Maintaining Temperature

[cory_g]

Hi everybody
I would welcome advise on the best way to control my fermenting temperature. I have just put down a 'fresh wort' brew and I need to maintain a temperature of 22 C.

However as I live in Brisbane and the average temperature at the moment is around 26C I am struggling to lower it. I thought I might of been able to do it through the old fashioned way of evaporate cooling i.e. wet towel with fan blowing on it. But it just doesn't seem to be lowering it enough to start the fermenting process.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Cory Godfrey
Kenmore, Brisbane.

 

[drsmurto]

This method works well but it does take a while. Put the fermenter in a tray of water so the towel can draw up water constantly while aiming the fan at it. using this method i got my brews down to 20degC during a heatwave in Adelaide.

 

[maxy007]

Hi everybody
I would welcome advise on the best way to control my fermenting temperature. I have just put down a 'fresh wort' brew and I need to maintain a temperature of 22 C.

However as I live in Brisbane and the average temperature at the moment is around 26C I am struggling to lower it. I thought I might of been able to do it through the old fashioned way of evaporate cooling i.e. wet towel with fan blowing on it. But it just doesn't seem to be lowering it enough to start the fermenting process.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Cory Godfrey
Kenmore, Brisbane.

Hiya Cory,
I'm only a new brewer as well and after trying ice baths, wet tshirts and fans (not on me on the beer ) I've found the best way to keep the temps down is to use a round 100 can cooler made by california inovations and only available from K-mart and 8 blue 1 litre esky ice blocks. This keeps my temps at a steady 18 degrees. I use 4 ice blocks in the morning and swap them over in the arvo when i get home from work. I know kmart maitland have them because I just ordered another one. they are a clearance/discontinued item and are $18.

Good luck mate

Cheers,

Maxy

 

[Adamt]

Welcome to the forums.

I find the wet towel method to work pretty well for maintaining temperature, but not lowering temperature. Temporarily make some space in a fridge (if possible), and throw the fermenter in until its at 18C, then set up a wet towel/fan. Its also a good idea to put 1 or 2 ends of the towel in a tray of water; this makes a wicking effect that continually keeps the towel wet.

Other methods are a laundry sink filled with cold water, maintained by cycling frozen soft drink bottles daily. A very popular piece of equipment here is the 100 can cooler, however the company who makes them have discontinued so coming across one is a bit difficult, its basically a soft, collapsible cooler that fits a fermenter perfectly, along with ice blocks.

18-20C is optimum for any ale yeast, 22C is fine but most beers are better at 18-20C.

Hope this gives you a few ideas.

 

[Wortgames]

Remember that any evaporation method (ie the wet towel) will only work in low to average humidity. In tropical areas (and even Melbourne recently!) when the air is close to 100% humidity, very little water will evaporate so very little cooling will take place.

A temperature-controlled fridge is an awesome thing if you can do it.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Or a temp controlled brew room..

Like mine....



Others have shiny brew stands, but my ferms and beers sit at 17-18* every day

 

[braufrau]

Hiya Cory,
I'm only a new brewer as well and after trying ice baths, wet tshirts and fans (not on me on the beer ) I've found the best way to keep the temps down is to use a round 100 can cooler made by california inovations and only available from K-mart and 8 blue 1 litre esky ice blocks. This keeps my temps at a steady 18 degrees. I use 4 ice blocks in the morning and swap them over in the arvo when i get home from work. I know kmart maitland have them because I just ordered another one. they are a clearance item and are $18.

Good luck mate

Cheers,

Maxy

Californian innovations have discontinued the 100 can cooler.
Some people have managed to get some from anaconda and they are on special at the moment.
http://www.anaconda.com.au/Specials.aspx?p=4
You can ring them and order one.

Failing that I had success with a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket and swapping
frozen milk bottles every 21 hours. Most of the time I only needed one.

The tee shirt thing didn't work very well for me.

-braufrau

 

[climbo]

I used a large size OzTrail collapsible camping bin from BCF. It's quite strong and easy to insulate with some cardboard or foam. It holds the temp quite well with some ice bricks inside it. I had it down to 18 easily in the last 2 weeks.

 

[simpletotoro]

Hi everybody
I would welcome advise on the best way to control my fermenting temperature. I have just put down a 'fresh wort' brew and I need to maintain a temperature of 22 C.

However as I live in Brisbane and the average temperature at the moment is around 26C I am struggling to lower it. I thought I might of been able to do it through the old fashioned way of evaporate cooling i.e. wet towel with fan blowing on it. But it just doesn't seem to be lowering it enough to start the fermenting process.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Cory Godfrey
Kenmore, Brisbane.

hi...neighbour....try this link...
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=9233
heaps of good stuff here...i'd advise you read it all ...but the stuff your after is down the page aways...
the post by pistol patch titled "Some Cheap Ways of Maintaining Fermentation Temperatures"...
hope it helps
i asked pretty much the same question here on this link...
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=13518
i can get my temp down around 10-14/c this way...
but i mostly brew ales and 3 frozen bottles every day in my old unturned on fridge lowers it to 16-18/c...(temp taken with a thermometre put down the airlock grommet )

cheers simpletotoro