No good warm place to keep Fementation

[DylansDad]

Hi,
So, I started my fermentation in a closet that can get cold at night so I wrapped the bottle in bunch of jackets. The fermentation started in about 12 hours and lasted around a week (its an Irish Red from an extract kit). Now it's just finishing its 14 day process.

My question is have any of you in the colder climates wrapped the carboy in blankets and jackets to keep it warm and have you had good results? Or am I just hosed?

Keeping the carboy upstairs is a bad idea because of our toddle who will somehow find it since he finds everything.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[DeathBrewer]

what temp are we talking about here?

 

[dontman]

Hi,
So, I started my fermentation in a closet that can get cold at night so I wrapped the bottle in bunch of jackets. The fermentation started in about 12 hours and lasted around a week (its an Irish Red from an extract kit). Now it's just finishing its 14 day process.

My question is have any of you in the colder climates wrapped the carboy in blankets and jackets to keep it warm and have you had good results? Or am I just hosed?

Keeping the carboy upstairs is a bad idea because of our toddle who will somehow find it since he finds everything.

Thanks,
Dave

Actually most of us are looking for ways to make our fermentations colder not warmer.

If you really insist on making it warmer you could look for a fermentation belt at one of the online HB retailers.

 

[DylansDad]

It's been about 60 degrees down there, which I think is right at the cusp of too cold.

 

[DeathBrewer]

nope, that's a perfect temperature. i keep my ale fermentation cabinet at 58°F for ALL my ales, everything from russian imperial stout to hefeweizen.

you can also make lovely cream ales, steam beers, alts, etc.

it may take a LITTLE longer to ferment than you are used to, but your ales will be cleaner and better.

to keep fermentation going in a colder climate, swirl your carboy or bucket after it's been fermenting for a couple of days...keep that yeast in suspension.

 

[Grinder12000]

Actually most of us are looking for ways to make our fermentations colder not warmer.

I'm not sure MOST of us are.

Tis the season for stuck fermentation's. Sometimes you WANT a warmer fermentation - I'm on one now that wants a nice 70 degree ferment.

I'm teetering on 60 right now. I've managed to keep things in the mid to upper 60's with a space heater. remember the most important time is during the first 3 or 4 days when it's very active.

 

[Revvy]

I live in a loft...so 6 months out of the year I'm dealing with trying tokeep my ferm temps cool, and 6 months I'm trying to warm them up...

I have used insulated blankets, right now I have a space heater in my brewcloset.

This is what I'm going to do in my "swamp cooler" this weekend to make it a "swamp warmer."

Aquarium heater, and a recirculating pump.

From Lusterking's site. Fermentation Warmer - Lustreking Brewing

I've had stuck fermentation issues, already this winter, and once last year.

It won't do anything for my bottle carbing though....

 

[DylansDad]

nope, that's a perfect temperature. i keep my ale fermentation cabinet at 58°F for ALL my ales, everything from russian imperial stout to hefeweizen.

you can also make lovely cream ales, steam beers, alts, etc.

it may take a LITTLE longer to ferment than you are used to, but your ales will be cleaner and better.

to keep fermentation going in a colder climate, swirl your carboy or bucket after it's been fermenting for a couple of days...keep that yeast in suspension.

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I was worried because so many websites and such say 60-70 with the best being right around 65 degrees.

As for what I'm used to, it's my first batch so I'm used to the stuff you buy at the store. How long do you let it sit in the fermentation phase then? it seems the minimum is 14 days but a lot of people go 21 or more. Thoughts?

I thought I read somewhere on this site about swirling and since then I have been doing it. It gives me that hands on feeling I need while it sits so far away.

 

[DylansDad]

I'm not sure MOST of us are.

Tis the season for stuck fermentation's. Sometimes you WANT a warmer fermentation - I'm on one now that wants a nice 70 degree ferment.

I'm teetering on 60 right now. I've managed to keep things in the mid to upper 60's with a space heater. remember the most important time is during the first 3 or 4 days when it's very active.

Thanks. Actually it was pretty warm in the first few days and stayed around 65 down there , it really started to cool off towards the end of last week. I think the combo of the cold air and the fact that the fermentaion was slowing down is what got me worried.

 

[DylansDad]

I live in a loft...so 6 months out of the year I'm dealing with trying tokeep my ferm temps cool, and 6 months I'm trying to warm them up...

I have used insulated blankets, right now I have a space heater in my brewcloset.

This is what I'm going to do in my "swamp cooler" this weekend to make it a "swamp warmer."

Aquarium heater, and a recirculating pump.

From Lusterking's site. Fermentation Warmer - Lustreking Brewing

I've had stuck fermentation issues, already this winter, and once last year.

It won't do anything for my bottle carbing though....

Brilliant! I may make two of those (since I'm now addicted to this brewing thing) and then I'll be able to keep it all in the garage away from my Tasmanian devil.

 

[dontman]

It's been about 60 degrees down there, which I think is right at the cusp of too cold.

You are also on the cusp of being cool enough to do lager yeasts. WL makes one that does perfect at 55-65.

What you said about your temp curve for this current brew is perfect. Warmer for a few days to get the primary fermenting done and then cooler for the secondary fermenting process where the yeast cleans up after itself and begins to flocculate along with the other solids that are currently in solution.

All of my primaries are at 62 right now and my two secondaries are at 58.