High temperature fermentation

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Date: 25 Jul 2006 15:23:14
From: Ian Hunt
Subject: High temperature fermentation

I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
very vigorously.

Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?

Ian H

Date: 25 Jul 2006 11:22:39
From: Larry Bristol
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Ian Hunt wrote:

> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is
> bubbling very vigorously.
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?

I have no experience with that particular yeast, but plenty with
temperatures at and above 86F! Of course, I live in the land of a/c, some
few miles west of Houston, TX, the most air conditioned city in the world!

Fermentation is obviously faster at the higher temperatures. Conventional
wisdom is that higher temperature fermentation will enhance the development
of esters. This can be range from very good to inappropriate, depending on
the style of beer you are making.

Here is a link to a (non-brewing) page containing an excellent description
of esters and what they are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester

--
Larry Bristol --- The Double Luck
http://www.doubleluck.com

Date: 25 Jul 2006 19:19:56
From: rjwhite6
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Date: 25 Jul 2006 23:59:13
From: Ian Hunt
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

> Wow 86 deg F and Ringwood!
>
> This beer will not be short of 'character'.

Thanks for the response Guy's. My main problem is that I am brewing a range
of beers in 5 gallon (UK) pressure barrels for a post reception do following
my daughters wedding on September 30th. I will keep an eye on this but it
may not be up to my usual standard......................Shame, because for
once all the brewing stages went very smoothly.

I'll try the 'wet T-shirt trick. BTW I resorted to the Ringwood due to my
wife dumping my stock yeast when the freezer died!!! Doh!!

Ian H

Date: 26 Jul 2006 08:06:08
From: Larry Bristol
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

rjwhite6 wrote:

> Wow 86 deg F and Ringwood!
> This beer will not be short of 'character'.

LOL! I am reminded of a story that allegedly occurred at a brewing
competition. One of the entries in an IPA category had been brewed to a
ridiculously and impossibly high IBU content. The judges at the table
asked the master judge (a man noted for his mild manner) to comment.

His response? "Crisp."

--
Larry Bristol --- The Double Luck
http://www.doubleluck.com

Date: 26 Jul 2006 13:56:51
From: Dick Adams
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Larry Bristol <larry.remove@remove.doubleluck.com > wrote:
> rjwhite6 wrote:

>> Wow 86 deg F and Ringwood!
>> This beer will not be short of 'character'.

> LOL! I am reminded of a story that allegedly occurred at a brewing
> competition. One of the entries in an IPA category had been brewed to a
> ridiculously and impossibly high IBU content. The judges at the table
> asked the master judge (a man noted for his mild manner) to comment.
>
> His response? "Crisp."

Too much hops is like too much malt - The Impossible Dream

Dick - A Condescending Brew Guy

Date: 25 Jul 2006 21:42:53
From: Todd
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

"Ian Hunt" <ihunt@blueyonder.co.uk > wrote in message
news:CHqxg.17369$9d4.1988@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is
bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?
>
> Ian H
>
>
You will probably get esters and maybe fusels.

I brewed a couple of beers with off flavors, in fact one of them was so bad
that I decided to throw it out. It was already bottled and carbonated, and
I didn't have time to open all the bottles and dump them at that time, so I
put the two cases aside in a corner of my basement until I could get around
to it.

I didn't get around to it for about three months, and I decided to give them
another try before dumping them. I was hoping that maybe the off flavors
had aged out a little. They were fine. All the off flavors had aged out.

When your beer is ready to drink, if you don't like it, put it aside for
another month and then try it again.

Todd

Date: 25 Jul 2006 13:41:42
From: Phil
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

It's hotter than normal here in Southern California, so I've resorted
to the ice bath bucket/shirt trick for my primaries until it cools down
again. I bought a 25-gallon oversized picnic bucket (the kind you fill
with ice and throw soft drinks in), fill it half-way with cold water,
then put my carboy in it, and cover the carboy with a black t-shirt
soaked in the cold water. The wet shirt keeps the carboy cool and my
beer stays a lot cooler than it would be without it. Damn is it hot
here, guys.

Let us know how your beer turns out! I'm sure it'll be fine.

> >I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the
> >temperature in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT.
> >The room I use is currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs
> >Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling very vigorously.
>
> >Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this
> >set-up?

Date: 25 Jul 2006 19:33:51
From: Scott Sellers
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Ian Hunt <ihunt@blueyonder.co.uk >:

>I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the
>temperature in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT.
>The room I use is currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs
>Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling very vigorously.

>Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this
>set-up?

At 86F, you are 12 degrees above the recommended temperature
range (64-74F). At that temp, your primary is probably close to
over. I wouldn't ferment that high -- but this might just be
conventional wisdom speaking.

As to problems or off flavors, you will be the one in position
shortly to let us know.

Scott S

--
Scott Sellers

Date: 25 Jul 2006 12:16:27
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Ian Hunt wrote:
>
> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?

I'd say so... that yeast tends to be very estery anyway and at that temp
yopu can almost be sure of fusels, too.

--------- >Denny

--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.

Date: 25 Jul 2006 18:50:25
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:23:14 GMT, <ihunt@blueyonder.co.uk > wrote:
> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?

You'll likely experience a lot of off flavors due to the high temp. Whether
you like the beer or not is going to be something you'll have to decide.

John.

