Fermentation temps

[Sokrateez]

I was just wondering how soon the temperature of the beer should be down to target so that he flavours aren't affected? I know ideally it would be ASAP, but for reference I brewed on Sunday night, and despite my best efforts with a swamp cooler, I can't get it below 70-72ish because of the heat here. I'm picking up an ac tomorrow and that should help get me to my temperature, but it will be probably 2 days after brew day.

Thoughts?

 

[Earl_Grey]

Depends on what you're brewing. For some beers that is an OK temp. What yeast did you use?

 

[Sokrateez]

Sorry totally forgot the most important part! I used s-04. It says safe range is 65-75, but I've read people like to keep it at the low end of that range. Would the flavours produced by a temp that high fit the character of a brown ale?

 

[joeybeer]

we've been discussing this alot recently too..
The ground water is in the 80's now, and the lowest I can chill with a CFC is around 82..
So I cool it and run it into a sanitized fermenter, seal it up and put it in the ferm chamber overnight - then aerate and pitch the next morning when it's 60ish.. things have been tasting alot better since I stopped pitching in the 80s

 

[Yooper]

Sorry totally forgot the most important part! I used s-04. It says safe range is 65-75, but I've read people like to keep it at the low end of that range. Would the flavours produced by a temp that high fit the character of a brown ale?

Yes. S04 is "fruity" above about 66 degrees, but that goes nicely with a brown ale. It's an English strain, after all, even though I use it in American IPAs and other beers. I use it in an oatmeal stout and it's great! I do tend to ferment it cooler, but I think you'll be happy with it at 70-72 degrees as well.

 

[Sokrateez]

Okay I'll keep it at 70 then. At least this time. I also read on here that the first week is the most important for temperature control, and after the initial fermentation is done, it's must less important (within reason).

Would it be alright to leave it around 75ish or higher after that, or what's he consensus?

 

[Yooper]

Okay I'll keep it at 70 then. At least this time. I also read on here that the first week is the most important for temperature control, and after the initial fermentation is done, it's must less important (within reason).

Would it be alright to leave it around 75ish or higher after that, or what's he consensus?

I don't know. I've heard that around here also, but I never wanted to risk a batch of beer to test it out! I've never heard an "expert" say that, just anecdotal chatter here on the forum, though.

 

[tesilential]

I've started to let my beers get up to 78* after the first week and they taste great. They also finish up quickly and low.

I'd be more concerned with your current temp. 70 is OK, but not ideal by any stretch. Try to get it cooler if you can.

 

[tnshurtm]

I have been reading the same things on here about having issues getting the temp down. I just brewed on Sunday and planned ahead. Not knowing what a swamp cooler looked like and just reading about them on here, I thought that a storage bin should to the job. I went and bought one and put my fermentor in it. I got the wort down to about 80 with my immersion chiller and then aerated it (pouring between two buckets) Then I put it in my carboy and gave it a bath. The tap water brought it down to about 76. I read on here somewhere that someone uses frozen 2 liter bottles to keep the water temp down. I tried that for awhile with little movement. Then, probably an hour later, I decided to just pour some ice in there. Zoom! The water temp went to about 50 and the temp on the carboy went to about 63. Then I pitched the yeast. It took off today and is going nicely.

I am not sure if my concept of a swamp cooler is correct?? Also is it ok to have the blowoff tube go right into the water in the swamp cooler?

Marc

 

[scooterunderwood]

A swamp cooler is a fan that blows across a wet medium to utilize evaporative cooling, similar to how your body cools down when sweat evaporates off your skin. What you have is more like a bucket of water.

IMO, I think you're method works better than a swamp cooler, as air cooling isn't as efficient as liquid cooling.

And the blowoff hose in the tub of water is fine. Most people have the hose go into a bucket of water, but that seems a little redundant for this use case lol.

 

[makomachine]

I think you chose the superior method - even though I've personally never done it. (My disclaimer). Temperature stability should be more easily maintained given the thermal mass of the water around the carboy- or so it's been explained to me anyway. I plan on trying this on my next batch and keeping track of the actual ale temp via thermawell to see how stable the temp is when the yeastie beasties are doing there thang....

 

[dmcoates]

I don't know. I've heard that around here also, but I never wanted to risk a batch of beer to test it out! I've never heard an "expert" say that, just anecdotal chatter here on the forum, though.

I will let S-04 get up to 74f on my APA sometimes, When i do an all Amarillo APA i think the fruityness compliments the Amarillo nicely. So i would say, the hop chocie and style of beer would determine is 75f is to warm.

 

[Sokrateez]

Okay. I've decided. I'm buying a chest freezer and converting it, but I will leave this batch of brown ferment in the low 70s, then after about a week or so I'm going to leave it relatively temperature control-less for the following 3 weeks! It will be a good experiment to see what the limits are for my brewing capacity in my small 800 square foot apartment.

If it turns out gross, not to worry, I'm brewing a porter this weekend anyway so i won't be beerless for too long (I'm actually almost out of my first batch!).

e: Speaking of - I've been reading a few things on chest refridgerators, and does anyone have experience with them? Would it be okay to run them at 65? Considering that's barely refridgerated, and I read on one site that running a compressor meant for freezers at higher temps could blow the compressor out. Just wondering what my options are.