How important is ambient temperature when home brewing beer?!
How important is ambient temperature when home brewing beer?
I want to start making beer but I don't want to keep it my kitchen. I would prefer to make it in the garage, but can't control the temperature there as well. How might that effect my beer making?
Answers:
If you are going to make a lager, it will effect the primary fermantion alot... I would make an Ale first... Stick with a simple british ale, nothing complicated.
As for the temprature, in the primary fermation, I have found that the warmer the room is the faster the fermantion will take place. The reciepe may state that it will take a week to get to the right specific gravity (it will change with each type of Ale you make), however in warmer rooms, that may but cut down to 4 days, or in cold rooms extend to 10 days.
How the beer tastes will change as well, however there are so many other issues that could screw up the taste more then temprature, I would not worry about it.
My suggestion would be to make the wort and do the primary permation in your kitchen (or bathroom) for the first week or so, in a room that 1) is more or less 70 F and 2) has a flooring that can handle a spill.
Once you bottle the beer (and it has to sit for another 4-8 weeks) that can be done in the garage.
One last suggestion: CLEAN EVERYTHING. pots, spoons, hoses.. take the extra time to clean and the beer will come out ok.
-luck