Heat wave and limited AC

[Amandolin]

I have a 6gal Chardonnay kit from Wild Grapes that I have fermenting with 2lbs of peaches and a box of golden raisins.

It’s done fermenting (dry) but I’m in a quandary. With the heat wave we’re currently having in the Midwest temps will reach 100 for the next few days and I don’t have central air, nor can I leave my portable unit on while I’m away ... which is most of the weekend. Is it better to just leave it in primary until next week? Does it matter?

I do have a basement that stays a lot cooler but have no way to haul heavy things down there.

 

[Arne]

Looks like it is out of your control. If you can't do anything about it, don't fret it. I would make sure all the solid fruit is out of the mix, put a good airlock on it, and maybe have it sitting on something that will catch overflow if it would decide to ferment a bit more. Otherwise, have a great weekend, don't worry about it, and you can check on it when you get home. Arne.

 

[DIYer]

You can put it in a tub of water with a t-shirt over it, which will help keep it a few degrees cooler, more if you can direct a fan to blow across it as well.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/any-use-a-swamp-cooler.113158/

 

[Scooter68]

You can put it in a tub of water with a t-shirt over it, which will help keep it a few degrees cooler, more if you can direct a fan to blow across it as well.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/any-use-a-swamp-cooler.113158/

Good old evaporative cooling. Yup a t-shirt draped over the carboy and sitting in a tub of water with just natural ventilation OR a fan would help keep temps down. Works out west in the desert and other places where the air is dry but if your humidity is too high it's not effective. IF you are in a dry spell with humidity below 40-50 percent you will get some effective cooling.

(For those interested here are two sites with info and a map.)
https://heattalk.com/evaporative-cooler-humidity-chart/

And the last section of this story:

https://www.kvia.com/weather/when-swamp-coolers-stop-working/55088017

 

[Amandolin]

Thanks everyone! Yeah it is going to be outrageously humid so I don't think anything's evaporating (plus, the tub is on a different floor and presents similar carrying problems...)
I'm thinking about transferring it, degassing it, and then moving it from one carboy on the main floor to another carboy in the basement one gallon at a time. That way it can just hang out and clear for a few weeks and I won't have to worry about it again.

 

[Scooter68]

Sounds like a workable plan. Just keep tabs on the airlocks for the liquid level and watch for fruit flies/bugs collecting in there. This time of year they seem to LOVE fresh wine. Won't hurt if they get in the airlock but from time to time it's not a bad idea to refresh the airlock liquid if you are collecting fruit flies.

 

[DIYer]

Thanks everyone! Yeah it is going to be outrageously humid so I don't think anything's evaporating (plus, the tub is on a different floor and presents similar carrying problems...)
I'm thinking about transferring it, degassing it, and then moving it from one carboy on the main floor to another carboy in the basement one gallon at a time. That way it can just hang out and clear for a few weeks and I won't have to worry about it again.

Just FYI...tub doesn't mean your bathtub. I meant a plastic tub, tote, or other container. Anything large enough to put your ferment vessel inside of. I use a shallow one like this so that the air from my fan hits much of the exposed wet t-shirt (you can also wrap and secure a towel around it instead of a t-shirt). You only need 3-4 inches of water in the container.

https://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-WeatherShield-Quart-Storage-Clear/dp/B01M9CHXGX

 

[Amandolin]

Hahaha, oh yes that makes more sense! If I can't sort out how to get it in the basement I'll try that. But with a heat index of 110+ I'm not sure a few degrees from that method is going to make a difference.

 

[NorCal]

How about racking into 5, 1 gallon containers and put them in the fridge?

 

[mainshipfred]

How about racking into 5, 1 gallon containers and put them in the fridge?

Or it would make it easier to take to the basement.

 

[NorCal]

Or it would make it easier to take to the basement.

Many angles to solving this problem.