[cdtcraig]

I just started trying to brew my own beer in Houston Texas. I got a Mr. Beer Long Play IPA and it said to do the initial step for 3 weeks at 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit. The issue is we live in Texas and the ambient temperature where I store the beer is 81 degrees. Do I store it longer or shorter than the recommended 3 weeks due to the different temperature?
Thanks in advance for any help.


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[ynotbrusum]

Depending on the yeast strain, you may need to keep your fermenter in a laundry tub with water and ice or frozen water bottles to control the temperature for the first few days.  There are a few yeast strains that are fine to allow temperatures in the 80’s, but those are exceptions to the rule. 

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your brewing!

[tommymorris]

The temperature recommendation is to get the yeast to ferment without leaving behind unwanted esters (fruity tastes) and fusels alcohols (undesirable alcohols). The time can’t be adjusted to fix that. You need to find a way to adjust temperature down if you can.

You can turn down the A/C and put it next to an A/C vent. You can also put in a bathtub with a 1/2” OG water and a T-shirt over it (like its wearing the T-shirt). Let the T-shirt hang into the water. The T-shirt will wick up water which will evaporate to provide a cooling effect.


- formerly alestateyall.

[joelv]

I just started trying to brew my own beer in Houston Texas. I got a Mr. Beer Long Play IPA and it said to do the initial step for 3 weeks at 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit. The issue is we live in Texas and the ambient temperature where I stir the beer is 81 degrees. Do I store it longer or shorter than the recommended 3 weeks due to the different temperature?
Thanks in advance for any help.


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Each strain of yeast has a recommended temperature range. If the beer is fermented at the high end, of outside the range, many yeast strains will produce flavor compounds that may be undesirable.

With the exception of some Belgian styles and saisons, most Ale yeast will perform as expected in the mid 60’s to 70 degree range.

If your house temperature is in the 80’s, it would help to find a way to keep the fermenter cool.

If it is the Mr. Beer small plastic fermenter, you could keep it in a cooler with water and ice.

Time is not a huge factor in the temps you are asking about. Most ales will finish in a week to 10 days.

Time is not what you want to manipulate, but temp is. Keep it cool(er).


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[KellerBrauer]

I agree with the other brewers.  Time is not your enemy, but rather temperature is.  You can also try wrapping your fermenter in a towel and place it on a cookie sheet.  Then, pour water on the towel to soak it.  Then use a fan to blow air into the fermenter.  This should lower the temperature about 10* depending on the relative humidity.  Either way, it should help.  You will need to keep the towel wet, so check it frequently.

I would also suggest sticking a thermometer through the wet towel so it contacts the fermenter.  This way you can monitor your temperature.  The beer temperature will naturally rise during fermentation.  If your ambient is in the low 80’s, the fermentation temperature could easily raise to the high 80’s or low 90’s and that could spell trouble.

Good luck, I hope this information helps!

[cdtcraig]

Each strain of yeast has a recommended temperature range. If the beer is fermented at the high end, of outside the range, many yeast strains will produce flavor compounds that may be undesirable.

With the exception of some Belgian styles and saisons, most Ale yeast will perform as expected in the mid 60’s to 70 degree range.

If your house temperature is in the 80’s, it would help to find a way to keep the fermenter cool.

If it is the Mr. Beer small plastic fermenter, you could keep it in a cooler with water and ice.

Time is not a huge factor in the temps you are asking about. Most ales will finish in a week to 10 days.

Time is not what you want to manipulate, but temp is. Keep it cool(er).


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Thanks for the input. What if it’s already been stored in the 80 degree temperature for 8 days? Is it too late to try and cool it down?


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[cdtcraig]

Depending on the yeast strain, you may need to keep your fermenter in a laundry tub with water and ice or frozen water bottles to control the temperature for the first few days.  There are a few yeast strains that are fine to allow temperatures in the 80’s, but those are exceptions to the rule. 

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your brewing!

Thanks for the response. This is my very first batch so I’m trying to at least make it drinkable.


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[cdtcraig]

The temperature recommendation is to get the yeast to ferment without leaving behind unwanted esters (fruity tastes) and fusels alcohols (undesirable alcohols). The time can’t be adjusted to fix that. You need to find a way to adjust temperature down if you can.

You can turn down the A/C and put it next to an A/C vent. You can also put in a bathtub with a 1/2” OG water and a T-shirt over it (like its wearing the T-shirt). Let the T-shirt hang into the water. The T-shirt will wick up water which will evaporate to provide a cooling effect.


- formerly alestateyall.

Thanks for the tips


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[cdtcraig]

I agree with the other brewers.  Time is not your enemy, but rather temperature is.  You can also try wrapping your fermenter in a towel and place it on a cookie sheet.  Then, pour water on the towel to soak it.  Then use a fan to blow air into the fermenter.  This should lower the temperature about 10* depending on the relative humidity.  Either way, it should help.  You will need to keep the towel wet, so check it frequently.

I would also suggest sticking a thermometer through the wet towel so it contacts the fermenter.  This way you can monitor your temperature.  The beer temperature will naturally rise during fermentation.  If your ambient is in the low 80’s, the fermentation temperature could easily raise to the high 80’s or low 90’s and that could spell trouble.

Good luck, I hope this information helps!

Thanks


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[joelv]

Each strain of yeast has a recommended temperature range. If the beer is fermented at the high end, of outside the range, many yeast strains will produce flavor compounds that may be undesirable.

With the exception of some Belgian styles and saisons, most Ale yeast will perform as expected in the mid 60’s to 70 degree range.

If your house temperature is in the 80’s, it would help to find a way to keep the fermenter cool.

