# Fermenting during a heat wave **URL:** \ **Category:** Ingredients\ **Created:** [July 18, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208 "2013-07-18T17:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/21 "2013-07-19T16:38:37Z")
The current temp in my cellar is 71-72F. So, for lagers I use a fermentation chest with a Ranco controller, but for my ales I have two swamp coolers that I use. My ground water is about 75F right now, so I have to add ice to each cooler to get the temp in the mid 60’s. Then I add frozen gel packs as necessary to keep the water less than 68F. I monitor the water temp twice a day during fermentation. ---
**Author:** ![morticaixavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@morticaixavier](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/morticaixavier)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/22 "2013-07-19T16:50:06Z")
Just for the sake of accuracy I would like to clarify some terms. Swamp cooler or evaporative cooler - This is a method of cooling something below ambient temp via evaporation. This is the wet t-shirt method. You only need enough water to allow the t-shirt to continuously wick water up and stay wet. You might need to wet the shirt from above to some extent to make it work. It’s not really dependent on the temp of the water being used because it’s going to cool the fermenter via evaporation. this method requires enough air circulation (fan, breeze) to make sure the air is not saturated with moisture around the fermenter. Ice in water cooler - this is actually using the ice to lower the temp of the whole mass of water and beer in the tub. You can cover this set up and it will work as well or better in a small enclosed area. You are transferring heat from the fermenting beer through the water into the ice. You can get much colder with this and you don’t need to use the water, if you insulate your tub or box you can use ice packs to chill the air inside and get the same results. But insulation is required in that case because you do not have the thermal mass provided by all the extra water. ---
**Author:** ![majorvices](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/majorvices/32/12825_2.png) [@majorvices](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/majorvices)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/23 "2013-07-19T17:16:09Z")
> [@denny](#): > > > [@majorvices](#): > > > > > [@denny](#): > > > > > > > [@majorvices](#): > > > > > > > > I truly married an angel. Or maybe it’s just I’m that good in the sack. > > > > > > I vote for married an angel.  😉 > > > > It’s always black and white with you! 😛 > > It’s more that the other choice was so unbelievable… With that attitude guess you won’t be finding out. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/24 "2013-07-19T17:18:40Z")
> [@majorvices](#): > > With that attitude guess you won’t be finding out. You mean you were gonna post pics?  :o ---
**Author:** ![drjones](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/drjones/32/2614_2.png) [@drjones](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/drjones)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/25 "2013-07-22T17:28:57Z")
Some great ideas.  I’d love to install a window AC in the basement tool room where my summer fermenation is happening, but it probably won’t happen soon.  For now, the mead is in a tub with 4 ice packs, the session IPA is in a secondary at ambient (ca. 70F), and the new hefeweizen is in another tub with an ice pack.  Sounds like I should set up a fan and drape a t-shirt over the IPA at least.  Southern New England gets moldy in the summer, though, so I’m a bit anxious about what could start growing on a wet t-shirt.  I suppose I have enough shirts on hand to swap them out daily.  Vacation starts in a week - just hope fermentation is quiet enough on all fronts by then and that ambient stays below about 70… ---
**Author:** ![euge](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/euge/32/5060_2.png) [@euge](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/euge)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/26 "2013-07-22T23:23:41Z")
Try pouring a bit o’bleach in the water every day and that might help retard mold starting up. ---
**Author:** ![reverseapachemaster](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/reverseapachemaster/32/19_2.png) [@reverseapachemaster](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/reverseapachemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/27 "2013-07-23T21:16:25Z")
> [@euge](#): > > Try pouring a bit o’bleach in the water every day and that might help retard mold starting up. Retard mold?  :o ---
**Author:** ![euge](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/euge/32/5060_2.png) [@euge](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/euge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/28 "2013-07-23T22:25:08Z")
> [@reverseapachemaster](#): > > > [@euge](#): > > > > Try pouring a bit o’bleach in the water every day and that might help retard mold starting up. > > Retard mold?  :o oops… :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ynotbrusum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/ynotbrusum/32/10316_2.png) [@ynotbrusum](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/ynotbrusum)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208/29 "2013-07-25T21:46:19Z")
And watch the airlock closely - they dry out faster when the fan blows on them - that’s how I got mold in my beer once…but I didn’t check the mold for any classification. [Previous page](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/fermenting-during-a-heat-wave/14208.md?page=1)