Will Excessive Temperature Effect My Brew?

[Adrianpc]

Hello,

Yesterday I started brewing a ESB Easy Brew Bee's Knees Kit. Before adding yeast the temperature was 24Deg C. I am using Safbrew T-58 yeast which the spec sheet says 15-24Deg C. I knew the temperature was slightly higher than what I would like but set the fermenter in the coolest spot in my garage hoping it was slightly cooler there. My garage is 100% dark and 1/2 dug into a slope, so the coolest place is around 1m below the outside ground level.

I can home from work after a stinking hot day in Sydney and the fermenter temperature was 28Deg and the air lock was bubbling about once a second. There was evidence that froth had been on the top of the fermenter lid and a sizeable crusty ring around the water level. As I write this the temperature is still 31 Deg outside, and around 27.5 Deg in my garage and its 11pm!

MY FIRST QUESTION

Will this high temperature affect the brew, Will it still be ok to drink? Lets assume that I can keep the fermenter at or below 24Deg C for the rest of the brew will this one day of hot temperatures have wrecked the taste anyway? Is it still worth me trying to keep the fermenter temp below 24Deg to save my Bees Knees?

MY SECOND QUESTION

I am new to brewing (my 6^th brew) and dont really know the best (and cheapest) way to cool my fermenter down. The quickest solution I came up with was to put the fermenter in a large bucket with water and some ice (water temp was around 20Deg) and drape a beach towel around the fermenter. The fermenter was submersed and the towel covered the top half. I poured water into the recessed section of the fermenter lid and over the towel to keep it moist. I then pointed a pedestal fan at it. I had thought I could keep the towel wet by circulating water from the bucket to the top of the fermenter but could not find that old water pump Bugger!

Any other good (and cheap) cooling ideas that you have would be appreciated.

 

[thunderchild]

You may have done a little damage but time may heal some wounds. Drink it ice cold!

As to a solution, IMHO the absolute best investment you could possibly make to improve your brewing for the long term is to spend $100 on a Fridgemate and whak it on an old fridge. Once you control your temp you begin to control your beer. $100 will seem like a small investment when you have to try and chew through 60 bottles of less than perfect beer. If you knnow someone with technical skill you could probably conjure up cheaper.

TC

 

[quantocks]

buy a 100 can cooler from a camping store or KMart and fill it with frozen cordial bottles and water and you'll be fine!

I just did a brew that ended up because of the heat brewing at 26 degrees, it was good. So your brew will be good to drink, just not as good as it could be.

 

[devo]

really if your doing a belgian ale using t-58 then you might get away with temps around 25c but if it's anything else yer kinda going to get some funky off flavours going on.

 

[BEC26]

Temp control is important and will affect how your beer will tatse. You have done the right thing in trying to cool it down in the water + towel etc.

others have frozen salt water in 2 litre bottles and this stays colder longer, and have at least 4 in rotation ( 2 in morning, 2 in afternoon).

Covering the fermenter with a towel is a good idea, but alos have some of it in the cool/cold water. The capillary action of the towel will bring the colder water in contact with the fermenter.

I have fermented up to 26deg with drinkable (not great) beer, which gets much better the longer you can leave it.

More wise than I will answer this as well, so listen to all, and take what you think will work.

All the best

Bruce

 

[buttersd70]

So your brew will be good to drink, just not as good as it could be.

Exactly.

Try and get teh temp down. Either the method you described (which works absolutely fine. The one change I would make, is instead of water in the lid recess, put a big block of ice on there...as it melts, it will continually re moisten the towel), or with the cooler/frozen bottles, dead fridge/frozen bottles, working fridge.

A lot of the problem flavours that temperature spikes cause can be resolved by the yeast itself....so if it's early in its fermentation, and the temperature is then dropped to a more reasonable temperature, it may clean itself up again.

 

[Tony]

Chase an old fridge... second hand can usually be found for under $100 and a simple 0-40 deg thermostat to replace the one in the fridge.

There are pics in my gallery of mine which i used for years to hold ales at 19 deg in sunner and laggers at 10 deg in summer.

for the price of a few cartons its worth doing. TH efirst few batches will pay for it.

cheers

And yes........ heat will make it taste like fruit punch cordial and give you a hangover

 

[RobB]

I have an esky large enough to fit my fermenter in. I put frozen two litre bottles of water in there next to the fermenter and they keep the temperature under control (generally 18-20C). For the first couple of days when the yeast are going nuts and producing heat I swap the bottles once or twice a day depending on the time of year. Once it has settled down I only swap the bottle every second or third day.

