Homebrewing in the heat

[MikeSpike]

It's cheap:

Get a plastic bin from Walmart (knock-off Rubbermaid).
Put your fermentor (carboy or bucket) in it.
Fill the bin 3/4 with water.
Toss in ice packs or gallon zip-locks of frozen water as needed.
If your feeling fancy, do the wet towel with a fan thing on top.

The whole setup will cost you less than $10. It's not perfect, but hey, it's better than fusel-tasting beer.

=========================
I would like to ask the forum if anyone is using amber glass carboys as their fermentor. I've been looking for one. But truthfully, do I really need one? I'm wondering why, when so many people talk about ultraviolet light and how it negatively affects beer not protected from these "death rays", why is it there are no amber carboys? Does beer somehow become vulnerable to attack from these death rays after it leaves the carboy and is capped in a bottle? I've been trying to wrap my head around that. I've never noticed beer in clear glass bottles tasting worse somehow than other beer in brown bottles. But that's just me. Could it be that the brown bottle tale is a myth perpetrated by brown bottle blowers in the days of yore? Dunno. Seeking input from more experienced brewers.

 

[J187]

I say if you want to do AG just do it. As many have said the swamp cooler works and it costs $10. If you do your AG and use a swamp cooler for temp control you can make great beer. Not saying you can't with extract but don't let some imaginary learning curve turn you off AG.

Imaginary learning curve?

 

[2drunk2]

=========================
I would like to ask the forum if anyone is using amber glass carboys as their fermentor. I've been looking for one. But truthfully, do I really need one? I'm wondering why, when so many people talk about ultraviolet light and how it negatively affects beer not protected from these "death rays", why is it there are no amber carboys? Does beer somehow become vulnerable to attack from these death rays after it leaves the carboy and is capped in a bottle? I've been trying to wrap my head around that. I've never noticed beer in clear glass bottles tasting worse somehow than other beer in brown bottles. But that's just me. Could it be that the brown bottle tale is a myth perpetrated by brown bottle blowers in the days of yore? Dunno. Seeking input from more experienced brewers.

I'm not all that experienced, but I just put my carboy in a dark spot and/or wrap a jacket around it.

I do work with glass container manufacturers though. I don't think that they care which color you buy. If it's clear, it might come from their plant in Illinois. If it's brown, it might come from Indiana. The some company owns both plants.

 

[danath34]

=========================
I would like to ask the forum if anyone is using amber glass carboys as their fermentor. I've been looking for one. But truthfully, do I really need one? I'm wondering why, when so many people talk about ultraviolet light and how it negatively affects beer not protected from these "death rays", why is it there are no amber carboys? Does beer somehow become vulnerable to attack from these death rays after it leaves the carboy and is capped in a bottle? I've been trying to wrap my head around that. I've never noticed beer in clear glass bottles tasting worse somehow than other beer in brown bottles. But that's just me. Could it be that the brown bottle tale is a myth perpetrated by brown bottle blowers in the days of yore? Dunno. Seeking input from more experienced brewers.

I personally HAVE tasted beer skunked by light exposure myself.

As far as amber carboys, I think the reason they're all clear is brewers like to see what's going on. If it were amber colored, it would be a lot harder to tell if there's krausen on top or a bacteria pellicle.

Does this mean brewers don't care about light exposure? No. I think most brewers put the carboys in dark places or wrap them in towels/blankets to keep the light out. If you're leaving it out in the sun, you're doing it wrong.

 

[Calypso]

=========================
I would like to ask the forum if anyone is using amber glass carboys as their fermentor. I've been looking for one. But truthfully, do I really need one? I'm wondering why, when so many people talk about ultraviolet light and how it negatively affects beer not protected from these "death rays", why is it there are no amber carboys? Does beer somehow become vulnerable to attack from these death rays after it leaves the carboy and is capped in a bottle? I've been trying to wrap my head around that. I've never noticed beer in clear glass bottles tasting worse somehow than other beer in brown bottles. But that's just me. Could it be that the brown bottle tale is a myth perpetrated by brown bottle blowers in the days of yore? Dunno. Seeking input from more experienced brewers.

I assure you, it's no myth. Beer in clear or green glass can skunk in less than five minutes of direct sunlight. I've done it myself for my beer club.

The problem with brown glass is that it's more expensive. And carboys aren't cheap as it is. Imagine if they were $75. Beer is vulnerable to light as soon as you add hops and boil it. The more hops (isohumulone), the more quickly and drastically it skunks. That's why people wrap carboys in towels or shirts. That's why I store my beer in opaque bins - even brown bottles will allow skunking eventually.

