Keeping your cool

[DocAnna]

I'm realising how annoying this weather is for brewing . It's far easier to keep something warm than it is to keep it cool, so this hot weather is a bit of a faff with my brew fridge being used to keep things cool rather than being able to leave the beer to condition at room temperature. I do worry about the kegs of beer that are being stored in the garage that don't fit in the fridge and whether the weather will spoil all the hard work. What's your experience of warm conditions for storage with different beers in kegs and bottles? I'm wondering if over the summer I should schedule the brew fridge for storage only and think about Kveik beers - which I've not tried yet ?

Anna

 

[Richard_H]

I live in a new build flat on the 2nd floor which is great in the winter but a not much fun during a heatwave. Add in the the fact that I didn't want the additional clutter of a brew fridge, kegerator etc until I have moved so all I can brew during weather like this is Saisons and Kveiks.

Currently have a Saison in the FV which seems to have been sat at a steady 29 degrees since we entered the heatwave. Been doing this for 4 years with zero issues until last weekend when I had my first bottle bomb! the rest are of that batch of Saison are in the fridge which taste fantastic but definitely over primed. It seemed on the 4th week they were very well carbonated so could be worth under priming a batch that might get left somewhere warm for a reasonable amount of time.

As for the beer being spoilt that is something that is yet to happen to me using the above yeasts, in fact my bottle bomb Saison is very similar to some I bought from Beers of Europe and my Kviek stout is tasting rather good during its early stage.

Out of heatwave conditions the MJ M31 is good for up to 28 degrees, a good one to brew in September and enjoy during the winter months

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

What's your experience of warm conditions for storage with different beers in kegs and bottles?

No deterioration noticed in my bitters or wheat beers - I don't know whether it would accelerate the fading of a heavily hopped IPA but I wouldn't be surprised

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

could be worth under priming a batch that might get left somewhere warm for a reasonable amount of time.

Yes indeed: the amount of CO2 that will stay in solution is much higher when the beer is cold.

 

[DocAnna]

Yes indeed: the amount of CO2 that will stay in solution is much higher when the beer is cold.

Oh that's a really good point too, and is reassuring about your experience of not seeing deterioration in bitters and wheat beers. I can envisage a seasonal brewing calendar a bit like a planting one... a good month to brew <beer type>, and a month to be conditioning <beer type> .

 

[Graz]

My garage is probably the coolest bit of my house at the moment. If it weren't for it being dark and dusty I'd consider moving my laptop out there

As for beer storage, I've got a couple of full kegs out there just sat on the floor and few shelves of full bottles. I'm not overly concerned about any of it as I figure beer supplied to supermarkets and pubs goes through a lot worse.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Regarding bottling, basements take the edge off heat waves if there's one available through an acquaintance. Despite getting hammered by high temps here for days on end, my basement is 22°C.
I haven't had heat affect my beer negatively, mostly tripels and quads, even after a year.
As a general note, I was under the impression that the amount of carbonation is finite and if the correct amount of priming sugar is added, there will be no ongoing carbonation. It's a fuzzy area for me.

 

[Clint]

Remember the wise words of Dutto....we only get a week of summer in the UK so stop worrying...or something like that!

 

[The Baron]

I have come to the same conclusion DocAnna having just used Kveik twice I am ready to use it in the summer on virtually all ordinary beers/ales.
After watching a Youtubers make a lager with it at norm temps I will give that a go too and see how it does. When you think of the benefits it can be pitched high and finish in 2/3 days with no cleaning up required of the yeast also no off flavours produced except the yeast flavours what not to like and it saves on loads of beer fridges if you brew like me 3 beers in 1 week then nothing until they are all in the cornies so no need for loads of fridges

 

[The Baron]

As a Foot note Doc I have never had any of my Cornies spoil in the heat ( I have large brewshed in my garden with 4 pumps on it) and the spare conditioning beers sit under the bar which gets quite warm in the summer.
I think as long as they have CO2 over them they seem to be ok the only thing is when I pull the first pint if they have been in the warm it must make the little bit of residue not as flocculant and I do get a few small floaters but soon goes once that first pint is pulled apart from that no taste change so all is good

 

[DocAnna]

As a Foot note Doc I have never had any of my Cornies spoil in the heat ( I have large brewshed in my garden with 4 pumps on it) and the spare conditioning beers sit under the bar which gets quite warm in the summer.
I think as long as they have CO2 over them they seem to be ok the only thing is when I pull the first pint if they have been in the warm it must make the little bit of residue not as flocculant and I do get a few small floaters but soon goes once that first pint is pulled apart from that no taste change so all is good

Thanks, this was perhaps my biggest worry as I didn't have space for all my kegs in the fridge. Unfortunately brewing has had to take a bit of a back seat recently, as we are going away for a couple of weeks and we had a garden project that had to be completed before we went away. Between that and work I've been busy late into the evenings every day, and time just seems to evaporate !

Anna

 

[The Baron]

you will be ok the beers will condition even in the heat but will take longer to clear thats all. It is obviously better to keep at serving temps but I have never had a disaster as of yet and have kept christmas brews in there for several months to condition, enjoy your break with no worries

 

[dad_of_jon]

I did a kviek specifically because of the temps, i'll be bottling on sunday. As for storing bottles in a shed, I cant say its had a major impact apart from them being a bit better carbonated. I do try not to let beer go thru 2 summers tho'

 

[hughjamton]

As a Foot note Doc I have never had any of my Cornies spoil in the heat ( I have large brewshed in my garden with 4 pumps on it) and the spare conditioning beers sit under the bar which gets quite warm in the summer.
I think as long as they have CO2 over them they seem to be ok the only thing is when I pull the first pint if they have been in the warm it must make the little bit of residue not as flocculant and I do get a few small floaters but soon goes once that first pint is pulled apart from that no taste change so all is good

Exactly the same for me, but I've got 5 pumps, nah nah, nah nah nah.

 

[dave_77]

If you have a garage..make more room for your hobby. Another 2nd hand fridge for some extra storage. I think my wife is getting annoyed with my fridge hunting..maybe just one more.

 

[Stevieboy]

I'm realising how annoying this weather is for brewing . It's far easier to keep something warm than it is to keep it cool, so this hot weather is a bit of a faff with my brew fridge being used to keep things cool rather than being able to leave the beer to condition at room temperature. I do worry about the kegs of beer that are being stored in the garage that don't fit in the fridge and whether the weather will spoil all the hard work. What's your experience of warm conditions for storage with different beers in kegs and bottles? I'm wondering if over the summer I should schedule the brew fridge for storage only and think about Kveik beers - which I've not tried yet ?

Anna

I've just pulled 2 PBs from my outdoor shed after nearly a year (I finally got round to it after my wife and I separated) and they were both still fine. They both were half full, still at full pressure and the beer was fine. I couldn't believe it. That's a whole winter and a summer in the uninsulated wooden shed.....