Brew Fridge - The Ideal Fridge

[Wortgames]

I've never been that impressed by the upside-down fridge-freezer concept for normal kitchen use, but I can see some serious advantages for brewers.

You get a good-sized fermenting cabinet at a good height, that can be totally temperature-controlled (including heated) without really affecting the freezer section below.

Ideal if you have a separate brewing area in the garage / basement etc, you can justify it as extra freezer storage space for the house (who doesn't want that?) and your fermenting cabinet is a bonus. Plus, you get a convenient place to store all your ingredients.

Depending on the size (eg, French-door model) you could maybe even divide the fridge space into two and have a fermenting side and a normal fridge - or kegerator - side. Imagine that - a complete beer station, with fermenting, serving and storage for all your ingredients (and glassware) in one place!

 

[alfadog]

Just linking in the following "The Perfect Fermentation Fridge" which I used to choose my fermenter fridge: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/43363-the-perfect-fermentation-fridge/

Great for those looking for a more compact solution.

and I thought I had used the search function properly...

Cheers Breezy

 

[Yob]

For me, the perfect fridge is a side by side.. we all know that you NEED more than one fridge anyway, one to ferment in and one for everything else.

Ive got 2 all fridges which I'm starting to think is a little excessive but you know... better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it B)

and one fridge to CC/serve from.. my side by side can hold 4 x 19l and one 9lt or an FV to Cold Condition



Fermenting Fridges like this



Ed: added FV' fridge pic

 

[Nedasaurus1]

For me, the perfect fridge is a side by side.. we all know that you NEED more than one fridge anyway, one to ferment in and one for everything else.

Ive got 2 all fridges which I'm starting to think is a little excessive but you know... better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it B)

and one fridge to CC/serve from.. my side by side can hold 4 x 19l and one 9lt or an FV to Cold Condition

The Perfect Fridge.JPG

Fermenting Fridges like this

All fridge.JPG

Ed: added FV' fridge pic

bloody show off Yob lol

 

[indica86]

I just bought a 215 litre F&P chest freezer for $50, it fits 2 x FVs... add $20 for an STC-1000...

 

[bmarshall]

 

[Tangle Foot]

Resurrecting this thread - sorry - please let me know if I should start a new one.

My fermentation chest freezer died this weekend, mid-ferment So looking for some new options.

I'm considering an upside down Fisher & Paykel fridge/freezer given the comments earlier in this thread about being able to keep the freezer section as a freezer. Getting some pressure from SWMBO regarding the number of fridges and freezers I have and like the idea of being able to offer up a some freezer space as a peace offering.

Just wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of a thread/website/etc that provides some photos of the process. Also wondering whether I can use an Inkbird or one of the new RAPT temperature controllers to control the fan that pushes cold air up from the freezer space.

 

[djebel]

Lots of things are possible, but it's going to be more difficult to use the freezer as a freezer and use the fridge for fermenting. Not impossible, but you will have to dig deeper into how the fridge temperature is maintained so that you don't effect the operation of the freezer. And of course, modifications void warranties (if that's a problem).

An idea (RUN! DANGER!): re-assess your current fleet, and see if you have something currently used as a fridge suitable to convert to a fermentation chamber. Could be a lagering chamber/cold crash, kegerator -- anything. Then use your "new" upside down unit to replace THAT, which shouldn't effect the operation of the freezer.

 

[Tangle Foot]

I have temporarily repurposed an upright freezer that still gets use the family kitchen.

I'm using a Keg King Mk II Temperature controller and a low wattage heating pad. It means I'm running two cables in through the front door (temperature probe and a 240v for the heating pad. A bit worried about damaging the door seal. Is there a better way to route cables into the freezer other than by the door? Or do you know any tips that might avoid damaging the seals?

Cheers

 

[djebel]

Depends on the layout of the fridge or freezer. There's often a nice hole to let in the wires for the thermostat, and the interior light. Removing all that (and the light, door switch, and thermostat if possible) may leave you with a nice conduit in the back of the fridge to feed in cables, but you would probably need to do some 240V wiring, which can only legally be done by a sparky.

As an added bonus, removing all that also frees up (a small amount) of extra space inside the fridge, and allows for complete control over the operation of the fridge.

 

[Eddy Monsoon]

Just get an approx 200 litre upright freezer off gumtree or facebook marketplace and an inkbird STC.

Bob's your confused Auntie

 

[Tangle Foot]

Lot's of people mention using an Inkbird - does it provide any advantage over the Keg King Mk II Temperature controller?

Cheers

 

[Paddy]

Tangle
I have the Inkbird Wifi version its connected to my home network so can manage temps when work interferes with my brewing. Track my brews using tilt on brewfather then adjust temps as necessary, it works for me. Fridge I use as ferment chamber is an Esatto from appliances online holds std allrounder with Hop bong or Fermzilla or the double batch allrounder but can't fit the hop bong on the last two.

 

[Narapoia]

Lot's of people mention using an Inkbird - does it provide any advantage over the Keg King Mk II Temperature controller?

Cheers

I just went from an Inkbird to the Keg King. The Inkbirds have a well-known issue where the measured temperature randomly spikes by 1-3 degrees and then slowly drops back down to the actual value. Inkbird know it happens in some units but their support won't admit it because they would then be liable for all the blown out compressors (Like the one from my old fridge) caused by the needless cooling cycles kicked off by the temp spikes. Some units get it, some don't. Since I got the Keg King I've had no issues along these lines.

In terms of the fridge - I use a Fisher & Paykel 373L fridge (no freezer). You can't buy them new but I've found 2 of them now by being a bit eagle eye'd on FB marketplace and gumtree. I have the same setup as you in terms of the cables etc - I haven't considered the long term effect on the seals of just closing the door on them.

I am not a 'handyman' in any sense but made a quick cheap stand for the base of the fridge and with that I can get two 30L fermenters in there at the same time (and store some beers to bottle condition). It was the first thing I made with power tools since woodwork in high school. It's a great sized fridge for fermenting and really nice to be able to have two fermenters in there at the same time. Would definitely recommend it if you can find one.