 

[SubjectB]

First off, do heed the words of the more "experienced," warding you off from AG brewing. Now, do allow me to play devil's advocate.

Is this forum about homebrewing or Home Improvement? (Insert Tim Allen grunt here). Because that's what you're going to be doing for the rest of the summer should you choose the route towards an active fermentation temperature control system. Unless you can find a mini-fridge big enough to fit your chosen fermentation vessel, plus the airlock/blow-off reservoir without any modifications, you will be busy cutting this and that, measuring and cutting pieces of wood, nailing them together to build a fermentation chamber. Meanwhile, your primary and secondary are empty and in 6 weeks's time all you'll have is a cabinet that sucks up electricity and no beer to quench the thirst you've worked up while building it.

I say brew it! Just be realistic and brew styles known for pronounced esters and phenols. Use yeast that can ferment warmer without throwing a lot of off flavors and pitch enough of it in the well-aerated wort. Also, remember that it is only crucial to maintain temp. during the first 72 hours, when most of the esters and phenols are produced. After that, you can let it go to room temp.

 

[firerat]

First off, do heed the words of the more "experienced," warding you off from AG brewing. Now, do allow me to play devil's advocate.

Is this forum about homebrewing or Home Improvement? (Insert Tim Allen grunt here). Because that's what you're going to be doing for the rest of the summer should you choose the route towards an active fermentation temperature control system. Unless you can find a mini-fridge big enough to fit your chosen fermentation vessel, plus the airlock/blow-off reservoir without any modifications, you will be busy cutting this and that, measuring and cutting pieces of wood, nailing them together to build a fermentation chamber. Meanwhile, your primary and secondary are empty and in 6 weeks's time all you'll have is a cabinet that sucks up electricity and no beer to quench the thirst you've worked up while building it.

I say brew it! Just be realistic and brew styles known for pronounced esters and phenols. Use yeast that can ferment warmer without throwing a lot of off flavors and pitch enough of it in the well-aerated wort. Also, remember that it is only crucial to maintain temp. during the first 72 hours, when most of the esters and phenols are produced. After that, you can let it go to room temp.

It literally took me less than 2 hours to turn my fridge into a fermentation chamber.

And I generally suck at fabricating and customizing things.

 

[QuarterCircleBack]

Already found a fridge for $20 and the stc-1000 + parts is already in the mail (free student 2 day shipping!). I should be able to get the fridge assembled and have my next batch in there by the end of the weekend. Looking back I'm glad I made this decision. I'm only down about 50-60 bucks and brewing my next few batches right will allow me to gauge how exactly I should approach AG in the future with equipment and technique. It will also give me time to look for a used cooler that's in decent condition. Plus, having a fermenting chamber will just be a lot easier for me since I will be in class a lot.
Thanks again for the help guys

 

[firerat]

Just out of curiosity, what equipment do you still need to go AG?

If you have a big enough kettle you can always go BIAB.

It's not a whole lot different than a partial-mash really.

 

[QuarterCircleBack]

Everything haha, even a more reliable thermometer. Never heard of BIAB before but I read a thread about it and it seems like a great transitional step to AG, especially for new brewers. I'll probably start by purchasing a larger kettle and BIAB until I locate a 10 gallon cooler to convert to a mash tun.

 

[dkevinb]

Swamp cooler. Having said that, US-05 can handle a bit higher temps cleanly (wouldn't want to be above 75 IMO). US-05 is a great yeast. 'Murica

Not to continue beating the horse, but this looks a lot like my setup, except I also cover the bucket with a T-shirt and have a fan blowing on it. I am brewing a batch of Fat Tire clone with Nottingham and I can keep the fermenter in the low- to mid-60's with an ambient of mid- to high-70's. YMMV, especially if your humidity is high.

Ditto on the US-05. That's my go-to yeast. Great stuff, but I still try to keep it 75 or lower.

 

[NewBrewB]

I made my strongest bandaid-flavored belgian style by fermenting at too high of a temperature. (Just emailed a seller on craigslist selling a deep freeze....now to find a thermostat so I can have temp-controlled fermentation....or should I build it into a kegerator....decisions, decisions..)

 

[BioHopology]

I just finished drinking my last imperial blonde ale and used wyeast 2112 ca lager. Primary 2 weeks, 2nd for 2.5 weeks all at 74 degrees ... This was my 12th extract batch and turn out ok. Dont have the equipment to lager; however, working on piecing it together now.

Like most of my beers, it turned out less saisonish than the others, and using the ca 2112 for the last 10 brews. Thinking this is the issue. So if you want and easy saison ... ferment at 74 degree. Taste great, but I'm getting sick of it.