No cellar - what to do?

[Stonch]

I don't have a cellar - I live in a second floor flat.

That probably rules out summer brewing, unless I stick to a few styles/yeasts.

It also causes me problems with maturation - is it OK to leave my pressure barrel at room temperature (and the weather is warm at the moment) for a full month to mature/condition? Will this have ill effects?

The only alternative I have is to stick it in the fridge - I do actually have plenty room in there, so it is practical. However, the barrel in question is a stout.

[Hoppkins]

Keg should be fine. I always store mine like that.

Try buying a large basin from wilko and standing your fermenter in it filled part way with water. Add some ice periodically to cool the water and the bin.

Not terribly effective but it will come down a degree or three.

[Stonch]

Ah if only I had a Wilko nearby. In my 'hood you can buy antique ephemera, patronise short-lived galleries, find all manner of luxury foods - but Wilkinsons don't make an appearance . We only just got a Tesco Metro last year...

Pubs are among the best on the planet though, so it's not all bad.

[Hoppkins]

Bah royalty!

Wilko is the stalward of the working class everywhere!

[Stonch]

Last week I went in a Wilko for the first time since I moved down south - there's one over in West Ealing, and we were passing after a trip to Windsor.

I agree its an amazing shop - loads of useful stuff, very cheap - but I really did feel like a part of my soul was torn from me never to be returned.

So anyone have any views on whether putting my barrel of stout in the fridge is a good or bad idea? I'm not bothered about serving temp issues, I'll take it out a couple of hours before we drink it

[delboy]

You'll probably end up disturbing the sedimented yeast at the bottom of the barrel in my experience the slightest movement throws up a lot of yeast that takes a while to settle back down again. On the plus side with it being a stout you won't even realise you are drinking a hefe stout.

[PieOPah]

Personally whatever I am drinking tends to be kegged and then left in the kitchen. While this is a less than ideal situation, it is the only thing I can do. If I have a beer that I will want chilled then I bottle and put a few in the fridge and replace as they are drunk.

[Stonch]

Last week I went in a Wilko for the first time since I moved down south - there's one over in West Ealing, and we were passing after a trip to Windsor.

I agree its an amazing shop - loads of useful stuff, very cheap - but I really did feel like a part of my soul was torn from me never to be returned.

So anyone have any views on whether putting my barrel of stout in the fridge is a good or bad idea? I'm not bothered about serving temp issues, I'll take it out a couple of hours before we drink it

Once it's fermented and matured it will be fine in the fridge. You will loose a certain amount of pressure in the barrel though due ti the old temperature/pressure relationship thing. You will also get more co2 dissolving into the brew as a colder liquid absorbs more co2 than a warmer one.

My idea was for the beer to *mature* in the fridge, as I've got the idea in my head that room temperatre (which is currently high) won't do my beer any favours...

[delboy]

Drink it cold from the fridge, i know thats a hanging offence with many beer purists but honestly thats what i would do .
Actually what i would do (if i was a purist) is leave it in there and get a jug decant out a few pints and let them come up to supping temp.

[inthedark]

I have the kegs stored in the coldest room in the house (which is still far too warm, IMO) and wrap them in damp towels - this keeps the temperature as low as I can get it without using a fridge and is also pretty good for drinking temperature.

For fermentation, I took SteveD's advice and got hold of a 10 gallon fermenting bucket for use as a water jacket. Steve periodically drains some water off and refills to maintain temperature, I've been dropping a frozon water bottle or two in when I've needed to bring the temperature down a bit. I've also got a camping mat wrapped around it.

So far, during our occasional warmer weather, I've managed to stabilize the fermenting temp to 18-19 deg with ambient temps hitting 23-24 deg indoors. Not sure how this'll perform when it really gets warm, but I can always add more ice bottles!

[steve_flack]

You could try freezing your glass before serving if your beer is a bit warm.

[inthedark]

You could try freezing your glass before serving if your beer is a bit warm.

Nice idea - never thought of that!