Storing beer.

[Yellowpinky]

Once bottled can i store my beer in a fridge or shed as i'm getting limited on space...i've got a feeling the beer will condition better at room temp,putting it in the fridge will slow this down yes??

 

[Revvy]

Well you need to keep it around 70 or above for at least 3 weeks, or more, TIL it's carbed, before deciding on long term storage.

 

[Yellowpinky]

Nice 1 thanks.

 

[PapaBearJay]

What if reaching those temperatures is not a possibility? Would the lower end of the yeast viability temps be okay, but would need more time to condition? SWMBO has set the rules as we all knew she would.

 

[F250]

What if reaching those temperatures is not a possibility? Would the lower end of the yeast viability temps be okay, but would need more time to condition? SWMBO has set the rules as we all knew she would.

Hide it under your bed, someplace like that.

Rick

 

[PapaBearJay]

I think that SWMBO would catch on fairly quickly...

 

[RIC0]

I find storing beer in my belly is the best location...

 

[homebrewbeliever]

What if reaching those temperatures is not a possibility? Would the lower end of the yeast viability temps be okay, but would need more time to condition? SWMBO has set the rules as we all knew she would.

It depends on what you mean by "lower temps." If you mean 40-50*F, you will be waiting quite a long while for your beer to carbonate, if it carbs at all. I have successfully carbonated beer at 60-65*F, it just takes quite a bit longer (like around 6-8 weeks instead of 2 or 3).

 

[PapaBearJay]

It depends on what you mean by "lower temps." If you mean 40-50*F, you will be waiting quite a long while for your beer to carbonate, if it carbs at all. I have successfully carbonated beer at 60-65*F, it just takes quite a bit longer (like around 6-8 weeks instead of 2 or 3).

Damn...anything I can do to decrease that time? Say insulate with towels or something?

 

[dadshomebrewing]

you can store it at my house. we have nice cool temps in Chicago in January.

i'll make sure it never gets too warm

 

[F250]

Damn...anything I can do to decrease that time? Say insulate with towels or something?

No, you'll need a heat source like a small space heater.

Rick

 

[homebrewbeliever]

Damn...anything I can do to decrease that time? Say insulate with towels or something?

Actually, yes you can insulate them with towels; I have done it. Yeast puts off a bit of heat when it converts sugars to co2 and alcohol, however there is a substantially smaller amount of heat created during bottle conditioning than during primary fermentation. However, if you can get your bottles warm (~70-75*F) for a few days using a heater (just be careful to not overheat them by placing the heat source really close to the bottles), you should be able to jump-start the carbonating process. Then you can wrap them very well in lots of blankets and towels and such, and they should keep their temp fairly well. Also, if you have any beer fermenting in primary right now, you can always stick the bottles around the primary fermenter and use the heat from that to warm up the bottles. I have done this and it works pretty well. You just need to wrap all the bottles and the primary fermenter in lots of blankets to insulate it well, and it will keep temp even in colder rooms (~60*F). Also, you can try to store the bottles in the attic, if you have one and if it is well insulated, or you can try to keep them on the top shelf of a closet or something; heat does rise, you know! I hope this helps!

 

[jasonmo]

The closet where I bottle condition my beers averages 55-60 degrees, so I lay a plastic ferm-wrap over 2 open beer crates, bottles in the crates, and then lay a thin towel over the ferm-wrap. I use a plastic thermostrip in the crates and it tells me that the ferm wrap is getting temps up to 70. Works for me.