If it is the Mr. Beer small plastic fermenter, you could keep it in a cooler with water and ice.

Time is not a huge factor in the temps you are asking about. Most ales will finish in a week to 10 days.

Time is not what you want to manipulate, but temp is. Keep it cool(er).


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Thanks for the input. What if it’s already been stored in the 80 degree temperature for 8 days? Is it too late to try and cool it down?


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The importance of temperature control occurs during the early stages of yeast activity. So it’s most important in the first 3-4 days. Many brewers will raise the temperature near the end of fermentation without the same issues that are created early on.

So... if temperature was in the 80’s during the the first several days or weeks, any abundant esters or fusel alcohols (solventy) are likely present.

Some yeast strains may be more sensitive than others, so it isn’t easy to say in absolute terms what you may find.

It’s a great learning opportunity as opposed to thinking of it like a mistake or failure. See what you think and try controlling the temps in the next batch and see if you like it better.

Welcome to the obsession. Er.... hobby.


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[cdtcraig]

Each strain of yeast has a recommended temperature range. If the beer is fermented at the high end, of outside the range, many yeast strains will produce flavor compounds that may be undesirable.

With the exception of some Belgian styles and saisons, most Ale yeast will perform as expected in the mid 60’s to 70 degree range.

If your house temperature is in the 80’s, it would help to find a way to keep the fermenter cool.

If it is the Mr. Beer small plastic fermenter, you could keep it in a cooler with water and ice.

Time is not a huge factor in the temps you are asking about. Most ales will finish in a week to 10 days.

Time is not what you want to manipulate, but temp is. Keep it cool(er).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the input. What if it’s already been stored in the 80 degree temperature for 8 days? Is it too late to try and cool it down?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The importance of temperature control occurs during the early stages of yeast activity. So it’s most important in the first 3-4 days. Many brewers will raise the temperature near the end of fermentation without the same issues that are created early on.

So... if temperature was in the 80’s during the the first several days or weeks, any abundant esters or fusel alcohols (solventy) are likely present.

Some yeast strains may be more sensitive than others, so it isn’t easy to say in absolute terms what you may find.

It’s a great learning opportunity as opposed to thinking of it like a mistake or failure. See what you think and try controlling the temps in the next batch and see if you like it better.

Welcome to the obsession. Er.... hobby.


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Thanks, I always have a backup in the garage fridge anyways.


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[richardk]

Fellow Houstonian homebrewer here.

I have tried the tub 'n' towel, and ice, and fan, etc. The humidity in Houston is just too high to make the evaporative cooler work sufficiently - unless, you keep your house AC in the mid-60s.  We had one of the hottest and dryest Junes on record this year, and the towel only brought temps down by about 6 degrees F.

If you have the time and attention to manage with a tub of water and ice, then that would probably work - I did not have the time.  I reached a point where my freezer couldn't make ice fast enough to keep up, and so I resorted to buying ice - just brings up the cost per pour (for me, to commercial beer prices, and my beer still tasted terrible).

I was ONLY able to get fermentation temperatures under control by picking up a scratch-and-dent chest freezer from Lowe's and controlling temperatures in it with a temperature controller.  I have brewed 17 batches in all, at this point - only the last three were temperature controlled in the chest freezer, and the last three are actually good, FINALLY!!

TL:DR: all previous repliers are 100% correct in writing that fermentation temperature is paramount, but all folks this deep in the country's armpit that I've talked with use a fridge or freezer - folks about the Great Lakes and New England and the Rockies just don't get it.

Get a refrigerator or chest freezer and a temperature controller.

[cdtcraig]

Fellow Houstonian homebrewer here.

I have tried the tub 'n' towel, and ice, and fan, etc. The humidity in Houston is just too high to make the evaporative cooler work sufficiently - unless, you keep your house AC in the mid-60s.  We had one of the hottest and dryest Junes on record this year, and the towel only brought temps down by about 6 degrees F.

If you have the time and attention to manage with a tub of water and ice, then that would probably work - I did not have the time.  I reached a point where my freezer couldn't make ice fast enough to keep up, and so I resorted to buying ice - just brings up the cost per pour (for me, to commercial beer prices, and my beer still tasted terrible).

I was ONLY able to get fermentation temperatures under control by picking up a scratch-and-dent chest freezer from Lowe's and controlling temperatures in it with a temperature controller.  I have brewed 17 batches in all, at this point - only the last three were temperature controlled in the chest freezer, and the last three are actually good, FINALLY!!

TL:DR: all previous repliers are 100% correct in writing that fermentation temperature is paramount, but all folks this deep in the country's armpit that I've talked with use a fridge or freezer - folks about the Great Lakes and New England and the Rockies just don't get it.

Get a refrigerator or chest freezer and a temperature controller.

Thanks for the input. What temperature do you keep the deep freezer at?


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[klickitat jim]

Look for a single stage temp controller,  most online brew supplies have them. Controller plugs into wall, freezer plugs into controller. A temp sensor goes inside the freezer, usually taped to the fermenter. Then you set the controller to the temp you want. If the temp rises above that the controller turns on the freezer, and turns it off if it drops below that temp.

I use a dual stage controller, one side for freezer one side for heat source. But if you live in Huston you already have a natural heat source

[cdtcraig]

Look for a single stage temp controller,  most online brew supplies have them. Controller plugs into wall, freezer plugs into controller. A temp sensor goes inside the freezer, usually taped to the fermenter. Then you set the controller to the temp you want. If the temp rises above that the controller turns on the freezer, and turns it off if it drops below that temp.

I use a dual stage controller, one side for freezer one side for heat source. But if you live in Huston you already have a natural heat source

Perfect thank you so much for your input


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