Swamp Cooler

Hi All:

This weekend I made a Kolsch using WYeast 2565 and I am fermenting on the lower end of the yeasts temp range (around 56-58 degrees F) by using the swamp cooler method. (My chest freezer is tied up currently lagering a Munich Helles).

Anyhow, I was wondering how long I should leave it in the swamp cooler at this time range? I plan to leave it in the fermenter for 4 weeks before racking to a keg and lagering for another month.

A little more background, my basements ambient temp is about 65 degrees, but that will more than likely drop as we are getting a below freezing cold front moving through for the next week or so.

Would it be irrational to let it sit in the cooler for a week, than let the temp warm up to about 60, take it out of the cooler, then move to ambient temp (roughly 65)?

The reason I ask is I am not too sure if it is bad to leave stagnate water sitting for a month.

Thanks for the input.

:cheers:

A week would probably be OK. If you had it in your fridge, I’d say a bit longer, but the most important time for temp control is the initial stages of fermentation. After a week, that will be done and warming it up a few degrees will actually help the yeast finish.

Thank you for the reply. A week it is…

:cheers: