Min Max or Avg. Temp. Tracking

[davidsale]

First 5 gal. solo brew going well except for unexpected warm weather. Question - is it more important to track and average fermentation temperatures for documentation and tweaking or the min. and max. temps. American Ale / Wyeast 1056. Down to a few bubbles per min. after 3 days and expect to transfer to Carboy this weekend (another debate, I know) for clearing. Weather in the 80s, basement holding at mid 70s. Averages per process steps important or peaks?

 

[NewWestBrewer]

You need to get that temp down to mid 60's...research swamp cooler on here to find out a cheap and easy way to get your temps down. Mid 70's air temp means that the ferment temp is probably closer to 80 which will lead to off flavours.

 

[stpug]

It's not the "average" fermentation temperatures you're after, it's the max (and min to an extent) that you need to be paying attention to. If you fermented for 3 days at 80F and 3 days at 60F, your average would be 70F for a fermentation temperature. While 70F is a reasonable enough fermentation temperature for, say, US05 - the first three days at 80F will seriously affect the flavors produced in your beer.

Max temp is usually the concern unless you live in a cold place in which case you need to watch the min temp as well.

Regarding your current beer. If the first three days of fermentation on a beer completes fermentation, which can happen (S-04), then allowing some upper-end temps is probably okay. Generally though, mid-70s is too warm a temperature for standard practice. Like NewWestBrewer said, mid-60s is a good range to stay in for most ales.