Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Temp control in a hot climate  (Read 2320 times)

Offline kylerjohns

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Temp control in a hot climate
« on: June 21, 2010, 06:11:45 am »
I want to start brewing a stout soon, but I live in Las Vegas and during the summer it is HOT.  I dont have a place in my apartment to put my carboy that can maintain the correct temperature.  Does anyone have some advice on how or where a good place to store my brew would be?  I really dont want to wait till October to brew again.

Offline billsbrewing

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • Bill's Home Brewing
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2010, 07:03:02 am »
It's all about the yeast. You want to make sure that your yeast can stay happy in whatever temperatures you can maintain.
If your stout wants an Irish ale yeast, keep in mind that this yeast won't be happy with temperatures above 68 degrees F. Consider instead brewing a farmhouse ale. Some of these yeast strains can survive (and thrive!) at temperatures up to 90 degrees F.

As for storing your brew, pick the darkest, coolest corner you can find and put your brew there. Block all light. Crank up the AC.

Good Luck!

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2010, 07:38:17 am »
Get one of those half-bucket tubs that are made for kids toys.  Put your carboy in it, fill the tub with water and put frozen water bottles in the water to maintain a cool temp.  Change out the water bottles as needed.
Joe

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2010, 08:02:28 am »
Get one of those half-bucket tubs that are made for kids toys.  Put your carboy in it, fill the tub with water and put frozen water bottles in the water to maintain a cool temp.  Change out the water bottles as needed.

+1 You can also wrap it in a towel so that the towel is in the cold water and wicks it up.  Then you get some added benefit from the water evaporating.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline Matt B

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 78
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2010, 08:12:56 am »
And a bastardization of the son of the fermentation chest that I've done is use blow off tubes instead of bubblers because they're tall and get knocked off easily, then cover the carboys in a blanket, put a couple bottles of frozen water in with the carboys, and a mini muffin fan from a video card or something just to get a little bit of convection in there (but not so much as you blow cold air out or suck hot air in) and change those out a couple times a day. I've kept my beer at 62 degrees while it's 100 in the house with no problem.


Offline kylerjohns

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2010, 01:41:38 pm »
Those are all great ideas...Thanks guys!

Offline lbrewski

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 25
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2010, 05:11:03 pm »
Igloo makes a 60 quart "Ice Cube" cooler that happens to fit a carboy or bucket quite well:

http://www.igloo-store.com/detail/IGL+ICECUBE+60+RLR

(ignore the price shown, your local wally has it for less than $30)

I dedicated mine to my carboy and cut a hole in the top for it to stick out of. Other folks have custom-cut some styrofoam and left the lid intact. You can use frozen ice bottles fit into the corners to keep temperature down, with or without the carboy sitting in water.

Or you can enhance that situation by using a temperature controller, a cheap pond pump and an immersion chiller (or loop of copper tubing) sitting in a ice-bottle bath in another cooler sitting nearby - works great, all you have to do is swap an ice bottle twice a day 2nd cooler.


Offline Malticulous

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 368
Re: Temp control in a hot climate
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2010, 10:17:50 pm »
I'm in St. George. My chest freezer took my beer to another level. I highly recommend getting one and a temp controller if you serious about making great beer in this hot desert. You might find one on Cregslist for cheap.