hot weather brewing

[avm221]

Ok im in northern California, during the summer it can get to 105 some times, I have a basement but when it's 105 outside then it might be 80-85 down there.
Any suggestions on what to brew when it's crazy hot here. Or if you know of any yeast strands that are better for hot weather wyeast is easiest for me to get.

 

[LLBeanJ]

A saison is ideal for those temps. Pretty much any other style, however, is going to require some sort of temp control for the first 48 hours of fermentation.

 

[mb82]

A saison is ideal for those temps. Pretty much any other style, however, is going to require some sort of temp control for the first 48 hours of fermentation.

even saisons will need a little help for the first 24-48 hours. Just not as much.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Yeah, saisons aren't really my bag, but I do know that they can take more temp abuse than pretty much anything else.

 

[LovesIPA]

Where in norcal? I live in Sacramento.

You need some kind of temp controlled fermentation chamber. A swamp cooler is cheap but it's imprecise (to say the least) and it's a pain to change water bottles 2-3 times a day. A better option is a small used chest freezer with an STC-1000 controller. You can pick up carboy-sized chest freezers on craigslist and the controller on ebay for less than $100 total.

 

[avm221]

Where in norcal? I live in Sacramento.

You need some kind of temp controlled fermentation chamber. A swamp cooler is cheap but it's imprecise (to say the least) and it's a pain to change water bottles 2-3 times a day. A better option is a small used chest freezer with an STC-1000 controller. You can pick up carboy-sized chest freezers on craigslist and the controller on ebay for less than $100 total.

no i used to live in sacramento and will most likely be back, but I'm up in chico for the next year or so.

we are renting a place right now and i only get a small area of the basement so adding a swamp cooler or anything like that just wont work, but if i got a tub with water and some ice for just the 1st 48 hours i could do that. once its past the 48 hour mark is it going to be ok if it is up in the 75-85? i don't want to stop brewing but the heat here isn't making it easy, also i already have a saison thats in secondary right now. most of the time i brew brown and scotch ales malty dark ales is this going to be a problem with the heat?

 

[bizarrojosh]

You can brew whatever but the yeasts are going to make some really funky flavors. What I have done is to visit white labs website and browse their yeasts to find yeasts that work in my temperature range. Start with saison then check Belgians. Avoid lager strains.

 

[silentmike]

Not sure of your financial situation, but you can build a nice keezer for under 200 bones that would double as a fermentation chamber when not in use.

 

[Dolomieu]

^^ that.. or get a dorm fridge from craigslist and add a collar to it so it will fit one or two fermenters.

 

[avm221]

building a fermentation chamber right now it's just not an option we don't have any room for that

 

[silentmike]

a 5.0 cubic feet freezer doesnt take up much room...but i feel you

 

[silentmike]

you could also rig up some sort of temporary cooling....put your fermenter in a Rubbermaid container and fill it with water...either add ice to regulate the temperature or come up with some negative feedback control system that pumps colder water in with some sort of float or overflow control...i dunno just brainstorming

 

[bd2xu]

even saisons will need a little help for the first 24-48 hours. Just not as much.

If you use the wyeast or white labs Belgian saison yeast (wy3724 or wl566) they do best 85-95. But they are also very slow and can be finicky.

 

[bobtheUKbrewer2]

A second hand freezer to make loads of ice - cover fermenting vessel with a large towel that is dipping into bath of iced water - whenever possible spoon ice cold water from bath onto towel. Consider building a little house round the FV also well insulated. Insulate door to cellar.

 

[Dolomieu]

There is also that Cool Brewing insulated bag. that with some frozen bottles might take the edge off

 

[peterj]

if i got a tub with water and some ice for just the 1st 48 hours i could do that. once its past the 48 hour mark is it going to be ok if it is up in the 75-85? i don't want to stop brewing but the heat here isn't making it easy, also i already have a saison thats in secondary right now. most of the time i brew brown and scotch ales malty dark ales is this going to be a problem with the heat?

I wouldn't base it on a strict 48 hours. What you're trying to do is keep the temperature down during the most active part of fermentation, which is when most of the esters and phenols are produced by the yeast. In my experience this is anywhere between 2 and 5 days. The krausen dying down and the airlock slowing are good signs that the bulk of fermenation are done and that's when you can let the temperature rise. I think 75-85 would probably be fine to let the beer condition and may actually help by encouraging the yeast to clean up any off flavors such as diacetyl. I've never personally let my beer get into the 80's, but I don't think it would be a problem. This can be applied to pretty much any ale so you should be good with browns and scotch ales.

I think the water bath with frozen bottles is the best way to go. I do it during the summer (and spring and fall for that matter) here in Georgia. I usually change them before and after work and then before I go to bed. I just keep a thermometer in the water. I takes a while for the water to heat back up so it acts as a kind of temperature buffer for the beer.
Good luck and have fun brewing!

 

[avm221]

Thanks, I have been doing Belgians already because that's the type of beer I like. I won't be brewing for about a month, but I got 2 beers in primary and 1 in secondary.

I'll have to check the temps in the basement when it gets really hot to see how hot it will get down there.

Well I guess I'll make another Belgian dubbel.

I would like to have a fermintation chamber but we are renting and my landlord is cool with letting me use the basement for beer.