Should I try to cool my fermenter bucket?

[AnnapolisBrewer]

Day 3 of fermentation. Basement air temp is 69, temp on fermenter sticker thermometer is reading 73.

The beer is an Autumn Amber Ale.

I have a small sink that I could sit the bucket in and constantly change out the cool water.

Is this worth it? Would it help?

 

[twistr25]

The cooler you can get it the cleaner the yeast will work. If you can drop it a couple of degrees it would be helpful. How agressive has your fermentation been so far? If you've had a lot of krausen already built up, the majority of the fermentation may already be passed and it will only help marginally. But again, couldn't hurt.

 

[AnnapolisBrewer]

The cooler you can get it the cleaner the yeast will work. If you can drop it a couple of degrees it would be helpful. How agressive has your fermentation been so far? If you've had a lot of krausen already built up, the majority of the fermentation may already be passed and it will only help marginally. But again, couldn't hurt.

Twistr- My fermentation took off within 6 hours of pitching the yeast. The first two days the airlock was bubbling every two seconds. It has now (day 3) slowed down to once every 14 seconds.

I have not dared looking inside though.

 

[twistr25]

What yeast did you pitch? My guess is the benefit of the cooling might be passed by now, but try to keep it as cool as you can. You may get some slight off-flavors, but just make a note to go ahead and use the sink or a swamp cooler next time

 

[david_42]

Sounds like it mostly done and cooling it at this stage won't make any real difference. Give it another four days and check the gravity.

 

[AnnapolisBrewer]

What yeast did you pitch? My guess is the benefit of the cooling might be passed by now, but try to keep it as cool as you can. You may get some slight off-flavors, but just make a note to go ahead and use the sink or a swamp cooler next time

Twistr- If I am expecting to get some off-flavors should I use a secondary fermenter in a few days to help rid some of them or at least prevent them from getting stronger? I heard a secondary can help with this. Any truth to that?

 

[duboman]

Twistr- If I am expecting to get some off-flavors should I use a secondary fermenter in a few days to help rid some of them or at least prevent them from getting stronger? I heard a secondary can help with this. Any truth to that?

Actually if you are concerned about off flavors the best place for the beer is on the yeast in the primary, go three weeks total time, IMO your temps were not all that terrible so the beer should be fine with a little extra time

 

[jbsayers]

Twistr- If I am expecting to get some off-flavors should I use a secondary fermenter in a few days to help rid some of them or at least prevent them from getting stronger? I heard a secondary can help with this. Any truth to that?

I'm with duboman on this one. Leave it in the primary so those yeasties can breakdown some of the fermentation by-products that may cause off flavors. If you move it to secondary, you are leaving all that yeast behind and won't get that benefit. Regardless, I don't think you really have much to worry about.

Looking forward to hearing how it turned out!

JB

 

[AnnapolisBrewer]

I'm with duboman on this one. Leave it in the primary so those yeasties can breakdown some of the fermentation by-products that may cause off flavors. If you move it to secondary, you are leaving all that yeast behind and won't get that benefit. Regardless, I don't think you really have much to worry about.

Looking forward to hearing how it turned out!

JB

JB & Duboman,

I really appreciate your inputs on my situation. I get it that it would have been more ideal to get it cooler before pitching my yeast and it would be nicer if my basement was colder too....but I have to deal with what I got or wait until fall. I want some football beer damnit!!!!

I will definitely let you both know how it turns out.

So you guys are saying not to even bother transferring to a secondary or should I should wait an extra week then transfer so the yeast has time to break down some of the off flavors like you mentioned?

-Ben

 

[Dan]

JB & Duboman,

I really appreciate your inputs on my situation. I get it that it would have been more ideal to get it cooler before pitching my yeast and it would be nicer if my basement was colder too....but I have to deal with what I got or wait until fall. I want some football beer damnit!!!!

I will definitely let you both know how it turns out.

So you guys are saying not to even bother transferring to a secondary or should I should wait an extra week then transfer so the yeast has time to break down some of the off flavors like you mentioned?

-Ben

Ben, I'm not JB or Duboman but yes, you nailed it.

Next time just use a swamp cooler which is nothing more than a large bucket you put your fermenter in. Fill that bucket with water and frozen soda bottles. You can also wrap a wet towel around your fermenter and have a fan blowing on it. That will keep the fermenting temps in check. You'll have to experiment a bit with how often the ice needs swapped but it's a good cheap way to control fermentaion temperature.

 

[twistr25]

Unless for some reason you absolutely need to use your primary or you or dryhopping/adding fruits, whatnot, most will say just leave it in the primary and let it do its thing. The less you mess around with the less more stuff can happen to it. Keep it as cool as you can and let it ride for a total of two, three is better, since pitching. Patience is the worst part about this hobby, but it also makes the best beer.

 

[Proboscidea]

I've had remarkable success putting the fermenter into a larger tub of water, wrapping the tub in a blanket, and putting a few liter-bottles of ice in there every 12 hours. Even without a swamp cooler fan, the water remained around 65 degrees when the ambient temp was in the low 80s.