Any insulated chamber will do the job. The 100 can cooler would be cheaper than a large esky. Styrofoam boxes from vegie markets would be cheaper still. Dead bar fridges scrounged from verges on bulk rubbish day are an option too. I've even seen someone use a cardboard box wrapped in a doona! It's not hard to create your own insulated environment. Best of luck.

 

[quantocks]

sorry to go off topic, but Tony, I'm never going to get any brewing done with that picture you have in your signature.

 

[Adrianpc]

Thank you to all your good suggestions.

Yes the towel is draped into the water to get capillary action, sorry I should have been more descriptive.

A fridge would be good but at the moment $ may be an issue (The ecenomic downturn has even effected my home brewing funds :>)but I'll keep an eye out for an old fridge.

I love the idea of frozen cordial bottles, I will also freeze water in an icecream container then place the ice block on the lid to melt away over the towel. I've also got half a dozen frozen blocks (those plastic blocks you use in a esky or between a 6 pack) in the freezer so I'll put them in the water and also one on top of the fermenter for tonight.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

 

[dpadden]

sorry to go off topic, but Tony, I'm never going to get any brewing done with that picture you have in your signature.

my thoughts exactly!......

 

[C_west]

sorry to go off topic, but Tony, I'm never going to get any brewing done with that picture you have in your signature.

I was just thinking that, my eyes just keep drawing back to it!

 

[Tony]

I have better......... but i dont intend to offend. Just some fun!

cheers

 

[devo]

I just leeched myself a copy so no offense here. :lol:

 

[Adrianpc]

I have better......... but i dont intend to offend. Just some fun!

cheers

Tony, Do you reckon that mini skirt will have good insulating properties for my fermenter? Boing Boing.

 

[Tony]

Ummmmmmmmmm..... no! unfortunally

 

[Gavo]

Tony you are distracting me.

+1 for the fridge and Fridgemate. I have used the coolbox method and freezing 3 lt milk bottles and rotating these. It works well and is a cheap and easy solition... But I purchased a Tempmate from Craftbrewer some months ago and it would have to be one of the best homebrewing investments yet It's just a matter of set and forget. Put it on your wish list.

As for the high temp; years ago I used to brew at 27 degrees all the time becase that is what the kit instructions told me I could. h34r: I thought I was doing the right thing. h34r: I now know better. Your beer will still be ok and will improve with time in the bottle.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[Jase71]

I wonder about temps, and hope to get some clarification. The nasty (fusel?) alcohols are created when ? While the yeast is at it's most vibrant, or right througout the process ?

I ask this, bcause I can pitch at around 18c and keep it there until krausen, but after that, I'm babysitting the drum at variations between 20c & 24c. And after day five (after the yeast has finished it's hardcore feed) I can keep it around 22c.

I'm assuming that the strong yeast movement has an impact on the wert temp?

 

[buttersd70]

I wonder about temps, and hope to get some clarification. The nasty (fusel?) alcohols are created when ? While the yeast is at it's most vibrant, or right througout the process ?

I ask this, bcause I can pitch at around 18c and keep it there until krausen, but after that, I'm babysitting the drum at variations between 20c & 24c. And after day five (after the yeast has finished it's hardcore feed) I can keep it around 22c.

I'm assuming that the strong yeast movement has an impact on the wert temp?

A simple question with a complicated answer.....
Short version is, I wouldn't worry overly much about fusels <24. But, like many things, its one of those "it depends" issues.

A big factor is yeast choice. Some are designed for those temperatures, and others are not. Wort composition, pH, FAN, aldehyde and ketone production (and subsequent reduction) all play a part. Fusels play an important part in the formation of esters, which is where yeast choice can come into play...if the yeast is more likely to produce esters, it follows that it is more likely to esterify the higher alcohol, thus reducing the levels.

Theres some interesting info in Brewing Science and practice, including this chart:
View attachment 24141

 

[sinkas]

I am new to brewing (my 6^th brew) and dont really know the best (and cheapest) way to cool my fermenter down. The quickest solution I came up with was to put the fermenter in a large bucket with water and some ice (water temp was around 20Deg) and drape a beach towel around the fermenter. The fermenter was submersed and the towel covered the top half. I poured water into the recessed section of the fermenter lid and over the towel to
[/quote]


Give it a chill-pill