Is it too warm?

Discussion on brewing beer from malt extract, hops, and yeast.
Post Reply
chorltonbrewers

Is it too warm?

Post by chorltonbrewers » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:25 pm

Hi,
I did my first extract brew last night - Summer honey zest ale recipe I found on here. I pitched the yeast at 35 degrees C which I know is too warm (impatient), I've just taken a temperature of the brew and its at 30 degrees C - is this too hot for fermentation? I really don't want to ruin it!
The air lock is bubbling away which suggest that something is happening, but would it be worth moving it to a cooler room?
Thanks

anomalous_result

Re: Is it too warm?

Post by anomalous_result » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:29 pm

It will ferment yes, but in my experience you do get some funny flavours at higher temperatures. For some beers this is to style, in any event the times this has happened to me it's mellowed out after 3 months in the bottle.

But if you can a cooler room would help, and if not try standing your FV in a tray or similar with water and a damp towel over it to help cool it.

Parva

Re: Is it too warm?

Post by Parva » Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:46 am

Yep, 30c is far too warm. Get it down to 20c ideally +/- 2c.

Waffty
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 645
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:39 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Dudley

Re: Is it too warm?

Post by Waffty » Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:29 pm

I over cooked one of my brews (Kit of woodfordes Nelson's revenge) for a few days a 26 to 30c & it created a few off flavours i.e tasted very fruitie & deffo not to my liking. I throw a small back of fuggles hops to dry hop it, removed them after a week & still not alot better. So I left the brew in the corny for 4+ weeks & decided to give it another go, to my surprise it was a pukka brew, without any hint of the offending off taste.

Now I'm not saying conditioning or dry hop'ing will turn vinegar to into something half decent, by the same token, not all brews are spoilt by fermenting at too higher temp.

So let if ferment out, give it a taste, then try a dry hop & if all else fails, put it to one side for a month.
Fermenting - Nothing
Conditioning - Nothing
Drinking - Tea
Planning - Everything, if only I had the time ... !!

chorltonbrewers

Re: Is it too warm?

Post by chorltonbrewers » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:51 am

I have moved it and the temp is now 20 degrees C - was only at 30 for about 24 hours so I'm hoping it will be okay - definately not giving up on it cos it took so much effort! I was planning on dry hopping it anyway so will do that today. The recipe also says to steep orange zest while it ferments - not sure about this yet - will it not introduce bacteria into the brew??

Post Reply