Is it too hot to brew?

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Earl
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Is it too hot to brew?

Post by Earl » Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:28 pm

I have a couple more Festa Brew kits (Cerveza and Red) that I want to get started, but the spot in my basement where I plan to ferment hasn't been getting much below 74 degree and on some hot days runs up to 78. I suspect this will really become too hot when the fermentation starts. I do have an old keg fridge, but it is full right now and didn't want to have to empty it if I don't have to.

Also, I see in the instructions about racking the brew from the pail to a carboy, but I think the consensus from most of you is that you can leave it to continue in the pail and only transfer when I am ready to rack to the keg?

Thanks
Earl (still a rookie!)

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by GAM » Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:56 pm

Swamp cooler gets me 4'c and you can split to 2 carboys for dissipation.

Sandy

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by TimG » Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:38 pm

I have a room in the basement that can stay pretty cool, like 17degC / 63degF fairly consistently. Do you think regular ole US-05 will do well in this environment? I already have a batch in my fermentation freezer (my old keg freezer) but would like to make another batch.

Thoughts?

Tim

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by GAM » Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:43 pm

TimG wrote:I have a room in the basement that can stay pretty cool, like 17degC / 63degF fairly consistently. Do you think regular ole US-05 will do well in this environment? I already have a batch in my fermentation freezer (my old keg freezer) but would like to make another batch.

Thoughts?

Tim
17c S05 will be fine. you may want to start warmer.

Sandy

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mr x
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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by mr x » Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:39 pm

Brew with the seasons. Think saison yeast. :-)

No sense fighting mother nature.

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by GuingesRock » Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:43 pm

Earl wrote:I have a couple more Festa Brew kits (Cerveza and Red) that I want to get started, but the spot in my basement where I plan to ferment hasn't been getting much below 74 degree and on some hot days runs up to 78. I suspect this will really become too hot when the fermentation starts. I do have an old keg fridge, but it is full right now and didn't want to have to empty it if I don't have to.

Also, I see in the instructions about racking the brew from the pail to a carboy, but I think the consensus from most of you is that you can leave it to continue in the pail and only transfer when I am ready to rack to the keg?

Thanks
Earl (still a rookie!)
I’ve been looking that up, because I was interested to know, and people seem to think US-05 makes good beer up to about 75F. If that’s true, you might be OK with your FestaBrew beers if they have US-05 in them. If you try it, I'd be interested to know how it turns out.
http://beeradvocate.com/community/threa ... -05.53875/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would vote for leaving it in the pail until it is ready for kegging. It was nice beer when I used to make it and way better than extract kits.
-Mark
2nd place, Canadian Brewer of the Year, 2015
101 awards won for beers designed and brewed.
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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by dexter » Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:06 pm

Make a swamp cooler cheap and works fairly well. I've also used cold towels, magic bags and sprain bags in a pinch

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by ajcarp » Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:20 pm

Here a link to the spec sheet on US-05
http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/upl ... A_US05.pdf

Notice the complete temperature range is 53.6-77 deg F, while the ideal range is 59-71.6 deg F.

I would think you would be fine.

What a lot of us do, when it is just that few deg too hot, is the following. Put your fermenter on a water proof surface, think shallow drain pan, doggie food mat, or in my case, in the spare shower stall. Soak a bath towel with wet water and wrap it around the fermenter. The evaporation from the towel will cool the fermenter from 2-4 deg F and get you down into the ideal range. Re-wet the towel once a day. I am doing this to my current batch, with a glass carboy, and while the house temperature gets up to 76 F, the carboy has stayed in the 71-72 range, even during main fermentation.

Cheers, :spilly:

JLC
Earl wrote:I have a couple more Festa Brew kits (Cerveza and Red) that I want to get started, but the spot in my basement where I plan to ferment hasn't been getting much below 74 degree and on some hot days runs up to 78. I suspect this will really become too hot when the fermentation starts. I do have an old keg fridge, but it is full right now and didn't want to have to empty it if I don't have to.

Also, I see in the instructions about racking the brew from the pail to a carboy, but I think the consensus from most of you is that you can leave it to continue in the pail and only transfer when I am ready to rack to the keg?

Thanks
Earl (still a rookie!)

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by jtmwhyte » Sat Jul 20, 2013 11:59 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Cervesa come with a lager yeast? If so these temps are WAY too high for that one.

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Re: Is it too hot to brew?

Post by mr x » Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:24 am

Use a saison yeast, it would work with that base.

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