Hi, I’m collecting my supplies for my first batch mostly following the instructions from Ken Schramm’s book “the compleat mead maker”. Anyway, I live on the island of Cozumel (Mexico). My concern is that, generally, “room temperature” for me is not what it is for most people from a northern climate. Keeping my house or even room at 70F or lower would cost a fortune and isn’t very practical. So… my question is, how will an average ambient temperature of 78F-82F affect the primary fermentation? I have a great supply of high quality Mayan honey and would love to make this work. Thanks!
Fermenting too warm is going to cause off flavors in the final product, namely fusel alcohol, which has a hot sensation to it.
Research swamp coolers for a cheap, but effective, way to help keep temps down. Personally, ferm temps are just as important as ingredients so I would go a little further and build a fermentation chamber.
Thanks, I may have answered my own question…
Lalvin 71B-1122 (Narbonne) : This yeast metabolizes more of the malic acid during fermentation than most other yeasts and should be considered for wines which are high in malic. It is noted for producing “fruity” reds such as vin nouveau and works well with high-acid native North American grapes, producing rounder, smoother, more aromatic wines that tend to mature quickly. Because it is also known for making blush, rosé and semi-sweet wines with a tropical fruit character, it promotes these styles with Cabernet Franc, Gewürtztraminer and Riesling. For obvious reasons, is often the yeast of choice for a great many malic fruit and berries and for vegetable-grape concentrate blended wines. Alcohol toxicity is predictable at 14% and its temperature range is 60-85°. F.
According to that as long as the temp stays below 85F I should be in business??
I do have a room at my business that may work, however swamp coolers don’t work down here due to the very high humidity. Thanks again…
The “swamp cooler” he speaks of will work for you, as far as to keep your ferm temps down.
Do a search for them…Basically a container with a large volume of water, a t-shirt or a towel draped over your fermenter extending into the water, and a fan blowing across it all to facilitate evaporative cooling.
They work here in Atlanta, where the humidity can be pretty unbearable as well!
Again, they will work for ferm temp control, not cooling the house, like they will “out west”.
You can also follow the Brays One Month Mead recipe. When I made the recipe, I was fluctuation between 75-80 F. Others at gotmead have used it at a solid 80 F with no off flavors. Many of the mazers in Florida have starting using it due to heat…
That, and the fact that it is delicious in one month!
Just because a yeast strain is listed to “work” in a particular temp range does not mean it will produce the best product at every temp in that range.
Cooler is better. See my signature line for ‘swamp’ coolers.
I think Lavlin 1118 is also okay to use at a pretty high temp.
