Temp Control

[bigemadrid]

So I'm 5 batches deep in my young homebrew career. I'm doing everything stove top, including full 6+ gallon boils for my LME batches (7 gallon kettle, yup I wait for that ***ch to get boiling) and all grain 3 gallon batches. I'm in a high rise apartment complex so space is at a premium and I'm finding the room temperature to be outta my control. Fortunately it doesn't fluctuate much. Unfortunately it's probably warmer than ideal - the temp gauge on all my beers has hovered between 68-70 degrees while fermenting.

I'm already noticing a dark fruity aroma in my aging beers that I've read you might expect from brewing ales at warmer temps. Are there any secret tricks to keeping temp down a bit when the room temp of your place doesnt want to make it easy? I suppose living in Seattle doesn't help my cause here since nobody in their right mind owns an air conditioning unit in this city.

Space being at a premium, a cooler or dedicated fridge is totally outta the question.

Good news is my last couple batches have been awesome it's just the aroma isn't perfect.

Thanks

 

[BamaRooster]

search swamp cooler on this forum. It is an economical way to control your temps.

 

[Brewnoob1]

^^^^^

 

[Homercidal]

A very small fridge is an excellent upgrade from the swamp cooler. Add a $25 temp controller right in there and you got a small footprint ferm chamber that's not much bigger than a swamp cooler (and you can put stuff on top of it!)

 

[dbreienrk1]

Wrap a wet towel around your fermenter and blow an oscilating fan on it. This will lower temps a few degrees, but you have to monitor the temp and continually wet the towel (once or twice a day).

 

[BradleyBrew]

I believe if you REALLY want to control your temperatures and dont mind spending a little bit of money is to get a small fridge or freezer and get a digital thermostat controller. I've tried swamp cooler and they do work but they are a pain, still get temperature fluctuations, and take extra time to add / remove water bottles. My beers have probably improved the most when I added a actual fermentation chamber.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

search swamp cooler on this forum. It is an economical way to control your temps.

+1072!!