[theDarkSide]

With the horrendous winter (i.e. nearly zero brewing), and travel to Ireland and NHC, I have some homebrewing catchup to do.

I have a 5 cu ft chest freezer with a Ranco 2-stage controller to control my fermentation temperatures.  I want to get my lagers going soon but have a couple ales on the schedule first. 

Is it acceptable to control the temperature of an ale (around 1.070) for the first week then pull it and leave it in the basement that is typically around 65-70F during the summer?  After one week, I would expect most of the fermentation to be completed (at 67F) and it wouldn't be too much of a shock to leave uncontrolled.  I am mostly concerned about fermenting too high and ending up with fusel alcohol or off flavors.

I like letting my lagers take their time but I need to get these ales done first for an event coming up, so they can't be pushed off.

What do you think?  (besides get another chest freezer...believe me I have thought of that )

[morticaixavier]

that should be fine. after a week you aren't gonna have much going on which means not much temp boost from the yeast activity. if ambient is 65-70 beer will be pretty close to that.

[rjharper]

After a week of fermentation your ale should be mostly done, so letting it free rise at the end in 65-70 shouldn't have much effect. I'd be comfortable with that approach, just take a gravity reading before you commit to removing from the freezer to be sure you're within a couple of points of FG

[quattlebaum]

I do this most of the time with my ales as long as they are close to being done, FG that is

[Stevie]

yeah, I do this when I need space in the ferm chamber.

[HoosierBrew]

+1 to all the other posts. If it were in the first 2 or 3 days of fermentation, different story. No worries.

[kylekohlmorgen]

I would wrap 'er in a blanket and stash in a closet, or somewhere that doesn't see a lot of temperature fluctuation.

Just to make sure the yeast finishes post-ferment activities (taking up diacetyl, etc) and doesn't experience stress due to temp fluctuation.

Its best to plan for it ahead of time, doing all you can to finish fermentation in short order:
1. Lower OG beers
2. Healthy starter, O2, etc etc (yeast health)
3. Pitch ~64F and ramp up to your ambient temp.