Bottled Lager-Temp control

[BucksBrew]

Hello all! I have two batches of lagers in the garage here in the Doylestown, PA area. So far the garage temp has been brutal to deal with in regard to keeping at stable temps! It has gone from 42 to 58 degrees.

The outside temp will be going up to 79 on tuesday/wednesday then back down to the mid 50's.

Should I try and put beer in fridge to finish out conditioning or maybe try to insulate "From" the heat for 2 days?

My fridge temp is around 35-40 degrees. I think this may be too cold for final phase of aging prior to drinking. I don't know! Plus I dont know if I have room for 4 cases of beer. At least the wife is a little understanding!

Ales for the summer it is!!!!

I don't have a basement, this is a major P.I.T.A.!!!!

Thanks,

Joe

[paul84043]

Buy a used chest freezer or fridge (chest freezer is best) and put a temp controller on it.
You can get used appliances for a steal, (less than 100$ easy) if you ask at the right time, alot of people will GIVE them to you. As in for free....
The aftermarket temp controller completely neutralizes any problems with the cooling system unless it's got a major problem, but if someone has been using the fridge or freezer and is simply annoyed with a small problem, or maybe the shelves are broken, you will have no problem at all.

Our fridge was freezing stuff in the fridge and melting stuff in the freezer, so it is now delegated to brew duty. An honorable way to live out your retirement days if I do say so myself!!

That's the only way you're going to be able to control your temp.

The two stage controller (Ranco) will run both the cooling system and a small heating device for when the temp drops below your control temp. I used a 17 Watt candle warmer (6$), but better would be a small 100 watt heater. We use them in our outside gate control boxes to keep the gearboxes from freezing up. They are great, you can set them anywhere from 35 degrees to about 65. Absolutely PERFECT for this application. If you use the heater, than you only ned the single stage controller. 35$ at Johnstone supply, (60 to 90$ at a brewing store) which is a national distributor. Ranco Part number ETC111000. A breeze to wire up, you'll be in business within an hour.

This is really the way you should go. Under 150$ and you're styling!

If Space is an issue, they make small chest freezers that will accomodate several corny kegs as well as a couple of fermentors easy...

[BucksBrew]

Ultimately that's where I need to be. But tonite I think I may have to stick the beer in the fridge and keep it there.

I guess I'll deal with the beer how ever it comes out!

Thanks.

[paul84043]

If you're only conditioning, I don't think the temp swings on the low side are as much of an issue as the swings on the high side. Warmer is much more dangerous to you beer.

[BucksBrew]

Do you think the yeast will go dormant for the final phase of bottle conditioning?

The temp is around 36-38 I think.

I put the beer in the fridge. I guess it stays ther until I drink it.

Removing to a 50-55 degree temp is not healthy for the beer I'm assuming?

[paul84043]

I don't know about storing it at 38 degrees, I'm assuming that you're just wanting to carbonate and condition now. You could always test one and see if it carbonated.
I think that lager yeasts at those lower temps are quite a bit less sensetive to swings than the ale yeasts.
I don't think that storing it at 55 is a big deal at all, actually that's a perfect storage temp, but you probably don't want it to go much over 70 degrees or so.

An inside closet is your best bet for storage without a basement.
You need to dig a big hole in your yard and bury it...

I'm beginning to wonder what temp my basement will maintain during the summer.