Brewing at room temperature

[moto748]

I don't have a brew-fridge, I daresay like a lot of posters, and I doubt I'll be getting one anytime soon. Likewise I don't have any external heating facility. So this is effect seems to mean that certain times of beer are probably not suited to what I have., I see recipes where the fermentation is kept very warm, and, more commonly, brews where the temperature is maintained quite cool. So I'm really only interested in brews that will be behave at normal room temp (say 21 deg in the day-time, 18-19 deg at night).

I've already decided that lagers in general I won't bother with, previous attempts at lager production have been disappointing, and I'm not a massive lager fan anyway. So I'm prepared to write them off. But the temp range shouldn't prevent me trying for, say, an American-style IPA?

So what I'm asking is, are there other types of brew I should perhaps forget about, and, conversely, others than would be suited to room temp? Thus far I have brewing English-style bitter and some stouts, which have gone OK, and one simple weissbier, which also went well. I would welcome your comments.

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

I have been home brewing for over 30 years and never used a fridge at any point in brewing

Lagers generally are best brewed cold but most other beers ferment at 18 - 22C depending on the yeast strain. Like you lagers don't interest me

"Cold crashing" after fermentation (temps around 5C) will help the beer clear your beer, but it will not achieve anything that time alone won't

Using Irish moss/Protofloc in the boil will help as will gelatin after the fermentation - you do not need a fridge to brew good beer

What type of beer do you like, and I will see if I can suggest some recipes

 

[The Baron]

Apart from Lagers you can brew most beers. You could try different yeasts at different times of the year that have a temp range to suit your house in Winter and Summer. I also use my garage which then gives me a slightly lower temp than the rest of the house but yeast choice will enable you to brew most beer styles
Re Lagers try a Kolsch as they can be a little more tolerant in temperature ranges

 

[labrewski]

Ipa all the way

 

[chris-s]

at normal room temp (say 21 deg in the day-time, 18-19 deg at night).

Really?

Is this the new normal?

 

[Saisonator]

Really?

Is this the new normal?

It is when you’ve got a woman indoors.

 

[moto748]

Thanks all, that's the response I was hoping for. I plan further English-style bitters next, as I have brewed them successfully already, and also thought I might try the simple Citra pale ale. I've done three stouts lately, and one more is imminent, so that's enough dark beer for a while I think. But if anything specific springs to mind, any suggestions will be read with interest! Especially perhaps, a US-style IPA with a suitable yeast.

 

[moto748]

It is when you’ve got a woman indoors.

Or when you're old!

 

[moto748]

Actually, there's a broader point here about lager. When I say, i don't like lager much, I mean Stella-type stuff, but I'm not wild about, say, Budvar either. But I'm using the term 'lager' colloquially, as most British beer-drinking do, to cover just about any pale, 'Euro' beer. And many of these, more strictly, would not be categorised as lagers, and many of you guys are much more knowledgeable than me (wouldn't be hard) about this.

So to get back to the point, I daresay there are recipes for European-style beers that do not require cold temperatures as well. I wouldn't want saying 'no lager' to be throwing the baby out with the bath-water!

 

[dad_of_jon]

I don't have a brew-fridge, I daresay like a lot of posters, and I doubt I'll be getting one anytime soon. Likewise I don't have any external heating facility. So this is effect seems to mean that certain times of beer are probably not suited to what I have., I see recipes where the fermentation is kept very warm, and, more commonly, brews where the temperature is maintained quite cool. So I'm really only interested in brews that will be behave at normal room temp (say 21 deg in the day-time, 18-19 deg at night).

I've already decided that lagers in general I won't bother with, previous attempts at lager production have been disappointing, and I'm not a massive lager fan anyway. So I'm prepared to write them off. But the temp range shouldn't prevent me trying for, say, an American-style IPA?

So what I'm asking is, are there other types of brew I should perhaps forget about, and, conversely, others than would be suited to room temp? Thus far I have brewing English-style bitter and some stouts, which have gone OK, and one simple weissbier, which also went well. I would welcome your comments.

Try a cali-common steam beer - mangrove jack does one yeast suited to those temps you mention.

 

[GeorgieV]

I'm pretty much in the same situation regarding the temperature control - no fridge. I've tried brewing lager in January/February time to take advantage of the cold weather. The result wasn't impressive but still drinkable.
There are, however, plenty of beers that can be brewed at around room temperature. In addition to what was already mentioned, I'd say try Belgian. I had a chance to work in Brussels for a while and, of course, to explore the local bars and beers. There's plenty to try and most are brewed at room temperature.
Another option is to take a look at the higher temperature range. With a simple heating mat or electric blanket, you can go to over 30 C and try Kveik yeast. I'm currently fermenting a beer at 33C with a heating mat on and the fermenter wrapped in insulation. It worked pretty well last summer, so I hope this one will be good too.

