Transporting during second fermentation

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Sonofalime, May 16, 2014.

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  1. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    Just made a batch and might have a new job in the next month or so in the other half of the state( northern VA to VA Beach). The beer will be traveling for at least three hours in my car. Temp control would be a big issue since my car can only be so cool in the summer. I am worried this batch might be scrapped due to prolonged temp differences. Should I just wing it and still stay the course or start over? Any insight is helpful.
     
    #1 Sonofalime, May 16, 2014
  2. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    Do you keg? If it's in a carboy, just keep it out of sunlight and replace the drilled stopper with airlock with a non drilled stopper. It's no big deal, the beer will be fine. Off flavor from temp comes during active fermentation. In secondary, the yeast go dormant and fall out of suspension and do not actively metabolize wort sugars. No metabolisis = no fermentation by-products.
     
    #2 hoptualBrew, May 16, 2014
  3. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    No I don't keg. Pretty novice at this point. But thanks for the info. I was getting pretty bummed out thinking it would go to waste.
     
    #3 Sonofalime, May 16, 2014
  4. od_sf

    od_sf Initiate (0) Nov 2, 2010 California

    I would worry a lot more about oxidation from the beer being sloshed around in the car for 3 hours than I would be about temperature variations.
     
    #4 od_sf, May 16, 2014
    Eriktheipaman and FATC1TY like this.
  5. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    If the job is a month away, you could skip the secondary or shorten it and bottle before moving. A month is good for most any brew, unless its huge.
     
    #5 ssam, May 17, 2014
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  6. Homebrew42

    Homebrew42 Initiate (0) Dec 20, 2006 New York

    Bottle the beer before moving it, putting a full glass carboy in your car is a recipe for disaster. Throw a towel or something over it to keep it out of direct sunlight and it'll be fine.
     
    #6 Homebrew42, May 17, 2014
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  7. sjverla

    sjverla Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2008 Massachusetts

    Yeah, this. If it's anything of "normal" strength, you probably don't need secondary anyway. Oxidation is a much bigger issue than 3 hours of uncontrolled temperature.
     
    #7 sjverla, May 18, 2014
  8. sarcastro

    sarcastro Savant (1,133) Sep 20, 2006 Michigan

    Agreed, bottle or keg. I would worry about oxidation more than temp swings.
     
    #8 sarcastro, May 18, 2014
  9. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah

    I'll chime in, incase you miss the general consensus here. Bottle it. I wouldn't transport it, and I'd worry about sloshing it around more than the short temp temp difference.
     
    #9 FATC1TY, May 18, 2014
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  10. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    Oxidation happens quicker at higher temps, or off flavors from oxidation I should say.
     
    #10 ssam, May 18, 2014
  11. sjverla

    sjverla Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2008 Massachusetts

    While that's true, 3 hours of sloshing is going to ruin a beer if it's not in a bottle or keg, regardless of temperature.

    I'm not disputing the importance of temperature control, but 3 hours of a different ambient temp isn't going to do a whole lot to 5 gallons of beer.
     
    #11 sjverla, May 19, 2014
    PortLargo likes this.
  12. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    Thanks for all the input it much appreciated.
     
    #12 Sonofalime, Jun 7, 2014
  13. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Sure were lotsa input.
    Any of it any good?

    How's about an 'after-action' report?
     
    #13 HerbMeowing, Jun 7, 2014
  14. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    Sure. Currently in the second fermenter for three days. I'll know about the job hopefully by the end of next week. So I'll have a definite answer then. The job took awhile to be posted for the interview process to begin. So I decided to transfer it and if necessary I'll bottle it.
     
    #14 Sonofalime, Jun 7, 2014
  15. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    Taking into account these beer bottles are going to be shaken during 3 hs, what would it be the best way to try to protect them regarding oxidation issues?.It could be a good idea to bottle them the day before traveling so yeasties can eat up some O2 ?
     
    #15 Tebuken, Jun 7, 2014
  16. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    That was the plan. Figure people ship beer all over the country, what's 3hrs. Time will tell. Still weighing options.
     
    #16 Sonofalime, Jun 10, 2014
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