# Secondry Fermentation



## hoppysbarandgrill (23/7/12)

I have just started to brew some batches and im wondering how is the best way to keep my brews at a nic e temp either inside or out.

I have just tried the old electric blanket on1 setting. I put the blanket on the floor the boxes of stubbies on it then folded it back over itself and ive done this for two brews and im wondering will this stop the yeast and somehow will it harm the second fermentaion process, should i put it directly on the floor and sit the electric balnker on top.



Cheers Hopper


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## Yob (23/7/12)

Get a fridge and one of THESE

set... forget.. come back in two weeks.

STC's are Fantastic units and fridges cant be beaten for brewing in.

Lots of topics here discussing fermenting fridges that you will turn up with a bit of a search.. use the google search option in the top right of the screen.

Yob


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## warra48 (23/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> I have just started to brew some batches and im wondering how is the best way to keep my brews at a nic e temp either inside or out.
> 
> I have just tried the old electric blanket on1 setting. I put the blanket on the floor the boxes of stubbies on it then folded it back over itself and ive done this for two brews and im wondering will this stop the yeast and somehow will it harm the second fermentaion process, should i put it directly on the floor and sit the electric balnker on top.
> 
> ...



Fill in your location please, so we have some idea of your ambient temperatures.

What are you actually trying to keep warm? Your fermenter, or your bottles prior to them carbonating, or your bottles after they're carbonated?

Why do you feel you need to keep them warm? Is there something hapeening, or not happening, at ambient temperatures?

More information would be helpful to try and give you an answer.

I'm not sure folding an electric blanket when it's powered up is a good idea. Sounds like a potential fire risk to me.


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## hoppysbarandgrill (23/7/12)

warra48 said:


> Fill in your location please, so we have some idea of your ambient temperatures.
> 
> What are you actually trying to keep warm? Your fermenter, or your bottles prior to them carbonating, or your bottles after they're carbonated?
> 
> ...



Ok im in sunbury victoria and inside during the day its around 15 16 degrees, and nite with the heater on its around 24 degrees, i thought the bottled beer had to be kept over 18 degrees for the week after bottling as the second fermentaion process as it sits in the bottle prior to caronating.


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## Yob (23/7/12)

Not really... depends.. all of mine are carbed in the basement with no heating... er.. probably no warmer than 10-12'c at the best of times at the moment

but I do have the luxury of being able to wait a few months for them so am not in a hurry to carb them up.


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## hoppysbarandgrill (23/7/12)

iamozziyob said:


> Get a fridge and one of THESE
> 
> set... forget.. come back in two weeks.
> 
> ...



Hey yob do i put the bottles once ive capped them in the fridge with that unit .



Cheers Hopper


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## Yob (23/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> Hey yob do i put the bottles once ive capped them in the fridge with that unit .
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers Hopper



you 'could' if you could be arsed... me? Personally No, I bung em in the cellar and keep brewing, they will carb up given enough time and thats good enough for me.

Yob


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## warra48 (23/7/12)

Yup, just leave them be, and in time they'll carb up.


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## [email protected] (23/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> Ok im in sunbury victoria and inside during the day its around 15 16 degrees, and nite with the heater on its around 24 degrees, i thought the bottled beer had to be kept over 18 degrees for the week after bottling as the second fermentaion process as it sits in the bottle prior to caronating.



Sort of the same as me, although my ambient drops to 8 - 12 if I don't keep the fire going. But generally its around 18 - 22 with the heating on, so i just keep my box or boxes of bottles around that area for 5 to 7 days and they carb up in no time at all. And my paler beers are generally good to go a couple of days after that YMMV.
I then move them to an area that is not heated for longer term storage where the temps do not get above 15 for most of the year.

You electric blanket idea is sound on the number 1 setting, although i agree you should not be folding it while ON.
I have been know to put a box of bottles in a spare bed with the leccy blanket on number 1 for 3 - 4 days and it works a treat, FOR ME the temp never got over 20 -22C BUT blankets can vary in there power so keep an eye on it.


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## hoppysbarandgrill (23/7/12)

Alright so i can leave them outside in my boys room where the average temp i around 15 degrees and i can leave them a little longer before i drink them, and its also ok to sit them on the floor with the elec blanky over the top. Im just starting to brew my own ive done 5 brews so im not sure what i can do or not do, your help is greatly appreciated, many thanks.

Cheers Hopper


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## Yob (23/7/12)

.. and unwatched electric blankets have burned MANY a house down too so please be safe with them....


