Help with temperature regulation

[RMBrewer14]

I'm primary fermenting a Black IPA in a 6 gallon better bottle. It's currently in the back bedroom of my apartment bubbling away, but the therm strip is reading 10 degrees hotter than the household thermostat (with the heat on).

The household thermostat is set at 71 and the therm strip is reading 81.

I want to make sure I'm not killing the yeast (White Labs WLP001 (California Ale)).

Is this just a bad reading on the temp strip or what?

 

[djt17]

The therm strips are usually pretty accurate. Put your fermenter in an ice bath. For your next brew; search these forums for "Son of Fermentation chamber". It works great for maintaining temp. Here's the link for the plans I used: http://home.roadrunner.com/~brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF

 

[dstranger99]

Yes, 81 is on the high side, if you have a cooler, fill 1/2 with water and toss in a frozen water bottle. That will fix it.

 

[BigFloyd]

Fermentation is exothermic during the first few days, especially if the pitch temp and/or the ferment temp is at or above the high end of the range for that strain of yeast.

I'm afraid that an 81*F ferment temp using the yeasts most common in an IPA kit, you're going to get some pretty noticeable off-flavors and probably even some fusels (alcohol that gives you a headache).

Next time, take whatever steps you need to in order to 1) chill the wort to around 60-62*F before pitching yeast, 2) maintain ale ferment temps in the mid-60's for at least the first few days.

 

[dinnerstick]

the damage is done, so no worries now. the yeast love that temp, so you aren't harming them, only harming your beer by letting them run so hot. trying to cool them down now is only going to reduce their activity. that's 27c, i typically use this yeast at 17-18c, which works out to the same range bigfloyd suggests (17c=290.15 kelvin)

 

[petrolSpice]

I'd cool it down as soon as you can, I'd aim for mid 60's with that yeast. If it's been actively fermenting for more than a few days then the damage is done, as mentioned.

 

[RMBrewer14]

Thanks for all the replies.

It has only been actively fermenting at the higher temperature for less than 12 hours. As of yesterday it was at 72.

If I can get the temp down asap do you think it's salvageable?

 

[dinnerstick]

worse things have happened! it's still gonna taste like beer

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for all the replies.

It has only been actively fermenting at the higher temperature for less than t12 hours. As of yesterday it was at 72.

If I can get the temp down asap do you think it's salvageable?

The esters and "hot" flavors produced by a high fermentation temperature generally are created in the first 24-48 hours, so it's certainly not ruined but it's not as good as it good be.

Next time, chill the wort to the low 60s before adding your yeast, and let it warm up to mid 60s. 71 ambient temperature is too warm for an ale in active fermentation, so a cooler spot or a water bath with some frozen water bottles is in order.

The beer you have is not ruined, but it might have some fruity off-flavors and some "hot" alcohol flavors. Luckily, highly hopped beers have lots of hops flavor to help cover a bit of the weird fruity flavors that might have occurred.