[ckpash88]

So i had the perfect basment for fermenting the ambient temp was about 65- 68 degrees but not anymore my brother took over the basement and his computer works better then our furnace at times.

My question is this for a ale is 78 degrees too warm?
Is 78 degrees to warm for a diacetyl rest and for initial fermenting when i am making a lager?


I have a dorm fridge that I converted with a johnson control so i can get 68 degrees but then I forgo my beer fridge for a while

I have a three parter if i take a half drank keg out of my fridge let it get back to room temp then cool it down back down does that effect it? If i can how many times can i do that befor the beer is shot

[weazletoe]

It would be fine only if making Belgians. I would not even consider doing an ale, let alone a lager in it. Anale, you want to ferment in the low 60's, a lager in the 40's. 78* is just to warm to do much of anything in. As far as starting your beer at that temp, I wouldn;t do that either. You're better off to start your beer cool, and let it warm up to temp.
  Can you maybe do a swamp cooler? But, I'm begging you, for the love of beer!!! Don't ferment at 78!

[majorvices]

+1 to weaze. 78 degrees is far too hot, though as was mentioned you can ferment belgians (esepcially saisons) in warmer conditions. But even then you would usually not want to pitch the yeast that warm. Also remember than fermentation is exothermic so your beer will actually be several degrees warmer than the surrounding ambient temp, especially during high krausen. Be sure to cool your wort all the way down to at least 70 degrees (and preferably into the low 60s) for most ales before aerating and pitching. For lagers you want to cool all the way down to 50 at least (and preferably the mid 40s) before aerating and pitching.

A swamp cooler is a simple solution to your problem. Its a container of water in which you submerge your fermenter and rotate out frozen water bottles.

[denny]

I have a three parter if i take a half drank keg out of my fridge let it get back to room temp then cool it down back down does that effect it? If i can how many times can i do that befor the beer is shot

IME, no problem at all.  You don't want the beer to get too warm (say over 80 or so as a ballpark) for too long as that will accelerate staling.  But repeated cooling and rewarming to room temps is not a problem.

[ckpash88]

IME? So if I took the kegs out of the refrig and put it in a garage that is 50 degree then put the keg back in the frig later I should just peachy?

[denny]

IME? So if I took the kegs out of the refrig and put it in a garage that is 50 degree then put the keg back in the frig later I should just peachy?

IME=in my experience

Yeah, no problem at all, especially in a 50F garage.

[morticaixavier]

seems like a 50 degree garage wouldn't be a bad place to ferment in either.  a little cool for ales but with exothermic bump might be just fine.

[thomasbarnes]

seems like a 50 degree garage wouldn't be a bad place to ferment in either.  a little cool for ales but with exothermic bump might be just fine.

Just make sure that the temperature swings aren't bad and ferment and condition in glass carboys if you're at all worried about nasty aromas from the floor (oil, mold) getting into your beer.

To get the temperature up, build an insulated box for your carboy and put in a low wattage electric light bulb to bring the temp. up by a few degrees. Alternately, immerse the carboy in a clean trash can partially filled with water and put in a fish tank heater. If you go with the second option, be aware that it can be a pain to get the carboy out of the trash can when it's full! Siphon off some of the beer to get the carboy to rise and to make it lighter, then fish it out!