Leaving Fermenting Bottles in warm apartment over a few days

[BKMax]

I just racked my beer into bottles for priming a week ago and I'm about to leave for the weekend. It'll be in the high 90s here in NY while I'm gone and I'm wondering if it's ok to leave the bottles in our hot apartment. Right now I have them in a ~75-80F water bath.
I have a wine fridge which is set to 58F, would it be ok to leave the bottles in there for now and then bring them back to room temperature once I'm back? Or will this have a negative effect on the yeast or the taste of the beer?

Thanks!

 

[Bopper]

I just racked my beer into bottles for priming a week ago and I'm about to leave for the weekend. It'll be in the high 90s here in NY while I'm gone and I'm wondering if it's ok to leave the bottles in our hot apartment. Right now I have them in a ~75-80F water bath.
I have a wine fridge which is set to 58F, would it be ok to leave the bottles in there for now and then bring them back to room temperature once I'm back? Or will this have a negative effect on the yeast or the taste of the beer?

Thanks!

The high 90's is not an ideal environment to store beer, however, it won't ruin your beer.

I think the best solution is to put them in the wine fridge until you get back. The yeast will slow down a bit in that environment, however, they will wake back up when you warm them to above 70 degress when you get back. Since they will carb slower in the fridge for the first week, I'd wait 4 weeks before you start drinking them to be sure they are fully carbonated.

 

[Chuck_Swillery]

Yeah, high 90's will stress them and if you have a viable option I'd do it. However, if you absolutely cannot, you'll not ruin your beer. The first stage of my bottle condition has been in a closet that ranges (daily) between 68-80. I'm ending up with some FANTASTIC beer. Once they're carbonated where I want them I transfer them down to an unheated part of the basement.

 

[BKMax]

Makes sense, I was thinking of putting it into the wine fridge for a few days.

As for the carbonation, there's no easy way to tell if it has finished that process right? I can't just open a bottle to test b/c I only made a gallon batch and don't want to waste too much...

 

[Bopper]

However, if you absolutely cannot, you'll not ruin your beer.

This is a very good point. The 90's won't ruin your beer, however, since you have a better solution, I'd put them in the wine fridge.

 

[Bopper]

Makes sense, I was thinking of putting it into the wine fridge for a few days.

As for the carbonation, there's no easy way to tell if it has finished that process right? I can't just open a bottle to test b/c I only made a gallon batch and don't want to waste too much...

If you want you can test one at three weeks...it will definitely be carbonated just probably not all the way. Remember that beer gets better with age so save a few bottles to have a few months from now to compare. You'll notice quite a difference as it matures.

 

[BKMax]

If you want you can test one at three weeks...it will definitely be carbonated just probably not all the way. Remember that beer gets better with age so save a few bottles to have a few months from now to compare. You'll notice quite a difference as it matures.

I'm definitely planning on keeping two bottles for a few months to age. I would still keep them in the fridge though right?

As for testing, you can't really open a bottle to test for carbonation and if it's not fully carbonated re-seal it and let it finish?

 

[Bopper]

I'm definitely planning on keeping two bottles for a few months to age. I would still keep them in the fridge though right?


As for testing, you can't really open a bottle to test for carbonation and if it's not fully carbonated re-seal it and let it finish?

Yes, once you've let the beer carbonate for at least 3 weeks at ~70 you can let them age in the fridge. Actually, the colder temperatures will help with clarification.


Once opened, the beer goes in your belly! You can't reseal and continue carbonation.

 

[Revvy]

If you are not planning to long term age any of them, then you will be fine. If they're just regular "drinkers." I leave my loft pretty much at 80 degrees when I'm not there, and have even been away in the spring before I turn the air on and my beers have sat in bottles near 90 for upwards of a week. And I've never had any perceptible issues. It's not Ideal, but it's not tragic either.

If you can just keep them submerged in a water bath if you are truly worried, then that would possibly keep them a few degrees cooler than ambient.

But really, it won't "ruin" your beer, it might just decrease the ability to age them long term.

 

[BKMax]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, this definitely helps. Maybe I'll put them in an ice bath instead of the fridge.

And I won't re-seal any beers