"Burp" method vs airlock & emperature

[OwenMc]

So i've been doing research into starting homebrewing for about a month now and I know I won't learn anything more till I start, so I just have a couple of questions that are still unawnsered

1) I've seen "Coppers" kits and they don't come with an airlock, instead they use what ive seen being called as the "burp method". what are the pro's and cons of this method and is an airlock a better option?

Also

2) Temperature - Just how important is it too brew at a set temprature, in my home this doesn't sound like its easily done? Will a change in temprature compleatly ruin the beer/wine? how do you control temperature?

Thanks everyone and I look forward to your replies.

 

[billl]

The simplest and cheapest way to start brewing, IMO, is a simple bucket with an airlock. No fuss and no worries. Pour everything in and wait a few weeks. You'll want another bucket with a spigot to use for bottling.

Temperature is very important. I'm not talking 68 vs 69 degrees, but 68 vs 78 would be a HUGE difference. Each yeast has an ideal temp range. If you go outside of that range, they can produce all sorts of funky flavors. Each yeast strain responds differently to temperature. Don't lose sleep over it, but definitely give some thought to how you are going to keep the temp in a reasonable range for your brew.

Also of note: yeast produce heat as they munch away. The beer/bucket/carboy will tend to be slightly warmer than the ambient temp of the room.

 

[h22lude]

I don't know what the burp method is so I can comment on that. You will never go wrong with an airlock. Put some starsan or vodka in it and you are done.

Like billl said, temp is one of the most important parts of fermentation. Each yeast has its own range. I typically like to stay at the long end of the range...typically I ferment in the low 60s.

When we take about fermentation temp, we aren't talking about the ambient air temp. When I say I ferment in the low 60s, that is the temp of the actual beer. If you have a strong fermentation, the beer could be as high as 10 degrees warmer than the ambient room temp. So be careful of that. If your room temp is 68, you might think you are fermenting in a good temp range but you could be up to 78 degrees which is too high.

There are a ton of ways to keep fermentation temp down. You can get a fridge, you can get a chest freezer with temp control, you can use a wet towel with a fan, you can use a water bath putting in frozen water bottles...the list goes on. Right now I am using a cooler with water in it about half way up the bucket. I put in 2 frozen water bottles when needed. Works perfectly. You might get some temp swings but nothing drastic.