too hot to brew

[cenla]

So I've got the ingredients for my next brew on the way. Should arrive tomorrow or the day after.

And what happens? A heat wave. It's over 100 on the thermometer and with humidity and other factors added in it's over 110. We've been avoiding turning on the oven to keep the temp down in the house.

I don't see how I can cool the wort down to pitchable temp and then keep it cool during fermentation. It just isn't gonna happen.

I'm gonna have to wait for the heat to break before I attempt my next brew. Could be the end of August before I can brew again.

 

[elpenoso]

Pre-chiller and fermentation chamber. Anything can happen if you want it to.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

You need a good chiller and plenty of ice for a pre-chiller to get the water temperature down.

 

[Malticulous]

I live in a desert. Im brewing now and last I looked my thermometer on my back porch was 107. Two things I have that help me make beer now is a chest freezer and a temperature controler. I can make lagers even.

With my 70F running water I have to leave it in my freezer until I get to pitching temps. Lagers are pitched the next morning. I've tried a prechiller and it does a better job of melting ice than chilling wort. I might try a recirculation pump.

 

[azscoob]

I agree with using an ice bath and a chiller, also a fermentation chamber of some sort. a couple weeks ago Soperbrew came over and we brewed up a quick 5 gallons out in the heat, it was 115° outside and humidity was at 47% that day, that puts the heat index at 166°. We had no issues at all with the brew day other than the beer was going down too easy. Chilling took about 20 minutes to get to 60° using a ribcage immersion chiller and a pond pump drawing from a cooler of ice water. and it was fermenting at 60° in a converted mini fridge with a temp controller.
Brewing in the heat just requires a couple more bits of equipment like a pond pump, 40-50lbs of ice and a spare cooler. fermenting in the heat can get a bit pricey, I scored a free dorm fridge that works great, and since I added a collar to it I can now ferment 15 gallons at a time at any temp from 33° to 80°.

 

[barnyard]

Don't you have AC???

 

[cenla]

Don't you have AC???

yeah, but A.C. only addresses ambient temp. The tap water is hot. Even with A.C. the indoors temp is in the 80s.

I should add that I brew on a shoestring budget. No money for pre-chillers and immersion chillers.

Also- my original post was meant as a lament, although it does really help to know folks who brew in 107 and 115 degree temperatures. Inspires me to rethink my planned delay...

 

[cheezydemon3]

I like hot brew days because temps hold amazingly well.

Mash outside, everything else in if possible.

 

[JLem]

you could try using a swamp cooler - http://www.brew-dudes.com/swamp-cooler-magic/287

 

[Malticulous]

Posted in another fermentation temp thread.

Here's Revvy's with tee shirts,

And my old one with only frozen 2L bottles.

 

[Got Trub?]

I'm guessing with the humidity in LA the swamp cooler thing won't work well. It worked great when I was brewing in Davis, CA and temps were in the 100's but it is very dry there and evaporative cooling was very effective. Doesn't Yooper have a cheap and easy cooler set up for cycling frozen bottles of water through? That could work for you.

Found it. Look at page 9 of her gallery.

GT

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

I have 2 swamp coolers in my bedroom.. no fan, no ice and the AC keeps the water temp ( same level as the beer so the beer should be close to the same) in the low 60's. I think I could lager in there with some ice added. And it is HOT here right now.

 

[cenla]

I'm guessing with the humidity in LA the swamp cooler thing won't work well. It worked great when I was brewing in Davis, CA and temps were in the 100's but it is very dry there and evaporative cooling was very effective. Doesn't Yooper have a cheap and easy cooler set up for cycling frozen bottles of water through? That could work for you.

Found it. Look at page 9 of her gallery.

GT

swamp coolers work here but not as well as in arid climates. With ice, a fan, and a rubbermaid bin full o' water I can get the fermentor temp down to approx. 72. That's with A.C.

I'm looking into the frozen water bottle method. I think that will allow me to lower temps even further. I've also looked at adapting an ice blanket.

Ex: http://www.keglove.com/product_details.php?item_id=72

I don't have the money for this right now and won't for a long time. Looks like it would fit my fermentor, though.