 degrees. WL 500 is the Chimay strain.

Is 78 ambient or brew temp? If itis brew temp you should be good.

 

[scottedk]

.

I just looked up the fermentation schedule for Chimay in Brew Like a Monk. They pitch at 68 and then rise to 81-82 degrees. WL 500 is the Chimay strain.

Is 78 ambient or brew temp? If itis brew temp you should be good.

Ambient unfortunately -_-

 

[beergolf]

At this point all you can do is ride it out. I did one brew where the temp got away from me using WY1214 ( Same as WL 500) and it got pretty high. I let it sit in the fermenter for about 6 weeks and it turned out good. So that yeast seems to handle higher temps pretty well.

 

[scottedk]

At this point all you can do is ride it out. I did one brew where the temp got away from me using WY1214 ( Same as WL 500) and it got pretty high. I let it sit in the fermenter for about 6 weeks and it turned out good. So thay yeast seems to handle higher temps pretty well.

Yea, I think this is what I am going to do. Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[PVH]

78 is the lowest ambient temp you can manage in Colorado in March? If your fiancee has you keeping the heat at 78F BEFORE you're married . . .

 

[scottedk]

78 is the lowest ambient temp you can manage in Colorado in March? If your fiancee has you keeping the heat at 78F BEFORE you're married . . .

I could keep it out in the living room for a lower ambient but I have a cat and a dog that I am afraid will be mesmerized by the bubbling. High temperature, I think, is more bearable than dog/cat flavored beer!

 

[AdamPag]

I just got done drinking a belgian pale I used an S-33 strain on, wild fermentation easily got above 74* with ambients at 68* and it turned out to be one of the best beers ive ever had in my life. I was really able to tell it was a success after 10 days and a SG reading which I always taste and it was spectacular, let it ride man you might be surprised

 

[jsv1204]

Only thing I can add from experience is esther production at high temps. I have a distractingly banana-like ale at the moment that I am reasonably sure can be traced back to an 70+ deg ferment.