 

[Ahdinko]

Actually, there's a broader point here about lager. When I say, i don't like lager much, I mean Stella-type stuff, but I'm not wild about, say, Budvar either. But I'm using the term 'lager' colloquially, as most British beer-drinking do, to cover just about any pale, 'Euro' beer. And many of these, more strictly, would not be categorised as lagers, and many of you guys are much more knowledgeable than me (wouldn't be hard) about this.

So to get back to the point, I daresay there are recipes for European-style beers that do not require cold temperatures as well. I wouldn't want saying 'no lager' to be throwing the baby out with the bath-water!

Like Moto, I've never had a fridge to cool my fermentations, but there are many "lager" or "european"ish beers that you can ferment at normal house temperatures. Kolsch is beer style that I love, that doesn't require lager temperatures but produces a nice, malty, clean and crisp result.

You can also expirement with different yeasts. A pilsner recipe with a yeast like WLP810 or Mangrove Jack's M54 has produced good results for me at normal house temperatures.
One of my best beers so far (as rated by my family and friends) was what I call a "lagle". Pilsner grain bill, with the hop types and levels of a pale ale, and brewed with WLP810.

I've heard good things about being able to get a a clean lager like character from certain Kveik isolates too. I've got a pack of UBBE in the fridge which is supposed to be right up that street. Im going to try it on my next lagle and see what happens!

Here's a couple of my recipes you can steal/look at for inspiration:
https://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/961349/kolschhttps://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/3506064/kolsch-2https://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/760949/too-hoppy-for-etyle

 

[Scottyburto]

+1 Cali common yeast.
Crossmyloof sell one for a few quid Inc delievery. There's a hbf discount code for their website or you can use eBay. They're great for hops too.

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Have you looked at the free recipes on

Brewfather Brewfather and Brewers Freind Homebrew Beer Recipes | Browse 200,000+ at Brewer's Friend

 

[DCBC]

If you're not interested in a fermentation chamber then this is probably of little interest at all as it's even more expense, you could eventually try fermenting at higher pressure.

High pressure fermentation, in a unitank for example, is similar to cooler temperature fermentation because the pressure suppresses ester formation. It also helps to ensure that hop aroma compounds are not lost. In terms of footprint it would be the same as a normal fermenter and, as I understand it, you don't need to worry about temperature control at all (someone will correct me on this I'm sure) as the pressure becomes the variable (and this can easily be set using a spunding valve).

Failing that, as suggested above, try and find a Kveik strain you like (I really like Tormodgarden and Oslo at the moment) and see what they will do at different temperatures. I also brew saisons in summer and save my ale brewing for the cold half / 2/3 of the year when 17ish can be achieved either ambient or a tube heater, a stand, and some thermawrap.

 

[Alan_Reginato]

Don't worry too much. Use neutral profile yeast if it's hot or you could try kveik for summer time's. I brewd with s-33 in this summer and the fermentation temp scaled up to 32c. The esters aroma was slightly fruity. Not even close than when I brewd with Saison yeast, even at 22c. Also, the finished beer is ok.
Maybe use a water bath. I did that for my last batch and it maintained the temp 1c below the room temp. Considering that the temp usually get 3-5c higher at high krausen, it's worth the effort.

 

[Saisonator]

Get yourself a reconditioned keg and spunding valve.
You can then ferment whatever you want at room temperature.

 

[moto748]

Thanks again guys, some very helpful and useful suggestions. Ahdinko, I shall certainly look at your recipes. I had wondered about Belgian-style beers, it's a long time since I've been there, but I remember sitting in the sunshine on the town square in Iper (Ypres) many years ago drinking their lovely cherry beer, amongst others.

Obadiah, I already have the archive on all the recipes posted on this site, without searching further! I don't think I'll lack for choice!

 

[moto748]

Ahdinko, have messaged you.

 

[SilverShadow]

As regards heating, I've bought a reptile heatpad for £15 off ebay & kept my fermentation at a steady 21'c with the fermentation bucket enclosed inside a cardboard box. As it's my first brew I'm keeping costs down till I get the brewing bug properly

Us-05 was the yeast I used, which was the required type for brewing Gamma Ray.

The rest I'm figuring out as I go along

Best of luck