Going out of town -- temp controll

[captainL]

We are going out of town this weekend so I won't be able to add ice packs to my bucket of water that my brew sits in. I'm just wondering what you guys would do.

1. Just leave it in the water which will stay around 72 deg.

2. Run an extension cord to my closet and put a fan on it to cool it another 5 degrees or so. I'm thinking this isn't necessary at this stage, but curious what you guys think.

Here are some details

1. It will have been 10 days in the primary when I leave so most fermentation will probably be complete. Does it make much of a difference at this point. I will take SG reading later this week.
2. Blue moon clone - Wyeast 4399 ( I think or maybe 3944) I think the temp range is up to 74.

OK thanks.

 

[Kahuna]

Wyeast 3944 has a recommended fermentation range of 62-75F, so keeping it around 72 is fine. I think Wits come out cleaner when fermented on the low end of the range, so one thing you might want to try is to fill up the bathtub with water in the low sixties and put the carboy/bucket in the tub. The larger body of water will take longer to warm up over the weekend than the carboy itself. You can also put a t-shirt on the carboy, to wick water up.

 

[KeithMoonsLiver]

my uneducated guess is most of the esters and other off-flavors that people ferment cooler to avoid would have been produced early on in the most active period of fermentation, which should be done by now. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[captainL]

Thanks guys. I definitely want to keep it a cleaner flavor as my first brew without temp control isn't quite drinkable yet....at least not more than one at a time. Good idea on the bath tub. But I wonder if moving it will counter the benefit by risking oxidation and remixing the tub a bit?? Bu I only have to move it about 15 feet.

Keith, I like your uneducated guess. And I guess that is my real question here:

Can off flavors from fermentation occur after primary fermentation is finished or in the final phase???

Maybe I'll just throw a T shirt and fan on it just in case.

 

[geistbear]

Off flavors can in theory be produced but because the yeast has already done most of the heavy lifting I wouldn't worry about it. The beer will be fine.

 

[BigB]

You are fine to leave it alone. The chance of off flavors due to temperature are minute after just a couple days, let alone 10. The added risk of leaving a running, unattended electrical appliance near a vat of liquid in a confined space due to the almost imperceptible chance of off flavors at this stage would be insane.

 

[jfr1111]

Thanks guys. I definitely want to keep it a cleaner flavor as my first brew without temp control isn't quite drinkable yet....at least not more than one at a time. Good idea on the bath tub. But I wonder if moving it will counter the benefit by risking oxidation and remixing the tub a bit?? Bu I only have to move it about 15 feet.

Keith, I like your uneducated guess. And I guess that is my real question here:

Can off flavors from fermentation occur after primary fermentation is finished or in the final phase???

Maybe I'll just throw a T shirt and fan on it just in case.

Just leave it be. If your fermentation temperature control was good when it was actively fermenting, everything will turn out fine. Don't risk leaving the fan on. Put it in the bathtub with water if you want to, but I would just leave it in a cool, dark corner and forget about it.

 

[lumpher]

don't worry about it. off flavors come primarily during fermentation. after 10 days, fermentation on a standard beer is done. you're good; don't worry at all

 

[captainL]

Cool. Thanks everyone.