heat "Trouble at the farm"

[Low Farm]

ok we live in an old farm house we dont have the witchcraft that is IHW Instant hot water or IOH instant on heating with the back boiler we have the no fire no hot water or heating. However when i looked into home brewing i cleared out the airing cupboard and took some temp reading over 24 hours and go an average of about 21 deg this was with the fire in the front room on as it heats the hot water cylinder was warm. This week was day 10 and i was supposed to be bottling the Irish stout today i took a hydrometer reading this morning and it is not ready 1025 only about half way so a quik phone call to my guru and the low temp was the conclusion so nipped out and got a 2 foot Tubular Heaters - Suitable for Greenhouse and wired it in to a old thermostat and now my little fermenting cupboard is toasty hot, i have both beer and wine in the cupboard at the in bubbling away so that's the back ground my question is how hot max min temp should i set my thermostat at? will the slow brew be OK to go over the 10 days ?

 

[calumscott]

You don't want toasty...

...you want comfortable. Around 18C.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Thought all farmers were rich with fantastic farmhouses and new land rovers after all the hand EU handouts... :whistle:

 

[alanywiseman.]

Some on the forum say that a long brew give a cleaner brew. Most of my brews are in the primary for at least 2 weeks. my last brew was in the primary for 2 weeks then the secondary for another week so you have nothing to worry about.

Just try and bottle at least a week after fermentation has stopped.

 

[Low Farm]

Thought all farmers were rich with fantastic farmhouses and new land rovers after all the hand EU handouts... :whistle:

they are mate im only the tenant farmer i have to earn my wage and pay for the privilege :hmm:

 

[Low Farm]

You don't want toasty...

...you want comfortable. Around 18C.

I'am just under that at 17.5 average this week

 

[calumscott]

You don't want toasty...

...you want comfortable. Around 18C.

I'am just under that at 17.5 average this week

That'll do nicely!

 

[RobWalker]

Wine is definitely better at low temp, slow ferment means better taste. Beer, maybe.not so much, but it sounds like your temp problems are solved!

 

[Low Farm]

OK so here is the solution to all my problems as the above I've had some real problems with temp in the cupboard so on the pc good old freecycle put an add on there for some off cuts or insulation and a nice lady from the next village got in touch with some.
so i have lined out the cupboard with the Polystyrene

this looked promising but the fluctuation in temp was to much with the tube heater

so this morning i had to go into town and called at screw fix for a room thermostat i have now fitted t and the cupboard is around 21.3 to 22.9 deg C

 

[graysalchemy]

I would drop the temp a few degrees, 23c is at the start of the danger zone for fusel alcohols :sick: :sick:

 

[Low Farm]

knocked it down to 21°C

thanks for all of the input im sat here with a drop of my Irish first taste out of the keg and by god it is good

 

[jonnymorris]

I'd knock it down a bit further if I were you... nearer 18-19 for the beer. Can't comment on the wine.