Mash/Must/Wash Temperature Rise

[onecrazyredneck]

OK, so i have a 5-gal batch bubbling away right now. See alla about it here: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 11&t=27991.

Basement is about 70deg and the batch started at 70. Using 1118 yeast. Following the advice of some more senior and learned folks, i stopped stirring the pot. Checked the temperature last night and it's cooked itself to 82deg. Am i at risk of killing the colony, or getting nothing but heads?

I took the lid off the fermenter (construction site water cooler - 5gal) last night but no temp drop as of this morning.

[Prairiepiss]

You need to cover it with something. And the temps are going to do that especially in a cooler. Low 80s ain't gona hurt.

[moonshine guy]

Low 80's is where I like to keep my mash at!

[onecrazyredneck]

At the risk of a DP...

I have it covered with saran wrap with a slit to loose the off gasses. Better to replace the igloo lid, loosely?

Also, notwithstanding teh fact that I DID cover it. Why? All commerical distilleries i've been to ferment in open tanks. They were all Bourbon places, but still, there should be sufuccient CO2 to have a dead zone above my bubblin goo.

I'm after something better than Neutral, thus my overly complicated recipe.

[Dnderhead]

if it needs the heat leave the lid on if its getting to warm take the lid off and cover with something even cloth will work.the large fermenters you speak of are in buildings that have been there many years and have yeast build up all over everything.

[onecrazyredneck]

Thanks. had a saran wrap lid on it until i had to change fermenters, now the "real" lid is on that one - we'll see.

[GuyIncognito]

Yeah, you need to have the lid on loosely (so gas can escape and not build pressure which will either burst the lid off or kill the yeast). You don't NEED a cover on the fermenter, but to me the risks (airborne microbes / wild yeasts ruining the batch, dead bugs dropping in, dog sticking their head in etc.) outweigh the benefits (saving $2 to get a proper airlock).

Large distilleries can get away with it because they will ferment much hotter (so yeast will be more active), have much shorter fermentation cycles (less time for bacteria to work) and the environment will have strong in-house yeast cultures from years of using the same space/yeast.