Advice On Tempreture Control

[DuaneS]

hello All, my first post, have done a lot of reading, but not managed to summon up the courage to post until now.

My Question, is regarding tempreture control using STC-100, i currently use one of them, in a chest freezer, with a belt around the bottom of my fermentor, with the probe on side of fermentor
I am hoping to ferment in willow cubes to maximise the usable space. I have read a lot seem to go for a heat the space method, if this is the case, do you use the probe just to to moniter the air tempreture, and id if this is the case, does it not mean the freezer is cycling way more than nesscesscary.
Also if the 2 batches are put in at differnet tempretures, do they equalise?

 

[CosmicBertie]

I have my fermenter on a heat pad inside the fridge. The STC probe is taped onto the fermenter approx 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Your probe should always be attached the side of the fermenter.

And yeah, if you put in two batches at different temperatures, they'll eventually equalise, first raising the temp in your freezer, then as the freezer cools back down, they'll drop to your STC temp, so you couldnt really brew ales and lagers together

 

[DuaneS]

As i no chill, am i better to do that directly into the willow i want to ferment in, i havn't in the past have used 20L cubes, as i was concerned about the extra head space in a willow.
I was thinking of NC in the willow, with sealed lid, then when i want to ferment it, put it in to freezer , with thermometer attached, waiting for it to get to required tempreture and then pitching yeast, and chging top to one with airlock

 

[jacknohe]

hello All, my first post, have done a lot of reading, but not managed to summon up the courage to post until now.

My Question, is regarding tempreture control using STC-100, i currently use one of them, in a chest freezer, with a belt around the bottom of my fermentor, with the probe on side of fermentor
I am hoping to ferment in willow cubes to maximise the usable space. I have read a lot seem to go for a heat the space method, if this is the case, do you use the probe just to to moniter the air tempreture, and id if this is the case, does it not mean the freezer is cycling way more than nesscesscary.
Also if the 2 batches are put in at differnet tempretures, do they equalise?

Hi DuaneS

Welcome to the forum. Most AHBers don't bite so feel free to post your brewing relevant questions.

Regarding your question, I use a HeatPad and stand it on its side or place it on a shelf to heat the air inside the fridge. I've been using a glass (you could use plastic) 1.5L bottle with probably 1.25L of water in it for the probe. The reason I do this is so the probe dosen't detect sudden changes like opening the fridge door which would cause the controller to activate unneccesarily. I find that when I intially put my fermenter(s) in the fridge that there is an adjustment period over a few hours where the temp of the 1.25L water and the 20L+ fermenter equalise on temp. The fridge will obviously cool the 1.25L alot quicker than 20+ but it gets there and works great. I'll even place the glass bottle so it's touching a fermenter
and that helps too. Monitoring the air temp in my opinion is not the way to go. Too much fluctuation.

Others place the probe in the beer itself. I haven't found the need and I figured it best to avoid potential problems with that method.

 

[jacknohe]

As i no chill, am i better to do that directly into the willow i want to ferment in, i havn't in the past have used 20L cubes, as i was concerned about the extra head space in a willow.
I was thinking of NC in the willow, with sealed lid, then when i want to ferment it, put it in to freezer , with thermometer attached, waiting for it to get to required tempreture and then pitching yeast, and chging top to one with airlock

As for this one, I've only just started fermenting in Willow Jerry Cans for the same reason as yourself to maximise space. Also, I'll be fermenting single batches in a bar fridge and the Jerry Can is the only thing that fits. There are some other posts regarding this method. Have a search on this site. Some mixed opinions on oxygenating etc.

I'm using the NC method straight into a Jerry Can that I will ferment in. I'm trying this out for the first time. So far the yeast has taken off like a rocket and I've misjudged the amount I put in the Jerry Can (a little too much) and have some Krausen spillage. No big deal. We'll see how they finish up and assess the oxygenation (or potentially lack of) for myself.

As for Air lock, I'm just using Glad Wrap with a rubber band. I've always loved seeing and hearing the Air Lock action but its not everything. You get used to knowing the yeasts you work with and when they are likely to finsh etc.

 

[DuaneS]

yes i have plans to bring the wort to pitching tempreture, then oxygenate, then pitch.
I guess my concern with fermenting in the same vessel as NC is the cold break present, but from what i have read, this may make no discernable difference

 

[jacknohe]

Yeah I was nervous the first few times leaving some break in there but I've done it many times now. No issue for me.