WineXpert Temperature for Fermenting Kits
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You run a risk of issues with higher room temps and here isquote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert that explains why. I have measured an increase of 10-12 degree rise in temp and the higher the starting temp will only increase the speed of the fermentation and the heat generated from the exothermic action of the yeast.
"80F is pushing it, because you can get secondary effects from the yeast. As yeast metabolism speeds up they can produce some weird esters and aldehydes that are not completely reduced in subsequent ageing and other activities.
If the temperature spikes during very vigorous metabolism, it can be much worse, as the yeast generate their own heat, and like positive feedback this can spin out of control, running your must up above the 100 degree range.
For almost all kits the ideal temperature is about 72F. What is most crucial is the temperature of the must at pitching. If it's too cold, you risk very slow fermentations and the possibility of a stuck ferment."
"80F is pushing it, because you can get secondary effects from the yeast. As yeast metabolism speeds up they can produce some weird esters and aldehydes that are not completely reduced in subsequent ageing and other activities.
If the temperature spikes during very vigorous metabolism, it can be much worse, as the yeast generate their own heat, and like positive feedback this can spin out of control, running your must up above the 100 degree range.
For almost all kits the ideal temperature is about 72F. What is most crucial is the temperature of the must at pitching. If it's too cold, you risk very slow fermentations and the possibility of a stuck ferment."
geocorn
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80 is really the very top end. I would try anything to get the temp down to below 80 for the primary. After that you can probably allow it to go up to the 83 degree mark.
Please note that you are most likely voiding the manufacturer's warranty at those temps.
Please note that you are most likely voiding the manufacturer's warranty at those temps.
Thanks for the replies. I've been trying to find a good used upright freezer to put one of those plug in thermostats on. I always run into this heat issue every summer. Hopefully I will soon find one, because I have a kit that I want to get started on.
Have you considered evaporative cooling, by placing the carboy in a shallow tub, wrapped with a T-shirt or towel that's arranged to stay moist from the tub? I know that beer brewers do that sometimes. If you placed one of those stick-on thermometer strips on the carboy, you could monitor it's temperature easily.
Of course, you'd have to replenish the moist cloth item as required to keep it from getting 'groty'.
UPDATE: Here's a link discussing that method specifically aimed at winemaking.
http://winemakermag.com/departments/621.html
Brian
Edited by: BrianD
Of course, you'd have to replenish the moist cloth item as required to keep it from getting 'groty'.
UPDATE: Here's a link discussing that method specifically aimed at winemaking.
http://winemakermag.com/departments/621.html
Brian
Edited by: BrianD
My mind was starting to wander in this direction when I read Wade's tip about putting it in water and adding ice. I read the article and it makes a lot of sense. It's a lot cheaper and easier, and should give me the 5-10 degree drop in temp that I need. I'm going to try it this weekend. Thanks.
PeterZ
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Evaporative cooling works best in hot, dry climates. Mississippi is pretty much a hot, humid climate.
Evaporative cooling works because it takes a lot of energy to turn liquid water into water vapor. One BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree F. Evaporating the same pound of water takes about 1000 BTU. If you have a 100 lbs of water and 1 lb evaporates out, the remaining 99 lbs will be 10 F cooler.
So what is the limiting factor? Dew point of the air, or the wet bulb temperature. Air at any given temperature can only hold so much water before it becomes saturated. In Arizona it's a long way from ambient conditions to saturation, so lots of water can evaporate, which makes for lots of cooling. In Mississippi, OTOH, the distance is much shorter.
One thing that will help in humid environments is to set up a fan blowing at the cooler. This blows away more saturated air, replacing it with less saturated air. This evaporative cooling is by far the most common type of cooling used in industry, power generation, and cooling of large buildings.
Evaporative cooling works because it takes a lot of energy to turn liquid water into water vapor. One BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree F. Evaporating the same pound of water takes about 1000 BTU. If you have a 100 lbs of water and 1 lb evaporates out, the remaining 99 lbs will be 10 F cooler.
So what is the limiting factor? Dew point of the air, or the wet bulb temperature. Air at any given temperature can only hold so much water before it becomes saturated. In Arizona it's a long way from ambient conditions to saturation, so lots of water can evaporate, which makes for lots of cooling. In Mississippi, OTOH, the distance is much shorter.
One thing that will help in humid environments is to set up a fan blowing at the cooler. This blows away more saturated air, replacing it with less saturated air. This evaporative cooling is by far the most common type of cooling used in industry, power generation, and cooling of large buildings.
