Fermentation temp question????!!!!

[cwwillmon]

Hey guys,

I currently have an IPA APA style beer fermenting. I live in Arizona were it hot but I keep my ac set at 79. My fermenting bucket currently reads 78-79.
I don't have a way of cooling the bucket anymore then that. Its in a dark closet and has maintained steady temp. My question is; am I at any risk at this temp? It seems to be bubbling away 48hrs after ferment start. Are there ways out there at low cost if none at all to cool the bucket more??

Thanks,

 

[BongoYodeler]

Temp seems too warm to me.

Not sure what your definition of low cost is, but I use one of these. It works. http://www.cool-brewing.com/store/#!/Fermentation-Cooler/p/36423376/category=0

 

[JohnSand]

Search "swamp cooler".
Or use ice packs and a cooler bag. 78-79 is very warm for most yeast. It will make beer, but it may contain unusual flavors. This is very yeast dependent, but most IPA yeast would find that temp too high. You can even build your own cooler with a plastic trash can (new) wrapped in reflectix.
Don't dump your batch, it may turn out alright. But unless you like Belgian or Farmhouse styles, you need to keep your batch cooler.

 

[Horseflesh]

It depends a lot on the yeast variety, but yeah, 78F is likely hot enough that the beer won't taste its best.

If you can get a bucket big enough for the fermenter to sit in, you can put water in there, wrap the fermenter in towels, and evaporation will give you a lot of cooling. Look around the forum for more info.

Most of the damage is done in the first few days of an overly warm fermentation so this brew may not be as good as it can be.

Fermentation temperature control is one of the most important things you can do. Make a plan before you brew again. It will pay off, I promise!

 

[jrgtr42]

Depending on your yeast strain, you're most likely a good 10+ degrees high. You'll still end up with beer, but you'll probably end up with some fusel alcohols in there, (more likely to give your headaches) and some esters (tastes and aromas) that are not intended. 48 hours in there;s not much you can do about them, but I would probably recommend setting up a fermentation chamber for the future - probably a fridge hooked up to a temperature controller.
FOr the moment, I would recommend sitting it in a bucket of water, cooled with ice bottles. Drape a t-shirt over the fermenter, dangling in the water and direct a fan over the whole works. KNown as a swamp cooler, you'll bring it down easily 5 degrees, possibly more.

 

[mongoose33]

Your ambient temp might be 79, but yeast produces heat so the actual temp of your wort is probably 84 to 89. Too hot.

JohnSand is right--you need to cool that down. Here's a photo of a swamp cooler I used (before I started using Fermentation Chambers). That won't be enough to bring it down, so you will need to use ice bottles or similar.

And here's a pic of a small fridge I use as a fermentation chamber. Look on Craigslist, you can find these (at least locally here) in the maybe $50-60 range. Bought mine for $60. Just saw a facebook message offering one for $35.

 

[cwwillmon]

I'm in day 2 of ferm. If I fix this problem tomorrow, will I have been to late??

 

[day_trippr]

Certainly "late", but better late than never.
Most of the less desirable characters resulting from hot fermentation happen early.
There's a solid reason why the number one improvement to any home brewing process is temperature-controlled fermentation...

 

[Horseflesh]

A minifridge is a great solution. Keep an eye on Craigslist and you should find one for $50 or less sooner or later. Make sure your fermenter will fit -- a wine cooler is actually better than a mini fridge/freezer combo, more room inside.

Honestly I would not brew at all if I couldn't have pushbutton temperature control of fermentation.

 

[user 246304]

I've actually found full size fridges cheaper, sometimes free. I've a collected bundle of analog controllers from the years, and a few digital controllers as well. As trippr said, it's vital to get your temp controlled. I didn't chime in because it's been said - at these temps, you're creating tons of esters and fusels, which have all kinds of sensory and other effects, many of them undesired. I think it's debatable, but look up "fusels" and "hangover." I can anecdotally attest from my earliest days in brewing what a Charlie Papazian Brown Ale (from his book, can't remember the name) is like, in an uncontrolled ferment. Probably my second or third beer, maybe '96 or so? We all gushed....it had flavor!...while chowing down on a cassoulet. Then the most demonic headaches started pounding.

Can't prove the causative or even correlative here. One anecdotal reporting. Sucked.

So yeah, get yourself into a fridge and in the mean time work a swamp cooler. Good luck.

 

[cwwillmon]

So I've got the bucket in a tub of water and a fan blowing on it. It seems to be cooled down. However this is day 3 of Ferm. Will I benefit any by doing this 3 days late or was I too late???

 

[user 246304]

You're very likely going to have a lot of off-flavors; sorry, buddy. This stuff takes place largely during the growth phase, which has already passed in all likelihood. Also - lookout for headaches! Though it's debated, fusels for me and mine have definitely given some demonic headaches (ask me about my, what, 3rd beer brewed, 1995 or so, a brown from Charlie Papazian. "Man, is this good." "Man, this is freaking killing my head!" - same problem as you, an uncontrolled, hot ferment).

But you'll have beer. I say, keep it and learn.

 

[cwwillmon]

You're very likely going to have a lot of off-flavors; sorry, buddy. This stuff takes place largely during the growth phase, which has already passed in all likelihood. Also - lookout for headaches! Though it's debated, fusels for me and mine have definitely given some demonic headaches (ask me about my, what, 3rd beer brewed, 1995 or so, a brown from Charlie Papazian. "Man, is this good." "Man, this is freaking killing my head!" - same problem as you, an uncontrolled, hot ferment).

But you'll have beer. I say, keep it and learn.

Thank you sir!!

Learned from this one. "At least winter is coming" (Jon Snow voice):rockin: