Beer Forum

So I'm going away for the weekend ('lil bro's graduating from high school, very stoked!) and I have to abandon my fermenting brews. I've been running up my electric bill using my wall-mounted AC to make my bedroom a comfortable temp for the beers and using the ice block swamp cooler method when necessary. However, I really don't like the idea of leaving my AC going unattended for 3 whole days... I guess I'm just paranoid like that.

The forecast calls for mid-80s all weekend so it might get a bit steamy, but thankfully the room gets almost no direct sun. Am I going to completely mess up my beers if they do the three days without the AC?

Before you answer "Yes you idiot!", they are all done with their active fermentation so I'm hoping that will save me. Here are the three beers in question:

1) 1.050 Blonde (Wyeast Kölsch), 3 weeks in fermentor
2) 1.069 English IPA (WLP002 English Ale), 2 weeks in fermentor
3) 1.040 Grisette (WLP550 Belgian Ale), 1 week in fermentor

So I guess I am questioning whether the off flavors associated with a hot fermentation will be created once the primary fermentation is completed and the beer enters more of a conditioning phase, assuming that the correct temperature control was in place during the initial stages of the fermentation.

Thanks!

I don't think you will get any off flavors by leaving it for 3 days. Like you said active is over, If it was me I wouldn't worry about it. Go celebrate the graduation!

Brandon wrote:I don't think you will get any off flavors by leaving it for 3 days. Like you said active is over, If it was me I wouldn't worry about it. Go celebrate the graduation!

+1, could even double as a diacytal rest prior to crash chilling then bottling/kegging.

raven19 wrote:

Brandon wrote:I don't think you will get any off flavors by leaving it for 3 days. Like you said active is over, If it was me I wouldn't worry about it. Go celebrate the graduation!

+1, could even double as a diacytal rest prior to crash chilling then bottling/kegging.

+2. Let those yeasties warm up a few degrees and they'll clean right up after themselves.

all good in the hood....as long as it doesn't reach like 100F in there ...does your AC have a themostat? maybe you could just set it higher...

What's this "AC" that you speak of?

Thanks for the responses guys.

I know this might be an "it depends" kind of question, but at what point(s) does it become safe to let the temperature rise? Is it OK at 40% attentuation... 50%... 60%... 70%?

Are the majority of high temperature off flavors produced during the first half of fermentation? Assuming ale yeasts.

bcmaui wrote:What's this "AC" that you speak of?

On the Mainland we have this thing called electricity maybe someday we will run some wires to your little island