Help with maintaining Fermentation Temperature

Hi everyone,

I just started with the caribou slobber, as most people do and I think I made a few crucial mistakes in the process of fermentation. I just had a few quick questions on what you think about these mistakes and my process.

I pitched my yeast at around 75-80 degrees, is this too hot? Should I pitch it at a lower temperature than that in the future? Is an immersion wort chiller the best way to do this?

The first day of fermentation was EXTREMELY heavy, I didnt use a blow off tube and the beer overflowed a little bit from the bucket and also went into the bubbler a little bit. I cleaned it off and santitized the bubbler and reattached it.

Unfortunately after only 1.5 days it totally stopped. I think it may be too hot in my house (I didnt realize fermenting temperature was that big of a deal). We keep our house right at 75 degrees. I live in South Georgia so if I keep it any lower then I will have a 400 dollar power billl. Luckily, it is starting to drop in temperature here in the Fall so it will be easier for me to lower the temperature in my house…What is an optimal fermentation temperature? Will 68-70 degrees be good or is that too hot?

Finally, the bad part…My wife informed me that she has been popping the bucket once every few days to look inside to see if anything was happening FACE PALM So, I am assuming that it may have been getting rocked with a little bit of oxygen. I smelled it and it smells like it may have that off putting highly alcoholic fruity smell. Is there any fix for this? I am on week 2 in the primary right now, should i leave it in there longer even though it hasnt had any activity in 12 days?

Sorry for so much, it was my first brew and I feel like I learned a TON, I just dont want to open my first brewed beer and get discouraged because it taste like a sour cider. Thanks for the help in advance guys, and im stoked to be here! :cheers:

Yeah, your temp was too high. That explains both the fast fermentation and the aroma. You’re smelling fruity esters and fuel alcohol. You’ll have much better results if you pitch yeast in the low-mid 60s and maintain that temp for at least the first 3 days of fermentation. You can put the fermenter in a tub of water and add ice packs to the water to cool it down.

Denny, is there anything I should do now that its like this? Just toss it and try again later or should I push through one more week to 3 and bottle it for the heck of it?

The good news is that this beer is quite forgiving of mistakes (I’m sure that’s why it’s one of the three choices you get with a brew kit). I had the same experience as you with my first try. Beer came out ok, very drinkable. Got better with age in the bottle.

If I were you, I’d leave it in primary for another week and then bottle.

Denny’s right. Get those ferment temps down with a swamp cooler(what he described). If you can get the level of the water in the tub close to the level of the beer in the fermentor, you can keep the beer temp to within a degree or three of the water temp.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

:cheers:

Ron

[quote=“Frenchie”]The good news is that this beer is quite forgiving of mistakes (I’m sure that’s why it’s one of the three choices you get with a brew kit). I had the same experience as you with my first try. Beer came out ok, very drinkable. Got better with age in the bottle.

If I were you, I’d leave it in primary for another week and then bottle.

Denny’s right. Get those ferment temps down with a swamp cooler(what he described). If you can get the level of the water in the tub close to the level of the beer in the fermentor, you can keep the beer temp to within a degree or three of the water temp.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

:cheers:

Ron[/quote]

Thanks a lot, so I should buy a “swamp cooler”? The guest bathtub not a good idea!? HAHA?

A 10 gallon Home Depot water cooler or similar with a plastic plant saucer(very large) with a hole cut out for the neck of the carboy/bubbler/airlock to protrude works great and gets you there for about 30-40 bucks or cheaper if you can find one around the house or used//
welcome to homebrewing!

Denny, is there anything I should do now that its like this? Just toss it and try again later or should I push through one more week to 3 and bottle it for the heck of it?[/quote]

Just wait it out and try again!

[quote=“Airborne_Terrier”][quote=“Frenchie”]The good news is that this beer is quite forgiving of mistakes (I’m sure that’s why it’s one of the three choices you get with a brew kit). I had the same experience as you with my first try. Beer came out ok, very drinkable. Got better with age in the bottle.

If I were you, I’d leave it in primary for another week and then bottle.

Denny’s right. Get those ferment temps down with a swamp cooler(what he described). If you can get the level of the water in the tub close to the level of the beer in the fermentor, you can keep the beer temp to within a degree or three of the water temp.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

:cheers:

Ron[/quote]

Thanks a lot, so I should buy a “swamp cooler”? The guest bathtub not a good idea!? HAHA?[/quote]

I use a 2 bu. plastic bucket. Cheap’n’Easy!

Oh my, the wonderful first attempt! You’ve taken the plunge, from here you’ll learn and maybe become obsessed with brewing! You’ll have question and this site has sooooo many knowledgeable peeps to help you! Ales tend to be forgiving…. Sneezles61 :cheers: