Bottle Conditioning Temperature Control

[the_yobbo]

G'day Alls,

I've just got back into homebrew, with my first kit brew approaching bottling time.

The fermentation process has been controlled at a nice 21 degrees with the aid of a tempmate, a fridge and a light globe.

The question I have comes to the bottle conditioning. I was thinking of placing the bottles in the fermentor fridge for a week or two, keeping them at 21 degrees, along with the fermentor for the next brew.

Knowing that UV/sunlight effects homebrew beer, does the light produced by a standard incandescent globe effect the beer?

Should I be avoiding placing my bottles in fermentor fridge?
Would placing a coloured party light globe make a difference?
If it does effect the beer in bottles, would it be effecting the beer during primary fermentation?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks
Murray

 

[manticle]

Most standard lights still emit some UV.

Dark coloured glass bottles should go some way to resisting that but couldn't you just turn the light off?

 

[buttersd70]

Most standard lights still emit some UV.

Dark coloured glass bottles should go some way to resisting that but couldn't you just turn the light off?

The light is the heat source to maintain temp....

Yes, standard lights will, as manticle stated, emit UV.....can't for the life of me remember the frequency range, but I did check it out ages ago, and it's bang in the ballpark for what would cause skunking (if in clear or green bottles).

One option is to build a light box.....just a cardboard box to cover the light source, so the heat gets through but the light doesn't.

another option is to swap out the light globe for another heat source....Muckey and myself use an electric hotplate. Connected to a tempmate, it's a breeze (with the added benefit that, due to it's solid hotplate, it will retain the heat for quite some time after the tempmate knocks the power off, so you have less on/off cycles). I use mine with a standard timer. Muckey uses his with a tempmate, and swears that it's the business.

 

[manticle]

The light is the heat source to maintain temp....

My assumption was that the the fridgemate did that (since I don't own one and haven't seen one so I'm now guessing it's the thermostat unit that turns the light on and off?).
Obvious blunder is obvious.

I guess a homemade filter is in store then (eg suggested light box)

 

[the_yobbo]

Thanks for response guys.

Hopefully the light hasn't already poisoned the beer during the fermenation process.

So simply placing a cardboard box over the light should do it. I assume one should make sure its large enough to ensure it doesn't start to combust/smolder.

Will fix it up tonight

 

[buttersd70]

Thanks for response guys.

Hopefully the light hasn't already poisoned the beer during the fermenation process.

So simply placing a cardboard box over the light should do it. I assume one should make sure its large enough to ensure it doesn't start to combust/smolder.

Will fix it up tonight

Good assumption :lol:

I wouldn't worry about the fact that it's already had light. The fermenter must cut quite a bit of it, cos I used a naked globe for yonks before haveng a bit of a think about it, with no ill effects. Ironically, like yourself, it was bottles that got me wondering about it....

 

[WarmBeer]

Instead of a cardboard box, try an upturned ceramic or terra-cotta plant pot, as it's not going to combust, and won't let the light through.

Most of them have a drainage hole in the bottom, you could enlarge this with a drill or dremmel, thread the neck of the light switch assembly through the hole, screw it all together, then socket in your globe (use the lowest wattage you can, you won't need much) into the exposed end of the switch inside the plant pot.

Place it in the bottom of your fridge upside down, and you've got a non-flammable, opaque holder.

Was going to try this out myself, but wifey bought me a heat pad for Xmas, so never got around to trying it. YMMV.

 

[Bribie G]

Wow, having to WARM the brew up rather than fight tooth and nail to keep it below 20

Actually It does get coolish here in SEQ - I brew in a dead fridge with frozen 2L PETs and have had huge success, even doing a couple of genuine lagers. I've had a fermenter in there for the last week with no PETs at all and it's sat at a nice 17 degrees. However as we get into July I'm thinking I'll need to apply some warmth during the nights and I'll do the PET trick but with hot water. Not boiling, that would destroy the PETs but say Hot water system temp.

What I've found in general is that because you have such a large amount of beer it acts as a heat sink and raising or lowering the temp is a bit like steering the Queen Mary, so application of hot bottles could have the same average effect as applying a constant heat source? Do you reckon that would work where you are?

 

[WarmBeer]

Wow, having to WARM the brew up rather than fight tooth and nail to keep it below 20

Just keep rubbing it in, thank Bribie.

Was contemplating making an Eisbock last week, was cold enough out in the garage!

