fermentation temperature

[Jim P]

This is my first post.
I started a batch of Mustang Grape wine in a 10 gal. Igloo water cooler as my primary ,on 9/5/08. At the start, the juice temperature was 69 degrees, and this morning it is at 83.3 degrees and the [email protected].
The primary is covered with a fine mess cloth , and the room temperature has been kept at 70 degrees.
At this point , I would assume that it was a bad choice of using the Igloo container as a primary, since it is insulated on the sides.
Can I place a small ice pak on the top of the pulp bag , or will it be okay to wait until I rack into the secondary , maybe in a couple of days.


I have another batch of Dewberry wine fermenting in a 6 gal. primary bucket , and the temperature in this primary bucket is holding @ 72-73 degrees.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Welcome Jim P....Hope you enjoy your stay here and get the answers you seek....Also share with us your experiences.

It is interesting about using the cooler and you are probably correct about it holding the high temp...yeast when fermenting does give off it's own heat. 83* isn't critical yet. An ice pack or sealed baggy of ice I don't think would hurt anything.

You will be racking soon.

Thanks for sharing the Igloo cooler information.

 

[Wade E]

Welcome Jim, that is a tad high and would probably benefit from cooler temps. Just make sure that what you use to bring the temp down is sanitized well and not leaking if using an icepack. Maybe throw the icepack in a ziplock bag to be cautious.

 

[Jim P]

Thanks for your quick replys to my question. I used a ziploc bag ,andplaced the ice bag on top of the pulp , and will check the temperature again this evening.

 

[Jim P]

I just started making wine a year ago , and I am really enjoying it , and so are my friends.
Down here in Texas , it is hard to make wine when it is so hot.
Years ago, mydad used to make some good wines , and he would use clay crocks for his primary,plus he did it out in his garage where it was very hot. For his secondary he used wooden kegs , and they were left out in the garage to ferment. It was then bulk aged in the wooden barrels in a small underground compartment in the garage. He never seemed to be concerned with the heat.
Just figured that this information might be of interset to someone.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I just got the issue of WineMaker Magazine and see there was a photo of cooling down must using frozen water bottles inside a Zip-Loc bag.....So...others are having heat issues.

 

[SouthernMan]

I control fermentation temperature by taking a new Rubbermaid garbage can, cut away most of it with a handsaw so I can place my 6 gal fermenter bucket in the bottom of the garbage can. I pour enough cool water around the fermenter to keep it from floating and whenever the temperature rises in the fermenter, I use enough ice around the fermenter to cool it down to a proper temperature. The room temperature in my house stays 72 degrees all summer long and I keep a fan blowing over the garbage can to maintain a steady temperature whenever I am fermenting wine.
Edited by: SouthernMan