Yeah its hot in the PNW

[Brewmex41]

So I have a rye pa fermenting in my closet. I used us 05 and I'm trying to keep it cool by using and replacing ice water and putting my carboy in a larger stock pot (for canning.)
Anyways, I know the yeasties are roasting in there, as I've noticed it gettin into the high 70s, but is there anything else I can do? I don't have a ferm chamber yet. Extended cold crashing/conditioning maybe?

 

[crushingblackdoom]

Wrap a wet towel around your carboy and leave a lil slack in the cold water to wick up the moisture. Plug in a fan and point it at the carboy. Behold, ghetto swamp cooler. And it works wonders. Ghetto wonders, anyway
Beyond that, trust your yeast, that strain can make good beer up in the 70's, RDWHAHB.

 

[Brewmex41]

I should have mentioned the towel. I run it under cold water each time I replace the water.
Im not worried because I'm still a noob and Im a brewer on a budget, I was just curious if maybe extended time on the yeast cake or something like that might help me out on this one.

 

[Pratzie]

How long has it been fermenting? Unless u pitched within the last 24-48 hours ur prob already past the time when its really important... i.e. heading into the stationary phase.

 

[Brewmex41]

Longer than that. Dang!
Ferm chamber is my next project for sure! I have the spare fridge already.

 

[brewkinger]

Longer than that. Dang!
Ferm chamber is my next project for sure! I have the spare fridge already.

If you are brewing on a budget, then a swamp cooler will more than likely serve your purpose.
Search it in the forum.

 

[Brewmex41]

I'll look that up
I want to be able to make Doppelbocks in the near future. I think I can get the 20-30 bucks to get that started.

 

[afr0byte]

You're going to need a lot of ice to keep a fermenter at lager fermentation temps. Personally I'd wait longer until you can swing the fermentation chamber.

 

[jmccraney]

+1 for a fermentation chamber.

I'm in the pnw as well. Recently got a $30 Craigslist refrigerator and a $20 temp controller on Amazon, and now I can control fermentation temps to within half a degree f with no stress. I totally get the budget thing, but I wouldn't brew anther batch this summer without one.

 

[Brewmex41]

+1 for a fermentation chamber.

I'm in the pnw as well. Recently got a $30 Craigslist refrigerator and a $20 temp controller on Amazon, and now I can control fermentation temps to within half a degree f with no stress. I totally get the budget thing, but I wouldn't brew anther batch this summer without one.

Is a temp controller all I'd need?
Something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00862G3TQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Is there anything else I need to order or buy to make this work?

 

[jmccraney]

Yep that's exactly what I used. There are a couple more odds and ends like a box, wires, outlet, etc., but there's a good thread on this site w step by step instructions on what to pick up and how to wire it. I don't have the link at the moment but I'm sure you can find it. Trust the wiring diagrams, the thing works like a champ and I can't imagine brewing without temperature control when it gets hot. If I had to come up w one word of warning it would be to be gentle when tightening up the relays. I may have cranked mine down a bit tight, but it still works perfectly.