Fermenter Temp

[dscott60]

I've been brewing for about two years now. I'm doing my first all grain kit today or tomorrow. I keep my fermenter in my laundry room and the temperature is around 78F. Is this too warm? I've seen pictures where people put their fermenters in a tub of water. Would this be a good idea in my situation? I've had problems with fermentation in the past, but I'm doing a yeast starter, so hopefully that will help.

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

Yes, that really is too warm for fermenting. You might have noticed some off-flavors from that high of a temperature. It certainly will ferment, but you will have some fruity, ester, maybe even medicine-y flavors.

The yeast package itself has the desired temperature on it for that particular yeast strain. Here's a handy place to see them: http://www.northernbrewer.com/dried-yeast.html for dry yeast
and
http://www.northernbrewer.com/whitelabs.html
and
http://www.northernbrewer.com/wyeast.html

As you can see, they all have recommended temperatures on them. My house is pretty darn cold, so I ferment at the lower range of the recommended temperature and have had excellent results.

 

[dscott60]

What do you think about a water bath?

 

[david_42]

A water bath is a good idea.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

That's what I do to keep the temps down.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

If you don't have a basement or a dark, somewhat isolated closet, then using a water bath like Lil Sparky should work very well for you.

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I have a basement that's 62-68 all year long.

 

[dscott60]

Do you have to add ice to the bath? Wouldn't you have to add it constantly?

Thanks

 

[boo boo]

I have a basement also, but still need to do a bath to keep temps down in the summer. I use frozen 2 litre pop bottles to regulate my water temp. I change them in the morning and at suppertime. This seems to suit my temps.

 

[Bsquared]

Look on Crag's list for a Freezer chest and put a Ranco ETC on it. Temperature control does so much for improving flavor. I really think my Beers have improved a lot since I started using temperature control cabinet.

 

[Seveneer]

Look on Crag's list for a Freezer chest and put a Ranco ETC on it. Temperature control does so much for improving flavor. I really think my Beers have improved a lot since I started using temperature control cabinet.

I'd agree with Bsquared. Having been brewing for over twenty years without any kind of temperature control I got hold of a chest freezer this summer. There was an instant step change in the quality of my beer.

I'd thoroughly recommend temperature control to anyone looking for the best way to imorove their beer.

/Phil.

 

[Professor Frink]

I use a water bath and put a pond pump in the bottom. The pump moves up the water into the top of the towel that covers the fermenter, works pretty well.

 

[mew]

There's always the son of fermentation chiller. Google it. I hear it works well and it's a lot cheaper than a chest freezer.

 

[Buford]

What I've been doing is draping a damp towel over the fermenter, which sits in about an inch or two of water in the bathtub. The water wicks up the towel, and a fan aimed at the towel speeds evaporation. It's called swamp cooling, using water evaporation to absorb and remove heat from the fermenter. I can usually keep it down to about 64 with the room temp being 68, and even when my AC conked out and it got to 80 inside the fermenter was 73. (73 is till too high in my opinion except for a hefe, but you can see how well it cools.)

 

[JnJ]

Look on Crag's list for a Freezer chest and put a Ranco ETC on it. Temperature control does so much for improving flavor. I really think my Beers have improved a lot since I started using temperature control cabinet.

Agree, best $90 - $100 I have spent ($45 used freezer, $5X for controller).

 

[DeathBrewer]

Son of Fermentation Chiller kicks some major ass

 

[tdavisii]

There are some yeasts that are suppose to be fermented at higher temps. Go to the wyeast website and look thru there yeast selection and descriptions. As far as sitting your fermentor in a bath. This just keeps a more constant temperature not a cooler one. Just my two cents though.

 

[Willy Boner]

I use a big all-purpose tub you can buy at any big box store, put in water to a couple inches below fermometer, put a big towel around fermenter along with a few ice bottles. Biggest improvement so far. I believe staying in temp. range is a huge deal.