What would you do? Ferm temps vs fermentation/dry hop duration

[Torrefaction]

Hi all,

I’ve got a nice IPA (OG 1.072, WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast) fermenting away in the carboy at 19 C (66F). It’s summer in Montreal, and I need to drop ice packs in my swamp cooler (my setup is full ghetto) every few hours to keep it there.
Here is my conundrum:
I’m leaving town for days 9-14 post-pitch, back for days 15-17, gone again for days 18-23. Normally I’d let temps rise to around 20-21 C (68-70) after a few days, dry hop the last four or five days and bottle at 20 days/three weeks. Given my no-keezer situation, I’ll be relying on the mass of water in my tote (maybe 12 gallons/50L) to slow the temperature rise in my absence. I expect it will reach 25C or so (77 F), even if I drop in a giant block of ice before leaving.

My thinking is that bad flavours happen when you let temps get away in the first few days of fermentation, and I’ll have kept this batch well within its happy range for over a week. Please correct me if I’m wrong!

Let’s assume I’ll reach full attenuation by day 14 (which seems very likely).

My options are:

1. Dry hop day 9, bottle day 17 (7 day dry hop)
2. Sneak in a 2-3 day dry hop day 14 and bottle on day 17
3, Dry hop 18-23 and bottle on day 24 (7 day dry hop)

I prefer a 20-ish day fermentation and a short (4 day) dry hop (gives fresher hop-punch aroma I find), but am wondering if letting my temps swing this much will hurt this beer more than a shorter total fermentation time.
What would you do in my shoes? Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

[ncbrewer]

I find the temp rises several degrees per day in the swamp cooler when left alone, so I wouldn't drop a giant block of ice in. I expect that would lower the temp too much - lots of variation in temp is said to be bad. And as you said, it would warm up well before you get back anyway.

 

[Jim311]

I'm betting this beer will be totally finished fermenting before you even leave town so the schedule is really just whatever is most convenient for you.

 

[ChelisHubby]

If the tempature touches 80 after 7 days it won't hurt the beer. as far as I understand. I let my beer climb that high naturally during the second week and I haven't tasted anything wrong that I can say was the tempature. The higher temp will speed up the aging of the beer tho. Dry hop at your conveince .

 

[Torrefaction]

Awesome--thanks for the feedback. I'll feel a little better about leaving my beer alone for a few days. I'll probably go with option 3 and bottle on day 24 (August 1st) after a 6-7 day dry hop.

 

[m00ps]

id dry hop for less than a week. 2 days is better than 7 IME