wILL THIS WORK??

[scotty]

Living in florida causes me concern about fermentation temperature during the warmer months.


With the a/c on 24/7, the coldest my home ever is in summer is a constant 78 degrees F. 25.5 C.


I really dont want to stop operations for the summer but i believe that a 65 degree F. fermentation would produce a better result even if it takes a bit longer.






SOOOO what i want to do is to do the complete fermentation in an open( covered with cloth) plastic bucket rather than transfer to a carboy under lock.




With the plastic bucket i can use my wort cooling copper coil to keep the temperature lower by slowly trickling water through it while the must ferments.




I believe that the CO2 layer produced by the yeast will prorect the must from oxygen.






I would appreciate some feedback/advice on this idea because in particular, i don't know how leaving the copper coil in the must would react to the process

 

[vcasey]

Scotty I live just south of you and ferment to dry in the bucket all the time with no problem. If you want to keep the temps lower I would recommend you pick up one of those small dorm fridges pull out the inside racks and wire in a controller to keep the temps in the range you want. You'll want to find one of the fridges without a freezer to give you more room. Unless someone guides you to one of those temp controllers, I get the info from my husband when he returns later.

 

[Wade E]

Red wines are actually better fermented at warmer temps maybe just a fw degrees cooler then what you are at but as long as you can keep them at that temp while fermenting like keeping them in possibly a water bath during primary as fermentation can make the temp go higher as you surely know while its most active everything is fine. For whites and fruit wines Id try to keep them even cooler by using the same method but with cooler what to try and keep the temp at like 70* are even just a little bit cooler, Wrap a wet t-shirt around the primary and keep the shirt in the water to act like a wick, it works and doesnt cost any money, youll just have to add a water bomb or 2 which is frozen water in a bottle.

 

[scotty]

Ok guys but i still want to try the copper wort cooler-- will the copper cause any trouble??
THIS IS MY MAIN CONCERN.


I have thermostats and also a dedicated referigerater that i use for lagering but i want to do the wine fermenting in my kitchen.


And yes i will be happy with 70 degrees.






I enjoy the mechanics and chemistry of this hobby.

 

[Wade E]

Not really sure how the copper will react with a higher acidity like wine. Ill leave that question to Peter Z or IBGlowin or someone with a little more chemistry back ground as I opted out of a lot of chemistry classes in my life for shop work, even back in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade I was both working with wood and mechanical stuff instead of science. I hope this is still not an option these days as I regret this now not having much to do with stuff like this, it would really help me with wine making but I still manage thanks to digital meters and the such!

 

[scotty]

The solution


http://www.nybrewsupply.com/products/wort-chiller-stainless-steel-immersion.php

 

[Wade E]

Funny you post that as I was going to say that very thing but figured you already had the copper one and wouldnt want to spend more. I have a copper one also and wish I splurged for the stainless.

 

[scotty]

Yes i have a copper one already lol


I just ordered the smaller stainless one this morning Wade.


Having survived my lymph cancer has given me a better understanding of how useless keeping a large savings acount is.

Meeting waldo was much more valuable than any money i have.
I was hoping to see him again this past seotember but my group petered out on the lake degrau camping.

I have a beautifull bottle that i intend to return to him before i cash in.

I just bought a lighted refractometer also.

 

[Waldo]

Hows it looking for this year Scotty ??

 

[scotty]

The whole group just disapeared into oblivion. Rocky and i want to get to philly for mothers day and then i hope to get her on a trip to see the west a bit.


If we do the out west trip ill get over your way - but iv just sunk a few thousand into the mobile home in upgrades so i cant really say this far ahead.


But i wont sleep till i get that bottle back to you.




Let me explain a bit.


There was one guy that was guzzling everything as fast as it was put out. Soo i stole the bottle and took it home with me

. He drank most all of the 3 gallons of wine we brought. Theneach night he finished one of the cordials we made. I was really angry and when i envisioned him slaughtering the muscadine for nothing but alcohols sake i had to move. lol lol




We enjoyed that bottle many times with many friends .
It was excellent.

 

[grapeman]

I have missed having you around Scotty. It gets real quiet at times.


I'm glad you are trying to get that bottle back to Waldo. Keep getting better.

 

[scotty]

I havent really been doing anything new with wine. We did have 2 very succesful batches of choke cherry wine this year.


Rocky just dumped 6 gallons of white grape. we didnt read the label carefully and it had a preservative which prevented fermentation.


We dont make anything but country wines here. We just ordered a case of frozen welches white grape for another try.


I have been blessed a lot appleman.

NO COMPLAINTS FROM THIS GUY

 

[PeterZ]

Scotty, I would not use the copper coil for any length of time in wine. The acidity could be a problam. SS is the way to go. You might also look for a used lab refrigeration unit that cools water to a specified temp and has a pump to circulate it through the SS coil. You can use this to maintain the exact temp you want.

 

[scotty]

Scotty, I would not use the copper coil for any length of time in wine. The acidity could be a problam. SS is the way to go. You might also look for a used lab refrigeration unit that cools water to a specified temp and has a pump to circulate it through the SS coil. You can use this to maintain the exact temp you want.

ok Pete

 

[Boyd]

You might try Minnesota Makers trick for Skeeter Pee rather than to throw out the mistake.

Whip the crap out of it.

I bought some dried appricots and read the contents after I had started. Had sulpher dioxide and potassium sorbate ini the ingredients. OPPS.

Whipped the crap out of it and a couple days later started fermentation with a starter.

Worked good.

 

[scotty]

You might try Minnesota Makers trick for Skeeter Pee rather than to throw out the mistake.

Whip the crap out of it.

I bought some dried appricots and read the contents after I had started. Had sulpher dioxide and potassium sorbate ini the ingredients. OPPS.

Whipped the crap out of it and a couple days later started fermentation with a starter.

Worked good.

We dumped it already

 

[scotty]

I have the ss coil now Pete. I'm going to test the water temp in my outside slop sink after running it onto a bucket in the sink for about 1/2 hour or more.. If that gives me something in the 65 degree F. range, ill use that.


My hands dont work very well any more and i just cant physically fo refrigeration work any more or i would build a cooler like you suggest.


Im interested in easy these days




Thanks for the input

 

[Wade E]

Sounds like an awesome idea there Scotty.

 

[scotty]

I just tested the water temperature. It was 85 deg F here in florida but after just a couple of minutes, the output from the cold water faucet was at 65 deg. F.((18.3 degrees C.)))