Need help: A/C went out... Fermenting temp went up...

[ajbroadway22]

Brewed a batch of Irish Red Ale last Wednesday. Friday, outside temp jumped to 109, and my A/C went to crap and isn't getting fixed until today. Got an aquarium thermometer to monitor the primary stage fermenting temp... And it's fluctuated between 78-80 the last three days. Is this going to skunk my beer?

 

[passedpawn]

Brewed a batch of Irish Red Ale last Wednesday. Friday, outside temp jumped to 109, and my A/C went to crap and isn't getting fixed until today. Got an aquarium thermometer to monitor the primary stage fermenting temp... And it's fluctuated between 78-80 the last three days. Is this going to skunk my beer?

No, it will be fruitier than you want.

I like my IRA crisp and light. You probably wont get that, depending on where you are in the fermentation.

 

[flars]

Get your fermentor into some water. Put a t-shirt over it and wet it down. Aim a fan at it and you will be able to drop the wort temperature 8° to 10°. Don't let the fan drop in the water.

 

[BigFloyd]

It won't "skunk" your beer, but may well cause some off-flavors and fusel alcohols.

The problem with chilling it down now is if you do it too much, it may stall the ferment. Try to get it close to 68-70*F, run with it, and expect this batch to take extra, extra-long (think months) to condition out the off-flavors (although fusels will remain).

 

[biestie]

I wouldn't worry too much honestly. If your temps were under control for the 3 days prior to the AC going out, the bulk of fermentation was done already. When the AC went out, the beers temperature didn't suddenly go up. My guess is that fermentation is essentially done and I wouldn't try any heroic efforts to get the temp down again. If it did any harm to your beer, it's done already, and there's not much you can do about it. Get your AC fixed and let it sit for a couple weeks.

 

[ajbroadway22]

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm definitely gonna let this one ride. It should be interesting... If nothing else, to see how it turns out! Also... Would you recommend a secondary, or do all the 'changes' make possible oxidation a greater risk? Thank you all, in advance!