How To Keep My Fermenting Beer Cool?

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

as most brisbanites (and other SE QLD'ers) would know, the heat has been pretty terrible lately, and my brews are sitting around the 30-32 deg mark.

Apart from the obvious, using a temp controller and a fridge. how are people keeping there brews cool?

i have used: the damp towel and leccy fan (just got a mouldy towel and a sore ear from a nagging wife) , and the biggest esky i could buy that will fit a fermenter in (which will become a mash-tun at a later date) but without much luck.

While typing this post, have just been thinking about using a BIIIIIG plastic tub and filling it with water with the fermenter in it, throw a few frozen water-filled frozen coke bottles in it during the day...... any one done that before???? i wont ask anymore questions.... mite give this a go 2morrow....

But temp control is the only thing that is stopping me from taking the plunge to AG, if i can get away without using a temp controller i mught just do my first AG this weekend.

 

[manticle]

I use a sink full of water, frozen PET bottles rotated daily AND a wet towel combined. Seems to work - I'm in Melbourne but our summers still are not good for brews.

Otherwise a dead fridge and frozen PET seems to get good results according to some (including QLDers).

 

[Rodolphe01]

before i had a fridge to use i'd put my fermenter in my 50l esky and fill the esky with water and rotate 2x 2l frozen bottles of water morning and night. it is a pain in the arse, but it works.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

I use a sink full of water, frozen PET bottles rotated daily AND a wet towel combined. Seems to work - I'm in Melbourne but our summers still are not good for brews.

Otherwise a dead fridge and frozen PET seems to get good results according to some (including QLDers).

before i had a fridge to use i'd put my fermenter in my 50l esky and fill the esky with water and rotate 2x 2l frozen bottles of water morning and night. it is a pain in the arse, but it works.

yep got it in one! how well does it work?? what temp does it keep the beer at??

 

[Rodolphe01]

i could keep the temperature below 19 without a problem, other than it being a pain in the arse swapping ice block twice a day and having no room in the freezer because of freezing more water bottles etc.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

i could keep the temperature below 19 without a problem, other than it being a pain in the arse swapping ice block twice a day and having no room in the freezer because of freezing more water bottles etc.

Is that during the middle of summer??

 

[Rodolphe01]

It would of been in December last year.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

It would of been in December last year.

good stuff! that'll make a big difference to my beer. so i think it will be some grain and a nice packet of yeast this weekend!

 

[O'Henry]

I had two fermenters full and with 1.25l pet frozen changed in the morning and evening, with 24-30 ambient temp the beer stayed pretty constant around 18-20. Fluctuated (sp?) a bit, but not very rapidly.

 

[sid]

I've used the ice blocks in a plastic tub, works ok, but you need to keep cycling them at lest twice a day in summer.

I use an old fridge now with no temp control, but have it plugged into a basic timer and just set it to come on say... 15 minutes every hour this keeps my fermenter cool without the pricey temp controler

 

[Wadey]

Guys, not sure if anyone is going to this post, but I too live in brissy but was wondering if you can use this swamp method with the plastic fermenters with tap at the bottom, will this be problem, ie water won't get in?

 

[manticle]

When I did it, I used cubes with taps. No issues with water getting in but you should sanitise the taps before and after taking samples etc. I do anyway (now have fridge with temp controller but only fits one cube at a time).

 

[Econwatson]

Surprised the towel and fan combo isn't working for you!

I got two 8 dollar fans from Big W and set them up on either side, removed the fan guard to give me some extra cooling power and put a wet towel over my fermenter. Keeps it around the 18 to 20 mark!

 

[lukiferj]

I just use a big tub with blocks of ice in it. I replace the ice every morning and night in the warmer months. How much I put in there depends on how hot the day gets. There have been a few times when I've done a lunch time dash to chuck more ice in on 35+ degree days. Seems to do the job but have almost convinced the warden that it would be cheaper in the long run to get a fermenting fridge... ie less petrol

 

[Bribie G]

Just get a free dead fridge and swap in 2 x two litre bottles of frozen water - for ales you'll only need to do this once a day. I did this for about a year in SEQ until I got a dedicated fermenting fridge. And got a couple of comp wins. The problem with the open buckets and ice methods is that you are pushing shyte uphill because they are open to all the hot air. A free fridge is by definition insulated. durh.

 

[lukiferj]

Cheers Bribie G. I usually chuck a wet towel over the top and seems to keep the temp pretty stable. Just a problem cooling down again if it gets too warm. Hadn't thought of using a dead fridge. Will keep my eye out for one. Makes more sense and much less effort.

 

[Blitzer]

I used to use a one of the storage tubs from Big W or Kmart like $10 and fits the new Coopers fermenter to about 3/4 height. Put a towel around wIth at least the bottom in the water.

ice blocks as needed, though it takes a fair bit for a temp change so you won't need to replace them too much as long as its in shade.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Can I give you my 2c.

Just buy a 2nd hand fridge and an STC, find a sparky and get it wired up....peace of mind!

I too went through this, trying to find a solution to cooling my fermenter and after 12 months of various methods I ended up getting a small fridge.

Since I then I have been able to maintain fermentation temp and tick the box for rule number 2 when home brewing.

2. Maintain the correct fermentation temperatures. Temperatures outside the yeast tolerance will create off flavours.

 

[pk.sax]

Yea, used to throw a towel over the top too. Keeps the cool in...
Start fermenting Friday night and take good care of it over the weekend, from Monday, swap frozen bottle once a day till its done. Cha ching.

 

[Wadey]

Thanks All. I have to do something, might be too late for this one it's sitting at 28c since I put it down yesterday. Can't really fit another fridge anywhere but was thinking of using my kegerator, only problem with that is it will be out of action for serving beer while fermenting. Might try the water and ice method for next brew.