Controlling Fermentation Temp

[warrenlw63]

And only use Powells Malt...

(Apologies if I'm being too obscure) h34r:

To make your "Rivers of Blood" Irish Red Ale perhaps.

Edit: (Sensible contri) FWIW I use a fridge in Summer, a combination of fridge and reptile heat bulb t/stat controlled insulated box for winter.

Thinking of shifting to a method practised by Devo and Bugwan this winter. A water bath, pond pump and aquarium heater and sitting the fermenter(s) in that.

Warren -

 

[Andyd]

Thirsty Boy,

what's the efficiency of the freezer (or, how often is the compressor running)? I'd have thought that a heat source running at 18 degrees would lead to the freezer running pretty much continuously, which doesn't strike me as ideal...

Andy

 

[crakaz]

Hi all,

I've been controlling my fermentation temps in one of those 100 can coolers and cycling bottles of frozen water as required. I'm starting to get pretty sick of this. I would love to "set and forget" and also love to be able to brew lagers all year round.

So, I'm thinking of getting one of those fridge/freezer temp controller things and a fridge or a freezer to dedicate to fermentation control. I see on this forum people using fridges and freezers for fermentation. What's best and why (fridge v. freezer)?

cheers,

Andrei

I'm using a Philips 290l fridge with two Mashmaster Fridgemates. One for heating the other to control the fridge temp. Works like a charm.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I reckon these things are intriguing:

http://www.coolworksinc.com/more_about_ipac2.htm

Particularly if you wrapped your fermenter in neoprene, or foam, or something.

I'm wondering if one can't be cobbled together using bits and pieces...

 

[frogman]

Currently using a Westinghouse 301 lt all fridge with Fridgemate Temp Controller.
$80 out of weekend trader. Holds two fermenters.

Just picked up 410lt fridge/freezer with shot thermostat. Will bypass thermostat add Fridgemate Temp Controller.
Will easily hold a 60lt fermenter so will I start doing double batches.
Freezer section will be perfect for cold glass storage.

Best thing I like about the Fridgemate Temp Controller is when the beer has completed fermenitng I drop the temp to 1c for 48 to 72 hours helps to clear the beer and its already cold when its kegged and moved to the chest freezer which also runs on a Fridgemate Temp Controller set at 4c.
Frogman.

Pic of it all up and running. Found that the trip home has caused the new fridge with the stuffed thermostat to start working perfectly. So no need to bypass it.

FROGMAN

 

[frogman]

I reckon these things are intriguing:

http://www.coolworksinc.com/more_about_ipac2.htm

Particularly if you wrapped your fermenter in neoprene, or foam, or something.

I'm wondering if one can't be cobbled together using bits and pieces...

Seems like a great idea.
Wondering as to the costs.
Would eliminate a need for fermenitng fridge/s.

Frogman

 

[Darren]

I would say it is not sanitary and would lead to "cold spots"

cheers

Darren

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I reckon these things are intriguing:

http://www.coolworksinc.com/more_about_ipac2.htm

Particularly if you wrapped your fermenter in neoprene, or foam, or something.

I'm wondering if one can't be cobbled together using bits and pieces...

From what I understand, this is exactly how Beer Beer and More Beer in the States cools their temperature controlled conicals.

They apparently work just fine.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Thirsty Boy,

what's the efficiency of the freezer (or, how often is the compressor running)? I'd have thought that a heat source running at 18 degrees would lead to the freezer running pretty much continuously, which doesn't strike me as ideal...

Andy

Not too bad at all actually. I did take a few measurements and I think that the compressor is running at maybe 10-15% more freqently than "normal" but thats a bit of a guestimate, I didn't have all day to stand around watching the fridge And BTW its just a normal fridge, not a freezer.

The fermentors are wrapped in a camping mat insulation, so they dont loose a lot of heat at any great rate. Lets put it this way, I've been keeping a few bottles of brew in the fridge, basically leaning up against my currently fermenting beer, and they aren't even 1 degree C above the fridge ambient. So the heat exchange rate isn't really all that high.

Its working so far at any rate. And even if burn out the fridge at twice the rate, I'm still only using one of them to do 3 or 4 jobs, so I have a few to get through before I am behind the eightball.

 

[domonsura]

Well here's mine, controlled with a digital controller. Bit of a stock up going on as you can see....

This fridge costs a fortune to run as a normal fridge, so I was happy to turn it into the ferm fridge to save $$$, but when this lot is ready it may have to go back to being a keg fridge, as the upright freezer I use for my kegs will only hold 3 at most....