Hello, new to home brewing and this page. Had a question about fermentation temperatures. I live in NYC in an apartment without central air. Now that it's summer, my apartment easily gets up to 85-90 degrees in the middle of the day. I've got a batch that's three days into fermenting in a 2 gallon keg. I'm storing it in a styrofoam cooler with frozen water bottles so the temperature doesn't get too high. However, if it does, will this ruin my beer? Can anyone suggest some ways to maintain a steady healthy temperature while fermenting in the summer? Thanks
Fermentation Temp
- Thread starter cdelci2
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
devils4ever
Well-Known Member
Search for swamp cooler.
Mozart
Well-Known Member
There are lots of ways to keep fermenation temperatures down, all with pros and cons, and with varying levels of space and cost requirements.
If you are looking for something simple and inexpensive...
I don't know how strong the styrofoam cooler is, but if you can fill it with water to surround your fermenting vessel, and add the frozen water bottles to that, it will keep the temperature more constant as the water is a better heat resivoir than air.
You can also drape an old t-shirt over the fermenter with the ends in the water if you add it to the cooler. This will wick some water up the material where it will evaporate and help with the cooling.
Alternately, some people use one or more of these techniques in the bathtub, but I don't know if you have one or if you want to tie it up that way.
You're on the right track with trying to control your temps though, and I don't think you'll 'ruin' your beer, though you may get some off flavors at high temp -- particularly fruitiness or bubblegum type aromas and flavors from esters.
Cheers!
If you are looking for something simple and inexpensive...
I don't know how strong the styrofoam cooler is, but if you can fill it with water to surround your fermenting vessel, and add the frozen water bottles to that, it will keep the temperature more constant as the water is a better heat resivoir than air.
You can also drape an old t-shirt over the fermenter with the ends in the water if you add it to the cooler. This will wick some water up the material where it will evaporate and help with the cooling.
Alternately, some people use one or more of these techniques in the bathtub, but I don't know if you have one or if you want to tie it up that way.
You're on the right track with trying to control your temps though, and I don't think you'll 'ruin' your beer, though you may get some off flavors at high temp -- particularly fruitiness or bubblegum type aromas and flavors from esters.
Cheers!
timrox1212
Well-Known Member
Agreed. The easiest way to keep temp control is the tub and frozen water bottle trick. And don't worry your beer won't be ruined just like the guy said before me.
Thanks everyone! The t-shirt idea sounds good. As ideal as the tub would be, using it would tie up my shower. I'll give these suggestions a try and see how things go. I imagine that most home brewing starts out with a lot of trial and error anyway, which is why I'm trying to take as many notes as possible as to what I do and my brewing conditions.
Appreciate the feed back. One last thing: if I can't get down to the ideal temp, can I compensate by reducing my fermentation time?
Appreciate the feed back. One last thing: if I can't get down to the ideal temp, can I compensate by reducing my fermentation time?
Mozart
Well-Known Member
Cheap plastic tubs work well for this purpose, but your cooler should do just fine if it's strong enough to hold water -- just tossing it out there as a suggestion as an inexpensive option.
As for compensating by reducing your fermentation time, you really cant, but your yeast will for you! Things that ferment warm ferment fast, and it'd be tough to stop even if you tried (which is actually what you are trying to do by controlling the temp).
