Will these temps work for reds?

If you're making reds, you don't need the temperature lower than that. Reds sometimes hit 100°F during peak fermentation, and that's no problem as long as the yeast don't die.

Tom S

There's also the ability to use the wet t-shirt technique to bring the temperature down. Which you might want to use for whites in any case. If your ambient is high and your humidity low it can bring down the temperature by 10 to 20 F fairly easy.

Don

By wet t-shirt, do you mean placing the fermenter in a tub of water, draping the t-shirt over the fermenter and into the water?

Yep. I had come across an article in an old Winemaking Magazine after reading your post. The technique can lower temperatures dramatically but it's limited by the dewpoint which I take it is set by the relative humidity.

It seems that the closer you get to 100% humidity the nearer you are to a 0 degree temp drop. If you have, and I'm making these numbers up, something like 90 F ambient temp and 30% humidity you can get up to a 30 deg F temp drop. There was a chart published with the article but there must be forumlas out there somewhere.

There's also the possibility of getting an old fridge and setting your carboy inside. If your only making 23l or so at a time that may do it but like Tom says I don't think you need to worry about the temperature of reds all that much.

Don

Would there be any benefit to using lower temperatures at certain times during the fermentation process? For instance, would lower temperatures benefit the process if they could be achieved during the first month, the last week, or some middle 2 weeks of fermentation? (Note: I'm making these times up, just trying to get point across.) If there was one part of the process that would enhance the overall quality of the wine by fermenting @ lower temperatures, I could probably comply. The room I'll use for fermentation stays relatively dry as during the warm months of the year, we run the air conditioning. I wouldn't mind using the wet t-shirt method and even a fan, if I could get better quality out of a relatively short amount of time-- say not more than 6 weeks. I just wouldn't want to have to keep up the process for 6 mos. or anything like that.

Aside from the fact that winemakers may not have complete control over temperatures, the reason they would be "all over the place" because it's an extraction issue. Fermentation temperature in reds is a hotly debated (pun intended) topic - some like a spike up around 27-30 C (81-86 F) whereas others like it cooler all the way. It just depends on how much extraction you want really.

As Tom metioned, you wouldn't really want a temperature much lower than 70 F (21 C) when fermenting a red anyway.

Ben

Jack, really, you are worrying over noting. Don't worry so much about temperature. Most of us make wine in the kitchen or the bedroom or the basement where temperature is not well controlled. You are just fine in the

Ray

Thanks for all the info. I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself. As long as I can produce a variety of reds with good quality at the temperatures I have, I can always worry about refining that later.

I'm estimating the temperatures in this closet anyway, though I think I'm pretty close. I'm going to take some readings with a thermometer to see what I've really got. I went in there this morning and it was noticeably cooler than the rooms outside the closet. Who knows, it might even be a little cool in the winter, which would mean I would ferment in another room during the cold months.

Just a suggestion -- if you are going to go to the trouble of taking readings. You may see some temperature swings, day to night, but the wine may not experience these. It takes a while for a large vat of liquid to adjust to changing surroundings. You might have a temperature range of

Let us know what you end up with. Then make your wine. I have no doubt that it will come out great but it would be interesting to know what the range is.

Ray

water into the area you are concerned about. Give them a couple of days to adjust. Then measure the temp. in the room and each of the jugs several times a day for a few days and see what the temperature range really is.

Your fermenting temps will be fine; you should be more concerned with ageing and storing temps. That steady temp around 55F can be much more difficult to find and maintain than someplace to ferment.

I ended up putting a gallon pitcher of water in this room and measuring temperature. Basically, the temp. fluctuates between 66 deg F and 67 deg F. From what I've read on Keller's site and from talking to a guy @ Midwest Supplies, warm temps. are more critical during primary fermentation. Could I use just an ordinary heating pad during the week of primary fermentation? Any other suggestions?

I do not think you have anything to worry about. Here's a link you may find of interest where the writer recommends fermenting at relatively cool temps. I have tried his theory, and it works in regards to temps (but I still do not ferment intially in the carboy)

Yes, you can use a heat pad or an electric blanket. But do not put it under the carboy. The weight could pinch the wires and cause a fire hazard. During fermentation the heat will go up due to the yeast action. You may find it is enough to just put a regular blanket around it. Experiment.

Ray