Hot weather

[Petros]

Hey,

Apologies if this has been asked before, or if it is just a ridiculous question!
I'm in London, it's summer and I want to attempt my first brew. The problem is, however, all of my reading speaks about keeping the temperature of my brew in the 18-24 degrees C range, which I'm worried isn't going to be practically possible for the full duration of a brew if it decides to get hot! Simply, how much will hot weather ruin my beer, where are the best places you know to stash a fermenter in the heat to keep it coolish, and what ingenious solutions have you all come up with to beat the problem in summer?
All my equipment and ingredients are in the post, would be shame to see it sit on the shelf for the next couple of months! :cry:

 

[bolty]

When it's hot, brew a Belgium :thumb:

The yeast love it when its warmer and give off a bigger 'funk' (phenols that is).

 

[prolix]

I tend not to brew from May to September because the heat can make the beer funky, you do not want to be brewing in a room above 20c as fermentation creates heat and the temp will rise.

Some people put the fermenter in the bath for the first 3 days when fermentation is excessive and cool it that way. Or a black bin in which the can put ice blocks and water.

some have a fermentation fridge that controls temp exactly

some use beer chillers recirc python (my method if I am desperate to brew in the hot months)

some wait for a cooler spell and crack on.

I generally get 6 cornies full during May and wait the summer out.

the bath is the easiest as most people have one.

 

[Petros]

Cheers guys, and thanks for the advice!

I hadn't thought about the black bin approach, hopefully if I wallop my fermenting vessel in one for the first few days until things die down, I'll be ok!

Also, how well will the yeast cope with moderate temperature changes? I was thinking of bunging the whole thing in my uninsulated garage, simply as it will get cool down there at night (This being London in summer, 18 ish degrees lowest I hope!)

Otherwise, I'm just going to be nursing my brew, putting it in cool water by day and warm by night...

 

[Dieseljockey]

Can't remember who posted this about keeping a FV cool......but I thought at the time it was a good idea.....

Put an old shirt over the bucket....stand it in a tray..soak the shirt in cold water and put one of the sleeves into a small bucket of cold water....as the shirt dries..it takes up more water by capillary action....hey preto :clap: cool FV

 

[Dieseljockey]

Another thought :wha: P..you say you have a garage...if you can salvage any insulation board from skips (there's always a builders skip in any street in London :rofl: ) make a box large enough to fit your FV...use duck tape/zip ties...just slip it over the FV...

 

[Aleman]

If you direct a fan onto the Wet T Shirt you will get better evaporation and a cooler FV . . . as much as 5C down on ambient

 

[artyb]

hmm a cold wet tee shirt....with nipples poking out.... :party:

 

[Petros]

I'll have to hang my rubber breast bbq apron it as well for a laugh!
May as well end up calling the beer "wet t-shirt" at this rate :P
Now, to buy a £2.33 3 ring paddling pool from Argos to contain the water, steal an old shirt, and then I'll be pretty sorted :)

 

[chrisb2k]

I'll have to hang my rubber breast bbq apron it as well for a laugh!
May as well end up calling the beer "wet t-shirt" at this rate :P
Now, to buy a £2.33 3 ring paddling pool from Argos to contain the water, steal an old shirt, and then I'll be pretty sorted :)

Great idea :) I have one of those. I just need to lure the kids out with ice cream or something ...

 

A lot of you will probably throw your hands up in horror, but I just brew anyway.
Out of direct sunlight, the cool night temps compensate for the warm day temps.
The ambient temp of 23ltrs takes some shifting and my beer tastes fine!

 

[YeandAle]

Interesting post.

I have my brew on top of the kitchen table and its reading around 21 - 22 Degrees C. Im on day 11 of fermentation and still waiting to bottle. My hydrometer reads 1.012 and will be checking it tomorrow to see if that changes.

 

[pjbiker]

A lot of you will probably throw your hands up in horror, but I just brew anyway.
Out of direct sunlight, the cool night temps compensate for the warm day temps.
The ambient temp of 23ltrs takes some shifting and my beer tastes fine!

Me too, mines in an insulated (ish) area in my shed, doesnt get much above 22deg most of the time and the beer seems OK. Apparently its meant to induce the production of 'higher alcohols' or 'fusels' giving a different flavour. Wouldn't stop me brewing, just slows down my counterflow chiller efficiency a bit.