Without the blanket, keeping all other factors the same, the water temp would get into the 70s.

So, yay blankets. It's astonishing what a difference they made, or rather, how much ambient heat seeps in through the sides of an uninsulated tub.

 

[jbsayers]

I've had remarkable success putting the fermenter into a larger tub of water, wrapping the tub in a blanket, and putting a few liter-bottles of ice in there every 12 hours. Even without a swamp cooler fan, the water remained around 65 degrees when the ambient temp was in the low 80s.

Without the blanket, keeping all other factors the same, the water temp would get into the 70s.

So, yay blankets. It's astonishing what a difference they made, or rather, how much ambient heat seeps in through the sides of an uninsulated tub.

To piggy back off everybody else's suggestions, you can use a t shirt or polo shirt instead of a blanket as well. Fits around the fermenter really well and you can leave the bottom of the t shirt in the bucket of water to wick moisture into the shirt as it evaporates.

JB

 

[FreshZ]

Yea couldn't agree more on the swamp cooler idea. I started using one about 6 batches ago and it changed my whole home brewing outlook.

However, I may have gone overboard. From what you guys are saying, I do not need to keep adding ice to the swamp cooler after the first week? I've been keeping it at about 64 F for 3 weeks and then dry hopping while increasing the temp to 68-70 and then 72-74 for the final day before bottling. Are the 64 temps unnecessary for 3 weeks? Just the first week maybe?

 

[MedicMang]

Ya fresh. Once all of the major fermentation is complete (day 4-6), strict temp regulation isn't really needed. I still keep it in my swamp cooler, but I don't fret if I forget to swap out ice packs in there for a day.

 

[wyowolf]

I just went through this brewing my second batch of Moose Drool Clone. What is an ideal temperature to ferment at? I keep seeing the phrase " Cool to room Temp" which to me is low 70s. but would cooler work better? and if so just how cool?

With fall coming up I could move to the garage and it would be cooler in there, just wondering how cool is too cool.

Thanks...

Frank

 

[duboman]

I just went through this brewing my second batch of Moose Drool Clone. What is an ideal temperature to ferment at? I keep seeing the phrase " Cool to room Temp" which to me is low 70s. but would cooler work better? and if so just how cool?

With fall coming up I could move to the garage and it would be cooler in there, just wondering how cool is too cool.

Thanks...

Frank

It depend on the yeast strain being used but in general most ales prefer mid 60's to ferment nice and clean.

As a general practice it is best to pitch slightly colder than target fermentation temperature and allow the wort to rise to the desired temp. This produces a controlled growth of yeast and a very healthy clean fermentation.

Obviously you need to be able to get the temperature down initially. In some cases, with the hot summer and warm ground water I will actually swamp cool/pre-chill my wort down to 60 and then pitch and then allow to rise to desired fermentation temp.

 

[AMonkey]

So I am brand new to home brewing, and new to this site. I did a lot of research on the topic before starting but still managed to screw up a lot of things. I guess I am just looking for some reassurances that my beer might be ok. I am not going to worry about it until it is done, but we will see. I brewed my first batch, an Autumn Amber Ale extract kit two nights ago. Here are my mistakes (please don't be too harsh):

I knew I had to chill the wort, but greatly misjudged what needed to be done. I had a gallon of water in the fridge and added that to the brew pot, but it didn't seem to do much. I then poured the hot wort into my primary (after some more research HSA might not be an issue) and topped off. The wort was sitting at around 110. I left the cover on, but when I took the cover off to stir and check the temp I shook the condensation back into the primary (I know now not to do that). I let it sit for a few hours and picthed the yeast late at night when I was tired. When I pitched the wort was around 95. With all of my worrying about it not cooling I forgot to take on OG. I moved down into the basement and left, and in the morning the airlock was going pretty crazy. Last night the primary temp was about 73 and bubbling every 10 seconds, to try and cool it off I opened windows and this morning the primary was at 70 and bubbling every 20 seconds. We have a large laundry bucket that I will be using from now on to put my brew kettle in an ice bath, it doesn't fit in my sink which is why I didn't use it this time.

My question is, becasue the yeast seemed to take, do I have much to worry about? I know it is early, so I am not going to worry much. I will probably drink it no matter what, so I am not thinking about dumping. Becasue this is my first batch I don't have any home brews to relax with, but I am enjoying emptying some bottles to re-use. Buy empty bottles? That place sells full ones!

 

[Justintoxicated]

Why not just get one of these? http://www.bestevent.com/equipment.asp?action=category&key=085-0050

 

[Sea_of_Shells]

I'm in the same boat as you. I started primary on my first batch on Saturday, and yesterday morning the bucket was at 82 degrees. I filled the bath tub about half way, and threw in two frozen gallon jugs of water. I'm sure that by that time the damage was done, but I guess it didn't hurt to try and get it cooler. As a result, I'll be leaving it in primary for a week longer. It's been over 100 degrees in SoCal, so it almost seems unreasonable to try and get the bucket that cool.

I pitched at 80 degrees on the dot also. I couldn't get it any cooler.