High Temperatures AFTER fermentation pretty much finished?

[hokenfloken]

Alright. I have a question for all of you experience brewers. I have been having temperature control issue lately and had a few questions. This is a two-part question...

1. I fermented an Imperial IPA completely for two weeks at recommended temperatures. Then I transferred to secondary and began dry-hopping...

2. I fermented an ESB for about 5 days at recommended temperatures...

A few days ago, the temperatures here in Michigan became unusually high for this time of year. I've been doing everything I can do to keep things cool but my guess is that both of the vessels are now being stored in a room with about a temperature of 80 degrees..

So...since the fermentation was completely finish with the IPA and nearly finished with the ESB, will my beer taste extraordinarily fruity or do you think it should be okay. I was very careful to make sure to keep the temperatures down for the bulk of the fermentation. Also, how will the high temperatures affect the dry-hopping of the IPA. I know these temps are completely undesirable but there hasn't been much I've been able to do about it. The ESB is sitting in a cool bath with a towel and air blowing on it BUT it's REALLY hot here right now.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. THANKS A LOT!

 

[Malticulous]

After the first three or four days higher temps will not effect the flavor much. It can even help with conditioning. At higher temps the beer will age faster.

 

[mroberts1204]

Higher temps will extract more from the hops during dry hopping. On the Jamil show the brewmaster of Lagunitas said that you may get more grassy flavors out of the hops...if my memory serves me correctly, he recommended 68F or so for 4 days and that is it. If you wanna check it out it was the episode on the Lagunitas IPA clone.

 

[hokenfloken]

I heard a similar episode of Brew Strong today and it got me thinking. They didn't, however, mention more grassy flavors at higher temps, which is why I figured I should ask. Thanks for the info. I guess the grassy flavors might not be THAT bad. I'm still new to this brewing stuff so I'm not sure what that tastes like. Thanks everyone!

 

[Revvy]

People have pretty much already covered it, but it is only in the first initial hours of fermentation where temp control is crucial...I usually say about the first 72 hours or so...

THe easiest thing to do for temp control is the swamp cooler.

Basically it is a rubbermade cooler, water, some frozen water bottles (you ca also chuck rock salt in) and t-shirts over the fermenters to act as wicks, drawing the cold water up and around the fermeters.

I have gotten the water in the swamp cooler down to the high 50's and the fermenter a few degrees higher.

A fan blowing on it can be used as well.

 

[olllllo]

Apart from the hop issue (covered) I want you to know that Belgian warm rooms for bottling are kept around 85F.

Thirsty Pilgrim: First: a New Warm Room. Next: World Domination.

 

[Falcor]

good to know. i usually keep my house at about 76 - 80 during the summer, but lowered the thermostat and have refused to allow my gf to open the windows once i put my wort in the fermenter a few days ago. so does this mean that in a few more days, after moving to secondary, that i can put my house back to its normal temp? or at least after bottling?

 

[hokenfloken]

IF I come across grassy flavors (not even sure what they'll taste like), would they possibly fade over time?