Temp control during dry hopping?

[kingmatt]

I brewed an Amarillo IPA last Friday and want to transfer to my secondary and dry hop this coming Friday for another week. Right now, I have my fermenter in a tub of water with an aquarium heater to regulate the temperature and have kept it at a steady 66. My question is, when I transfer to my secondary and dry hop, do I need to keep the temperature regulated or can I just leave it out in my basement (will be much cooler than 66)?

 

[Sea]

Once fermentation is finished, temp is far less important. Too hot is worse than too cold, although the cold can effect carbonation if you use priming sugar. how cold are we talking?

 

[kingmatt]

i'd say it probably goes down to 50-55 degrees at night.

 

[Sea]

i'd say it probably goes down to 50-55 degrees at night.

It certainly won't hurt your beer, but those temps could send your yeast dormant which may give you undercarbed beer if you relay on the yeast to carb. I never worry about temp while dry-hopping, but i force carb. Also, I think you will get more hop-flavor to absorb in the beer at room temp than at 50-55 deg.