Room Temperature where you ferment?

[Dugger]

jdeere
Lower fermenting temps, especially for whites can retain more aromatics ( and other things) from what I understand and fermenting at higher temps can cause these to be lost. However, I also understand that this does not apply to kits wines; in order to not lose these aromatics, etc. the grapes/juice must be kept cool throughout the process from picking to fermentation. Since kit wine juice is heated during pasteurization, this "keep cool" process is interrupted and no benefit from lower fermenting temps is realized.
Regarding stuck fermentations, I have no experience with one yet but I believe the lower the SG when you get stuck, the more difficult it will be to restart - presumably because the sugar content is lower and alcohol content is higher. I don't know if there is a cutoff point ( say 1.010 - 1.005) but others may have better info on this.
One suggestion for increasing your fermenting temp a little is to wrap the bucket/carboy with something ( I use an insulated shirt) - the must will generate its own heat when fermentation gets going and this helps to retain it.
Good luck .. Doug

 

[Becks the Elder]

I think the greenhouse heater uses more power than a brew belt. The tube is 36" long and power consumption is given as 60w per foot. However, I believe this is it's maximum consumption and so once the tube is warmed up the power requirement drops. How far though I don't know. Our dining room has benefited from the tube heater as the extra heat generated has stopped the usually appalling mold problem the room suffers throughout the winter. It's the only room we can put the wine in so we don't have the option of moving it to a warmer place. Earlier a few batches stuck due to fluctuating temperatures but subsequent batches seem to ferment right out in 4-6 weeks when the tube is used. It's probably not the cheapest method but it works well in that room.

 

[arcticsid]

If I remeber right the belts only use like 25W. Thats not bad, beats some of those who are using an electric heater to keep there "closet" warm.

Torch I am interested in your rose petal nastrusiiam. I made a rose petal last year with the petals from the rose hip plant. And my neighbor grows tons of nastrissiums. I have only used the nastissium leaves in salads. If you want. Please post your recipe for this wine. I'd like to see it personally and I am sure we would be glad to add it to the WMT recipe collection.

 

[reefman]

Hi Becks,
Do you have a link to a picture or source for this heater?

 

[Becks the Elder]

The tube I have is an old Philips one given to us a while ago. Here is the link to the Dimplex version. I can't seem to find any US sites selling them as I keep being redirected to UK sites. Maybe you'll have more luck. The wall mountings can be used as feet for a freestanding tube and they usually come with a standard plug attached.


http://www.alertelectrical.com/Electric-Heating-Fixed/Multi-Purpose-Heaters/Dimplex-Tubular-Heater-60W--DIMTUX60.asp?gclid=COWKyqqvsp0CFU0A4wodrBv5iQ


Cheers!

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Almost of the Lalvin yeast strains (D-47, K1V 1116, EC 1118, etc) I use for my wines and meads do well below 60F and, in fact, may benefit from cooler fermentation.

i use these same strains along with champagne yeast and the lalvin 1122.

keller's site has a good description of the strains

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/strains.asp

 

[Tom]

Almost of the Lalvin yeast strains (D-47, K1V 1116, EC 1118, etc) I use for my wines and meads do well below 60F and, in fact, may benefit from cooler fermentation.

Here is a link that will answer all ? on yeast and temps.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3554

 

[Wade E]

The brew belt is just about the cheapest option unless you buy a terrain heater made for reptiles enclosures and just put a pce of plexiglass on that and then your bucket or carboy. Those use less electricty and a few people use them and say they work great.

 

[arcticsid]

If you have forced air heat set a milk crate over the top of it and put your ferment vessel on top of the crate, sounds primitive, but I am kinda primitive, if you have small children or cats, forget that option and buy a brew belt.

 

[Torch404]

I was thinking your green house heaters was one of those 300-900w portable ones. Now I see you're talking about some thing totally different. I also forgot to add that my next gadget purchase was going to be a brew belt, although I haven't had any problems as of yet.

Arcticsid- I'll post the recipes over there so as not to distract from the thread

 

[arcticsid]

300-900W is ridiculous to even consider. A brew belt is only like 25W and probably alot safer!!!!!! There was a discussion in here a while aback and said you could use several without worry on a multi plug. A typicall dual-receptacle (the kind in your wall) are normally 15 amps, (20 is better), but they can handle about 1000W before you reach the danger level. So you can have several belts going off the same plug. Don't mess around with these high watt heaters!! Not worth it, and not necessary. Don't care how much you like your Grandma.!! Buy a belt.

 

[Becks the Elder]

Agreed... which is why no one was suggesting using heaters like that.

 

[bruno]

I have a couple of heating pads I use that work good. If I recall, costs about $25 or so. If you get one, make sure it has the option of staying on continually. Some will shut off after 3 hours.

 

[reefman]

Going out to buy my brew belt today, now that the roads are finally plowed and passable....more than a week after the last blizzard.n
More snow coming on Monday night.
Our normal snow fall for an entire season is 18 inches. We "officially" have had 80 inches this season.

 

[arcticsid]

Damn!! I live in the middle of Aaska and they said this is a record for the second least snow for a winter and we have only seen -30 for about 6 days, not even in a row, and we only seen-40+ for 3 nights. Normally we get 5 times as much snow and are always good for a severe cold snap. Guess you all got it over there this year, sorry about that, but I assure you we don't mind the break. In fact suppose to get above freezing today. Go figure.

 

[Tom]

Troy,
Here in the Philadelphia PA area we got over 70" of snow which is MORE than Anchorage Alaska got so far.

 

[gonzo46307]

I ferment in the laundry room, which is fairly small. I have a ceramic heater that I use to heat the room up to 72º. I've usually have multiple batches going on so I didn't want to hassle with multiple brew-belts. My electric usage compared to my pre-winemaking days hasn't increased too much, and it does the trick.

I normally keep the house at 64º in the winter, it's just me and the mutts, and they have fur coats.

Peace,
Bob

 

[reefman]

Hi Bob,
My wife would never allow me to make wine in the Laundry room, I'm lucky to be in the basement.

 

[arcticsid]

Bob, if you needed to you could always grab a roll of duct tape and strap one of the mutts to the fermenting vessel

 

[gonzo46307]

Bob, if you needed to you could always grab a roll of duct tape and strap one of the mutts to the fermenting vessel

They would walk away with it.

:>

Peace,
Bob