Regulating Temperature

[dickoismad]

Guys, if I'm brewing in a barrell, what is the best way to regulate temperature,

so as it doesnt swing too much.

Cheers

 

[jakub76]

More info please...
How big?
What temp do you want to hold?
What temp have you got as ambient?
Will it fit in a fridge or chest freezer?

 

[dickoismad]

More info please...
How big?
What temp do you want to hold?
What temp have you got as ambient?
Will it fit in a fridge or chest freezer?

Its a 25 litre barrell, and id like to hold it at whatever temperature is needed. so anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees.

The ambient temperature is between 10 and 18 degrees at the moment, and we actually have the perfect old broken down fridge to use, we are just very space limited.

I couldnt find any other threads on here that related specifically to this, so need some advice before the next brew starts.
cheers

 

[Oatlands Brewer]

Hi Dicko and welcome to the addiction.....

My set up is a working fridge, only a smallish one about 115lt i think and i run a Temp-mate.

Its set up with my heat belt on one side and the fridge plug on tuther.....set and forget mate, easy as.

I got the tempmate from Craftbrewer, youl find there link at top of page and had it set up by a friend whos a electronics student, but there are plenty of plans on here if you do a search.

 

[ianh]

Welcome Dicko

I have a similar set up to Oatlands Brewer except I got a digital temperature controller off Ebay less than half price of the Tempmate and use light globes for the heat source rather than the heatbelt.

I also have a fermentation cupboard setup which just has a controller and globes as heat source no cooling. This can be used most of the year in Tassie then the fridge can be used for cold conditioning.

cheers

Ian

 

[jakub76]

Its a 25 litre barrell, and id like to hold it at whatever temperature is needed. so anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees.

The ambient temperature is between 10 and 18 degrees at the moment, and we actually have the perfect old broken down fridge to use, we are just very space limited.

I couldnt find any other threads on here that related specifically to this, so need some advice before the next brew starts.
cheers

Cool, I also use a cheap ebay temperature controller hooked upto my brew fridge. As your fridge is broken I would suggest freezing large milk bottles full of water. You can use 2 or three at a time inside your broken fridge, swapping them out every two days to maintain your temperature at the low end. This would only be necessary for making lagers, Ales like to be fermented around 18C, in that case I'd still use the fridge as an insulator to keep the temperature from fluctuating too much.

What brew have you got planned?

 

[Oatlands Brewer]

That reminds me Ian ive gotta set up a globe in my storage cupboard otherwise none of my beers will carb up in this weather....cold enough thismorning to make the diesel go cloudy and a bit sludgy. time to think of lagers eh.....

 

[New2thebrew]

I've recently purchased a heat belt for one of my fermenters, have only been turning it on at night as ambient temp during the day in Brisbane is still ok for the stout I am brewing at the moment.

I have considered buying another belt for my second fermenter, however have also been loking at an aquarium heater, as these are thermostatically controlled. Can get a 50W fully submersible heater for $18 (inc. postage), temp control between 16 - 32 degrees, which is much cheaper than the $40 the local HBS charges for a heat belt.

Does anyone else use one of these, and if so, how (e.g. stuck to the side of the fermenter, floating in the centre), and how do you keep the fermenter air-tight with the cord coming out??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[michaelcocks]

I've recently purchased a heat belt for one of my fermenters, have only been turning it on at night as ambient temp during the day in Brisbane is still ok for the stout I am brewing at the moment.

I have considered buying another belt for my second fermenter, however have also been loking at an aquarium heater, as these are thermostatically controlled. Can get a 50W fully submersible heater for $18 (inc. postage), temp control between 16 - 32 degrees, which is much cheaper than the $40 the local HBS charges for a heat belt.

Does anyone else use one of these, and if so, how (e.g. stuck to the side of the fermenter, floating in the centre), and how do you keep the fermenter air-tight with the cord coming out??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Sorry - confused ... Are you trying to keep it warmer than ambient temp or cooler than ambient temp ?
In one response you answer about a fridge - suggesting cooler than ambient then you answer about a heat belt (or are you trying to cover both bases)
I'd imagine a heat belt in QLD to be not needed - I don't use one ever and I'm in Sydney (which has gotta be cooler than anywhere in QLD?
Also is New2 the brew and dicko the same person ?

 

[New2thebrew]

Sorry - confused ... Are you trying to keep it warmer than ambient temp or cooler than ambient temp ?
In one response you answer about a fridge - suggesting cooler than ambient then you answer about a heat belt (or are you trying to cover both bases)
I'd imagine a heat belt in QLD to be not needed - I don't use one ever and I'm in Sydney (which has gotta be cooler than anywhere in QLD?
Also is New2 the brew and dicko the same person ?

No, Dicko & I are two different people.

I am trying to keep it warmer than ambient temp during the night as it has been fairly cold lately, and I am worried about the swings in temp, I figure a thermostatically controlled heater used during the night would help, just not sure how to install & still keep the fermenter airtight.

 

[michaelcocks]

No, Dicko & I are two different people.

I am trying to keep it warmer than ambient temp during the night as it has been fairly cold lately, and I am worried about the swings in temp, I figure a thermostatically controlled heater used during the night would help, just not sure how to install & still keep the fermenter airtight.

Wow it must get cold - Are you keeping the brew in the garage or something..Even though we get down to 7C at night inside the house is never below 16-17C in my cupboard under the stairs ...

Sorry - I've never used a heater so and advise would not be based on experience

 

[trawny]

I've recently purchased a heat belt for one of my fermenters, have only been turning it on at night as ambient temp during the day in Brisbane is still ok for the stout I am brewing at the moment.

I have considered buying another belt for my second fermenter, however have also been loking at an aquarium heater, as these are thermostatically controlled. Can get a 50W fully submersible heater for $18 (inc. postage), temp control between 16 - 32 degrees, which is much cheaper than the $40 the local HBS charges for a heat belt.

Does anyone else use one of these, and if so, how (e.g. stuck to the side of the fermenter, floating in the centre), and how do you keep the fermenter air-tight with the cord coming out??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

I have a mate who has used a fish heater before. He bought a tub put the fish heater on the side filled it up with water and dropped the fermenter in the tub. it works a treat. Keeps the temp spot on within 1 degree.

 

[barto1308]

I use a submersible fishtank heater in one of my fermenters. The fermenter I use is one of the old Wander brand ones that has a hole in the top large enough for the heater to fit through and the cord running out. After I have pitched my yeast and screwed the lid down, I cover the whole lid with glad wrap, then tape it down to keep the nasties out. I have done this with one brew completed, and on the second one now. The current brew has been sitting at 25C at all times of the day and night, and it gets bloody cold in my garage here in Canberra :beerbang:
I bought mine from a local garage sale, along with the wander fermenter. And I am looking at another one on ebay at the moment as a much cheaper alternative to a mat or belt.





In the fermenter: No Frills Draught
Conditioning: 1. Trappist-style Tripel
2. Premium Bitter
In the Fridge: Munich Lager
Planned: Honey Blonde Ale

 

[kelbygreen]

I would be fermenting under 25deg if I was you thats on the edge of being to hot. 18-20 deg for ale yeast will produce a cleaner nicer beer. If you want it to ferment quick then maybe look into nutrients or a second fermenter. I myself wouldnt go over 22deg for most ale yeast

 

[DU99]

i converted an old bar fridge and is using a 25watt light globe with a honeywell thermostat given to me.maintains fine