Date: 26 Jul 2006 16:37:29
From: pandamonium
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:23:14 +0000, Ian Hunt wrote:

> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?
>
> Ian H

I've got a temperature problem when brewing and I have discovered that
fusel notes tend to be higher than I normally like. That said, after the
first few pints I tend to forget about them. Just get everyone half gone
on cheap lager before pulling out the beer and they'll be amazed.

Seriously though, I'm yet to try some of the tips regarding wet t-shirts,
freezer-blocks and frozen gel packs. I've a couple of kits waiting to be
started (my wife keeps on reminding me to get round to it - now there's a
turn up!) but I keep putting it off because of the planning that's
involved, especially keeping it cool.

If you try any of the tips here, let us know how they work out.

Good luck :)

Date:
From:
Subject:

Date: 26 Jul 2006 15:11:54
From: KGB (KGB)
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:23:14 GMT, "Ian Hunt" <ihunt@blueyonder.co.uk >
wrote:

>I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
>in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
>currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
>very vigorously.
>
>Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?
>
>Ian H

Hi Ian

I also live in the UK.

What I do in hot weather is to INSULATE the fermenter (I use a couple
of padded pillow cases "stolen" from my wife's linen cupboard - but
anything similar would work).

I then freeze down a couple of the - usually green colour - freezing
packs (what are they called??) that come with picnic cool boxes. I
place a couple of these under the insulation and against the sides of
the fermenter, keeping another couple ready in the freezer; plastic
containers of ice would work just as well, but the cool-box freezer
thingies are more convenient.

I swap the freezer packs over at regular intervals - usually first
thing in the morning and again in the evening.

Using this method, I can keep the fermenter to at least 10F below room
temperature. I haven't actually brewed for a few weeks but would
expect to achieve a fermentation temperature of around 70F in the
current weather we are having.

Regards

KGB

Date: 26 Jul 2006 17:00:50
From: Ian Hunt
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

> Hi Ian
>
> I also live in the UK.
>
> What I do in hot weather is to INSULATE the fermenter (I use a couple
> of padded pillow cases "stolen" from my wife's linen cupboard - but
> anything similar would work).
>
> I then freeze down a couple of the - usually green colour - freezing
> packs (what are they called??) that come with picnic cool boxes. I
> place a couple of these under the insulation and against the sides of
> the fermenter, keeping another couple ready in the freezer; plastic
> containers of ice would work just as well, but the cool-box freezer
> thingies are more convenient.
>
> I swap the freezer packs over at regular intervals - usually first
> thing in the morning and again in the evening.
>
> Using this method, I can keep the fermenter to at least 10F below room
> temperature. I haven't actually brewed for a few weeks but would
> expect to achieve a fermentation temperature of around 70F in the
> current weather we are having.
>
> Regards
>
> KGB

I've just put the fermenter in a large tub filled with water, with a wet
towel wrapped around the bin. I'm about to add a couple of freezer thingies
as you suggested.

I know it may be a little late for these methods but I'll give it a go
Neway.

Ian
>

Date: 26 Jul 2006 08:12:58
From: Dick Adams
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Date: 27 Jul 2006 01:21:21
From: trequites
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Ian Hunt wrote:
> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?
>
> Ian H

Go to the local garden centre and get a BIG saucer (mine is for a 42cm
pot and is about 2 inches deep and around 16 inches diameter). Put your
fermentation bucket in that, wrap an old towel around the bucket and
pin it together with a nappy pin so that the end of the towel is in the
saucer - or put a T-shirt over the bucket. Jug water over the
towel/T-shirt to keep it permanently damp.
Last week the room temperature for me was 28 C but using this system
the temperature in the bucket was 21 C - easily within the yeast's
recommended range of 15-24C.

Date: 28 Jul 2006 19:49:41
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

Ian Hunt wrote:
> I have just started to ferment a British strong bitter and the temperature
> in the UK is (by our normal standards) is VERY HOT. The room I use is
> currently 30C (86F). I am using Wylabs Ringwood ale yeast and it is bubbling
> very vigorously.
>
> Am I likely to experiance any off flavours or problems with this set-up?

cf. recent posts by me and others on evaporative cooling. Essentially,
put it in a tub or bucket, put a towel over it, put water in the bucket
so it wicks up the towel, run an electric fan over it. Good for about
-5 to -10 F (-2 to -4 C) from ambient depending on relative humidity.

Since you posted this a few days ago the advice is probably too late...
but it worked for me.

--
Daniel O. Miller

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein

WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17

Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.

Date: 29 Jul 2006 20:55:47
From: Ian Hunt
Subject: Re: High temperature fermentation

"Lefty Skywalker" <dmille15@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:44cacca0$0$17986$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
>
> cf. recent posts by me and others on evaporative cooling. Essentially,
> put it in a tub or bucket, put a towel over it, put water in the bucket so
> it wicks up the towel, run an electric fan over it. Good for about -5
> to -10 F (-2 to -4 C) from ambient depending on relative humidity.
>
> Since you posted this a few days ago the advice is probably too late...
> but it worked for me.
>
>
> --
> Daniel O. Miller

I've racked the beer into the secondary fermentation drum after putting it
into cooled water and wrapping a wet towel around it.

When I tested the gravity I had a good taste ...........No off flavours, in
fact I swigged the whole of the sample it was so good.

Ian