Temperature Question...

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Melana

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I have been lucky to have cooler temperatures here this spring (firmly in the 60's in my beer room) and the forecast is for higher temps coming up in the next few weeks. My question: is it going to adversely affect my planned IPA (with undefined ale yeast) or shouldn't i notice any significant problems/issues? This is the only place that I can safely keep my carboys away from our two psycho kittens.
 
Too-warm temperatures can definitely negatively impact your beer. Some people use a "swamp cooler" set up. Put cold water into a cooler, put your fermenter in that, and add some frozen water bottles. Or drape a towel over it with the ends in the cool water so it will wick up water and blow a fan on it. I bought an igloo cooler and made a lid for the airlock to poke out and with ice and water in there, I can even lager in it!

Try to keep your beer in the yeast's fermenting range. Otherwise, you'll get some off-flavors.
 
Many thanks Yooper. I'll have to go search out a good cooler... I want to get a few more batches through before the nasty summer heat starts.
 
Please correct me if I am thinking craziness:

I have found a 20 cubic foot 2003 fridge on craigslist for $100

Then I found a NIST-Traceable Temperature Controller on http://www.mcmaster.com/ for $133.

I am going to place my carboys and bottles in the fridge then the controller will sense when my fridge rises above 73 degrees and turn the fridge on, then when it falls below 69 degrees it will turn the fridge off. It should cost me next to nothing to run since the fridge will only be on for minutes every few hours.

Then in the winter the fridge should keep most the cold out or I can just brew lagers. Love to hear some thoughts on this setup!

NICK
 
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