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## [email protected] (23/7/12)

iamozziyob said:


> .. and unwatched electric blankets have burned MANY a house down too so please be safe with them....




TRUE good point.

Make sure the blanket is in good condition, as mentioned never fold them, even for storage when not in use.
On the rare occasion i have done what i said, i moved the box around daily to avoid damaging with the weight of it and never left it on if i am not around.


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## jakethesnake559 (23/7/12)

Hey Hopper,
I usually allow 3-4 weeks in winter just leaving the bottles in the shed (probably around 16C during the day and 5C at night).
The beer gets better with age in the bottle anyway.
And I always try to bottle a few stubbies as testers so you don't waste a whole long neck if you get impatient!!
Cheers,
Jake.


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## hoppysbarandgrill (25/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> Hey yob do i put the bottles once ive capped them in the fridge with that unit .
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers Hopper




Hey yob i ordered one of those ten amp thingybobs you said from hong kong. when it arrives how does it work is it like a lilttle heater/ cooler cause the fridge i will use it with doesnt work its just a fridge with no motor.


Cheers Hopper


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## Yob (25/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> Hey yob i ordered one of those ten amp thingybobs you said from hong kong. when it arrives how does it work is it like a lilttle heater/ cooler cause the fridge i will use it with doesnt work its just a fridge with no motor.
> 
> 
> Cheers Hopper




Those devices (stc1000) need to ne wired up, you then plug a heat mat or reptile heater into it amd put the temp probe on the side of the FV, it will turn on the heater when it gets below a given temp range (0.3'c)

There are a number of threads on wiring them up and is pretty easy to do, however, we are talking 240v devices here and unless you are comfortable and SURE you can do it, get a sparkie to do it for you.

They are dual function devices meaning you can plug a heat source and a fridge into them (well a power socket wired to them) to control both heating amd cooling.

Have a search for stc1000 in pictures, this is the most recent and thus far shortest thread on them to give you an idea.

Yob


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## warra48 (25/7/12)

hoppysbarandgrill said:


> Hey yob i ordered one of those ten amp thingybobs you said from hong kong. when it arrives how does it work is it like a lilttle heater/ cooler cause the fridge i will use it with doesnt work its just a fridge with no motor.
> 
> 
> Cheers Hopper



This must be a wind up.
Hooking up a control unit to a fridge with no motor?


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## Yob (25/7/12)

warra48 said:


> This must be a wind up.
> Hooking up a control unit to a fridge with no motor?



Still ne ok at this time of the year to hook up a heatpad in a fridge with no motor, at least it will stop the temps dropping and later, come summer he'd ne ready to plug in a new fridge.

While i have working fridges havnt heard them kick on in a month or two and i still use an stc with heat pad to keep them at the correct temps.

Yob


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## hoppysbarandgrill (25/7/12)

warra48 said:


> This must be a wind up.
> Hooking up a control unit to a fridge with no motor?




No i have no clue about this temp control thing i thought it was some heat/ cool device that i could plug in and leave.


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## GuyQLD (25/7/12)

Just use it as per Yob's post in winter and use a couple of big ice blocks in summer till you can grab yourself another fridge you'll still get much better contol than ambient.


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## KingKong (25/7/12)

I have set up the STC with a heat pad in a fridge. I have the same types of temps here. Im finding at the moment, my brew in the bar fridge is keeping its own temp steady in the 17's degree range and the stc ( type of temp regulation unit ) isnt kicking the fridge or heat pad in. Im not up at 3 am in the morning watching it and I guess it is kicking in early in the morning, but im assuming now would be a good time to brew with or without the stc in your temp range.


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## hoppysbarandgrill (30/7/12)

KingKong said:


> I have set up the STC with a heat pad in a fridge. I have the same types of temps here. Im finding at the moment, my brew in the bar fridge is keeping its own temp steady in the 17's degree range and the stc ( type of temp regulation unit ) isnt kicking the fridge or heat pad in. Im not up at 3 am in the morning watching it and I guess it is kicking in early in the morning, but im assuming now would be a good time to brew with or without the stc in your temp range.




Hey gents thanks for all the reply's. with all the response this post can i apply the same advice to anything i brew. i have been brewing like a madman, ive done eight brews in seven weeks, 3 beers 1 stout another cider and one more ginger beer. Can i do the second fermentation outside where the temperature in my boys room seems to be around 13 to 15 degrees.



Cheers Hopper


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