temp control

[cd38]

Hey everyone I have a Canadian Blonde extract kit in my primary right now and the Edme Red Ale in the brite ale, we just had a baby so now we have to keep it a little hotter in the apartment like above 75 degrees. I figure that is too hot for the beer so does anyone have any suggestions on how to control the temp or is it not that big of a deal. please let me know, and will the temp affect the batch in the carboy. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[woollybugger2]

get a large bucket to stick your fermenter into.... you can use bottles of ice to keep it cool
@75* pluss the additional temps of fermentation you could get some funky fruity esters....

but baby's don't need to have a home @ 75* anyway 68* is good for all! put a beanie hat on the baby, and feeties too! Enjoy the kids while they are young....

 

[Dennis1979]

get a large bucket to stick your fermenter into.... you can use bottles of ice to keep it cool
@75* pluss the additional temps of fermentation you could get some funky fruity esters....

but baby's don't need to have a home @ 75* anyway 68* is good for all! put a beanie hat on the baby, and feeties too! Enjoy the kids while they are young....

Yep, that's what I do. Called a swamp coller. I have a couple of muck buckets, you know, the little half size garbage can looking things with rope handles. You can get them at Wal Mart, Lowes, HD, Sears (sometimes) for less than $10. Put cold water in there from your tap up to the 5 gal mark on the outside of your pail. Freeze some water in gatorade or empty water bottles and put those in and out as necessary to control temp. You will need this set-up come summer anyway, baby or not, because it does get hot here in our wonderful state of Texas. Even with the AC running my house stays in the 75 or + range. To try and keep it cooler would cost me a fortune so the swamp coller is a must.

Dennis

 

[cd38]

ok thanks guys the blonde has been in the primary for about a week now is it too late to do the cooler as far as off flavors or is it worth a shot.

 

[Dennis1979]

It's not too late by any stretch. Actually, 75 is not necessarily a killer temp. It's on the very end of the range but this time of year, you should be ok. In my short brewing experience I find that a lot of yeast wants to start at between 70 and 75, which may take 24 hours and then bring down the temp. What you want after the fermentation starts is somewhere between 62 and 68 for your ale yeast but I do not think that your beer will be hurt by being at 75. Get it in some water tonight and keep it cool and I will bet you get a great beer.

Dennis

 

[SpaghettiMonster]

Here in AZ we have the same issues. It was 90 just the other day so I do the same thing as the other posters. I use one of those big square storage containers you usual use to store your stuff. I got it on clearance @ Target for $5. Between that and the ceiling fan I've been able to keep my temp under 70. We'll see how well thing for this summer when it's a 110 outside.

 

[cd38]

ok next question is temperature a problem while it is carbonating in bottles if so any idea where you guys would store those to keep them cool.

 

[Troubs]

ok next question is temperature a problem while it is carbonating in bottles if so any idea where you guys would store those to keep them cool.

I would also like to know this. Got mine in a spot where it is 74 degrees

 

[bull8042]

Mid 70's is fine for bottle conditioning, but too hot IMO and experience for fermentation.
You can get by pretty easily just setting your bucket or carboy on a piece of cardboard and draping a wet t-shirt over it. Just keep the shirt damp and it will keep the temp down easily, especially if the humidity is low. A little air movement will help even more if necessary.

 

[jmiracle]

Mid 70's is fine for bottle conditioning, but too hot IMO and experience for fermentation.
You can get by pretty easily just setting your bucket or carboy on a piece of cardboard and draping a wet t-shirt over it. Just keep the shirt damp and it will keep the temp down easily, especially if the humidity is low. A little air movement will help even more if necessary.

I've recently had some good success with a combination of this method and the "swamp cooler"...wet t-shirt over the carboy plus a rubbermaid bin full of cold water, the shirt wicks up more water as it evaporates and carries the heat away with the evaporation.

 

[PatMac]

ok thanks guys the blonde has been in the primary for about a week now is it too late to do the cooler as far as off flavors or is it worth a shot.

Slightly off topic - does a wide range of fermenting temperature affect the beer at all? Let's say you have identical beers and one ferments at a constant 65 degrees while the other ferments in fluctuating temperatures between 61 degrees and 70 degrees. Will there be a difference in the final outcome?

 

[Yooper]

Hey everyone I have a Canadian Blonde extract kit in my primary right now and the Edme Red Ale in the brite ale, we just had a baby so now we have to keep it a little hotter in the apartment like above 75 degrees. I figure that is too hot for the beer so does anyone have any suggestions on how to control the temp or is it not that big of a deal. please let me know, and will the temp affect the batch in the carboy. Thanks for the help guys.

As an old mom, I just want to say, "Wow- that's HOT for a baby. Who told you to cook him/her?" Anyway, it's your house, you can heat it as much as you want, but good heavens make sure the little tyke isn't sweating. If it's a premie, it needs to be warmer, but if it's a "normal" baby, 70 is plenty warm, 65-68 is better. Sorry, I'll turn off my "mom voice" now.

Slightly off topic - does a wide range of fermenting temperature affect the beer at all? Let's say you have identical beers and one ferments at a constant 65 degrees while the other ferments in fluctuating temperatures between 61 degrees and 70 degrees. Will there be a difference in the final outcome?

Yep, you'll notice a difference. Stressed yeast produces some esters (fruitiness) and temperature fluctuations can produce some very strange flavors if extreme. Now, from 61-70 may not be too extreme, but a steady temperature is best.

 

[Jmac]

+1 to this

I've recently had some good success with a combination of this method and the "swamp cooler"...wet t-shirt over the carboy plus a rubbermaid bin full of cold water, the shirt wicks up more water as it evaporates and carries the heat away with the evaporation.


Living in Houston Texas you have to do something becuase it is always hot and humid...

Try to use any plastic bottle that does not have a handle on it.. I found the ones with handles bust/break when you freeze them so you can only use them once... milk jugs etc...

Good luck!!

 

[PatMac]

Thanks Jmac and Yooper. My fermentation temperature has been ranging from 61-70 because the weather has been quite moody lately. It's 40 one day and then 70 the next...I've done a decent job keeping my fermenter in that range though so hopefully I won't taste any off flavors in it!

 

[bull8042]

....Sorry, I'll turn off my "hot-mom voice" now....

There. Fixed that for you Yoop.