Ferment Fridge Build - To Heat or Not to Heat in Brisbane?

[brocasarea]

I'm planning to use one of those stc100 controllers for my ferment fridge build. With this thing I can build in a heating circuit for winter months.

This is my question: Does one need a heating circuit in the extremely temperate climate of Brisbane?

I'm thinking several things:

1. The contents of the fridge will be insulated. How much can this drop from ideal temperature during an evening if it is average July low of 10°C?
2. I've been told that beer fermentation produces a bit of heat. How will this figure into the last scenario?
3. How much should I care if it drops below ideal temp for a few hours an evening?

 

[damoninja]

I didn't bother with installing any heating in my fridge, but when it is cold I pop a waterbed heater on one of the shelves and hook that up to my controller. Usually only a handful of brews a year that need it.

 

[nickxb]

I find I need to heat during winter if I want to keep a stable temp that doesn't drop too low. I found that my beer was dropping to 14-15C during the colder nights without heat. This isn't bad but I prefer to keep my fermentation at the temp I want.

I use a reptile ceramic lamp which works well.

Nick

 

[pcqypcqy]

$10 flood light from bunnings.

Like Damoninja said, you'll probably only need it for a handful of brews a year but for $10, why not.

 

[wildburkey]

No.1) I'm in Tasmania so I can't answer; if you monitor the liquid temp by either placing the temp probe under some styrofoam and taping it to your fermenter or place it in a thermowell the STC should account for the ferment temps and using a heat device will be more accurate. If you intend on lagering you may need a heater to slowly increase temps for a diacetyl rest.

 

[brocasarea]

Hmm, it probably is worth the extra effort to install a heating circuit. nickxb said his was at 14-15°C during the winter months. Could be problematic with some yeasts.

 

[Matplat]

I'm gonna say it depends on how well insulated your house is. In the winter just gone, I was in a brand new house (on the sunny coast) and didn't need the heat belt at all with the fridge in the garage.

Ferment temps might have dropped to 17-18 at some points, but nothing to worry about. Next winter, the fridge will be 'exposed to the elements' underneath the house, so things may change.

As you say, the STC-1000 has a heating circuit already so you may as well wire it in.... but don't buy a heating element until you know you really need one.

 

[wildburkey]

If you are going to the effort of making a ferment fridge you may as well be sure it'll keep precise temps IMO. I just use a heat pad and it works fine, I tried running a reptile heater in an egg incubator and it overshot temperatures by far without using a more expensive PID control but can't vouch for it in a ferment fridge.
Good luck brewing!

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I do in winter via heat belt.

1. even though the average minimum is 10deg, you will still have the occasional period of days where mins are lower than that.

2. The argument that yeast produces heat while fermenting isn't that useful for this - if anything you'll be wanting to boost the temperature as fermentation is finishing up.

3. depends.

 

[damoninja]

When you say heat circuit are you just talking about the wiring on the STC? In which case, I'd say yes... it's an socket end $2 worth...

Then you can just plug whatever you feel like in as a heat source when it's needed and remove it when it's not.

Heat lamp, heat belt, flood light, neon sign saying GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS... as long as it gets warm it'll do the trick.

 

[brocasarea]

Ok, I'm convinced I should install a heat circuit. I'm looking at some reptile heat cords and pads. I like them because I could stick them to a few walls and they'll be unobtrusive. (Not really keen on a light source in with beer either.) How many watts should do the trick?

 

[pcqypcqy]

Ok, I'm convinced I should install a heat circuit. I'm looking at some reptile heat cords and pads. I like them because I could stick them to a few walls and they'll be unobtrusive. (Not really keen on a light source in with beer either.) How many watts should do the trick?

Well my light bulbs were around the 100 to 120 watt mark, and that worked for a 5 gallon batch. Not all of that was heat.

Agree with the light, that only occurred to me recently. I'll build a shroud for it so it radiates through the metal but doesn't emit light.

 

[brocasarea]

Well my light bulbs were around the 100 to 120 watt mark, and that worked for a 5 gallon batch. Not all of that was heat.

Agree with the light, that only occurred to me recently. I'll build a shroud for it so it radiates through the metal but doesn't emit light.

We do a fair bit of beer here. There could be 4 x 30 litre brews in there.

 

[damoninja]

A 25w heat pad should be fine even for a larger area, considering it's in an insulated fridge.

I don't even know how many watts the water bed heater I use is, but imagine 25-50.

 

[damoninja]

Also if you want something that does project heat well reptile / infra red heat lamps will do that but they'll cost a little more and would be careful where it goes as they get bloody hot could end up with melted plastic lining

 

[brocasarea]

A 25w heat pad should be fine even for a larger area, considering it's in an insulated fridge.

I don't even know how many watts the water bed heater I use is, but imagine 25-50.

Also if you want something that does project heat well reptile / infra red heat lamps will do that but they'll cost a little more and would be careful where it goes as they get bloody hot could end up with melted plastic lining

I'm going to do something fairly benign like a heat pad. I know that those bulbs can get pretty hot. Stuffed in a corner it could cause a mischief.

 

[bradsbrew]

I just use a little lamp with a small terracotta pot upside down over the bulb. It sits on a shelf inside the fridge. Helps to keep a constant temperature during winter with the stc1000.

 

[Zorco]

I don't heat. In winter I use my counterflow chiller to reach pitch temp which is usually a few degrees above my final ferment temp. The fridge is an excellent insulator so once ferment us underway (which is a heat generating metabolic process) i find temperatures are stable.

What I'm mindful of is to not open the bloody door all the time and take a peek. But on my second ferment fridge the controller faces out of the fridge so I can see that things are ticking over well.

And...... global warming. 10 degrees Celsius winter averages are a historical affair - matching your data.


If I had cubes on the concrete and the chilled to, say, 10 deg C, then that's a different story. Might throw it in the bath for a bit..... or use the waste heat from a brew day to prep for the ferment.

 

[brocasarea]

I don't heat. In winter I use my counterflow chiller to reach pitch temp which is usually a few degrees above my final ferment temp. The fridge is an excellent insulator so once ferment us underway (which is a heat generating metabolic process) i find temperatures are stable.

What I'm mindful of is to not open the bloody door all the time and take a peek. But on my second ferment fridge the controller faces out of the fridge so I can see that things are ticking over well.

And...... global warming. 10 degrees Celsius winter averages are a historical affair - matching your data.


If I had cubes on the concrete and the chilled to, say, 10 deg C, then that's a different story. Might throw it in the bath for a bit..... or use the waste heat from a brew day to prep for the ferment.

What part of Australia are you in?

 

[Zorco]

Brisbane. North west in the rocky hills district.