Swinging lager temps

[Beermouth]

Need some advice / help: I pitched 2633 Oktoberfest at 70 degrees. Within 8 hours it was down to 62 degrees and bubbling, but then shot up to 85 degrees (Yikes) for about 6 hours. The next 24 hours I cooled it to 52 degrees, but it has been bouncing between 52 and 70 for the last 3 days. At this point I should be able to hold it in the mid 50's for the next week or more. What do you think I'm dealing with at this point? Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Smellyglove]

You're probably dealing with a bunch unnecessary intermediate compounds you'd rather be without, excessive diacetyl perhaps, acetaldehyde (green apples) and also potentially some permanent, like fusel and esters,. You just have to end your fermentation on a room-temp note and see how it ends up. But it will most likely not be clean.

 

[okiedog]

Beermouth, it sounds like you desperately need a better method of temperature control. Not having a fermentation fridge, I've had good luck with a "swamp cooler", a big tub full of water that I kept cool by putting frozen water bottles in to keep cool. For most beer brewing yeasts, except wild, Belgian, or kveik, 85F is extremely high. It stresses the yeast, which creates off flavors, fusel alcohols etc. You could keep it cool and see what you get, but I'd be surprised if it turns out very good. But with no more than 6 hours at high temps, it might be salvageable, I don't know. It won't be smooth and lager-like though. Good luck!

 

[Jag75]

You definitely need temp control especially doing Lagers in the summer months. All you can do is let it ride and see how the outcome plays out.

 

[okiedog]

A mini fridge with temp controller would work great for you. I need one myself. On warm days, that swamp cooler is a PITA.

 

[Dland]

If you are going to hack up a mini fridge, you can hack up a window AC & cooler for similar money and effort and have significantly more cooling capacity.