 

[Bribie G]

:icon_offtopic: Hah bloody Queensland Weather. Since posting the above we have just had the storm from hell with mini tornados, hail, 30mm of rain since my last post. Thank God it's the dry season hey. And it was all centred over my house, someone sending me a message.

 

[buttersd70]

Instead of a cardboard box, try an upturned ceramic or terra-cotta plant pot, as it's not going to combust, and won't let the light through.

Most of them have a drainage hole in the bottom, you could enlarge this with a drill or dremmel, thread the neck of the light switch assembly through the hole, screw it all together, then socket in your globe (use the lowest wattage you can, you won't need much) into the exposed end of the switch inside the plant pot.

Place it in the bottom of your fridge upside down, and you've got a non-flammable, opaque holder.

Was going to try this out myself, but wifey bought me a heat pad for Xmas, so never got around to trying it. YMMV.

an original, and excellent, take on the issue. Cudos.

 

[the_yobbo]

Cheers for ideas guys.

I have to admit, after already mounting the light globe/bayonet fitting to the wall of the fridge, I don't see myself remounting it in a ceramic pot. OTher than that, I imagine a pot would really slow down the heat transfer speed from light turning on till brew starting to receive warmth.

I'm thinking a cardboard box is going to do the trick for now. I am thinking something like a PC powersupply box or similar small tin casing might do the job well, being quick to heat up and start radiating heat.

Will see what I can create.

Murray

 

[haysie]

another option is to swap out the light globe for another heat source....Muckey and myself use an electric hotplate. Connected to a tempmate, it's a breeze

Electric hotplate = electric frying pan? Doubting it but liking it. Got an image?

 

[buttersd70]

Electric hotplate = electric frying pan? Doubting it but liking it. Got an image?

no...not a frypan. A solid electric element....that you would put saucepan or frypan on if you were out of room on't stovetop....

don't have a pic, i'm afraid...

edit....summit what's similar (ish) to this...
picture

 

[scott_penno]

I use one of these connected to my tempmate as a heat source. Works a treat...

sap.

 

[Bribie G]

:icon_offtopic: Still being punished by the weather, storm going on again, nowhere else in Brisbane other than over my house, and two other AHB members.

Bastards bastards bastards

View attachment bribie_storm_2.bmp

 

[Cocko]

I have to admit, after already mounting the light globe/bayonet fitting to the wall of the fridge, I don't see myself remounting it in a ceramic pot.

You could also try a ceramic bulb, should fit your bayonet although I think they may be screw in, get them from your local pet store - they use 'em for reptile enclosures.... I found them to retain heat to long so once your controller turns it off it still pumps out a couple of degree just by cooling down.

I use a slim line fan heater - no light! It turns on about 3-4 times a day and runs for about 30 seconds! in a dead fridge, its pretty good at holding temp.... Maybe replace your bulp fitting with a power point and run a heater... thats my 2c!

 

[alford_j]

I've got my tempmate running a fermenter heating pad with a 120mm fan. I was also thinking of a light globe in a larger can like a pineapple juice or tinned fruit can. Cheap and easy to drill for a lamp type bayonet light fitting.

Alfie

 

[haysie]

Butters,
Noice, I certainly see advantage using this "hotplate thingy".

Sappas,
Probs with a heatpad is, it only heats the beer sitting on it, not the one next to it.

The reptile globes are a ripoff IMO, the normal heat source globes are unreliable i.e here in Melbourne it gets cold a bit, if your heat source (globe) pops during the night, before you find out it is quite possible 5-6+ deg lower than where you want it. Not real adequate considering your investment in time, ingredients yada yada. I use a globe in a 2 fermenter fridge shielded by builders sisalation but allowing the heat too rise, in my single I use a pad.
My duo fridge needs one of those "hotplate thingys"

Any particular type, brand,wattage works better than others Muckey/Butters?
Cheers

 

[buttersd70]

not afaik, haysie. Ours were the super cheapest ones in a cheap shop. The power it puts out is so OTT that it literally only needs to knock itself on for a minute or two to heat a fermenting fridge big enough for 2 fermenters (in muckeys case, with the tempate), or in my case, using a timer, I have it come on for 15mins as per the timer, but spent some time first fiddling with the dial in a 20ish c room to find the knock off point for it as a 'just in case', and marked the dial (which ended up being right on the low end). Main point is to make sure that you have plenty of room in the bottom of the fridge, so it's not too close to the fermenters themselves.