Various temp reading fermenter

[Super 6 Pack]

Hi all,

After trial and error, sick of drinking beer that tasted like I was drinking through a garden hose, I finally have great beer through keeping my ales at around 22 degrees.

Coming into summer in Perth again i have been putting my fermenter into a bucket of iced water that sits around 10 degrees.

Question is, the cold water is only covering the bottom 5 litres or less and looks like there is a temperature variance between top and bottom of the product (the temp reading on the fermenter highlights 2 differing temps)

Is this an issue or even a thing that can happening? Would anyone have a workaround? Guess the obvious one is to fill the bucket up more?

Thanks in adavnce

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Try putting some towels around the fermenter so the capillary action will distribute the water around the fermeter . Or get a fermenting fridge.

 

[Super 6 Pack]

Yeah i was putting an old t shirt around it. Should I use towels instead and occasionally wet them?

 

[EmptyB]

drinking through a garden hose

Worth noting as well, if it actually tastes like that specifically, make sure you're not sourcing your water via garden hose. May sound trivial but plenty of brewers make that mistake.

 

[Super 6 Pack]

Ha, yeah well it tasted like that to me but my palate is not anything to go by. But i dont do it that way (i fill up with tap water from constantly used tap and let sit for a day or 2 to flash off any chlorine. Not sure if this is common but I do notice the difference when I do a smell test.

 

[altone]

Ha, yeah well it tasted like that to me but my palate is not anything to go by. But i dont do it that way (i fill up with tap water from constantly used tap and let sit for a day or 2 to flash off any chlorine. Not sure if this is common but I do notice the difference when I do a smell test.

I am hardly ever that prepared, I just use some aquarium dechlorinator most times (somebody tell me if that's a bad thing)
But Chlorine in the water is certainly noticeable so I think you're doing a reasonable process there.

I'll just ask 1 question, are you using any PVC tubing anywhere or is it all silicone ?
The PVC can give a "plasticy" taste under the wrong conditions.


edit and as for should you wet the surrounding cloth - yes.
As for t shirts, towels, wife's favorite dress .... thicker is probably better, otherwise, whatever you've got.

Sorry for second edit - another thought, are you using any chlorine based cleaners/sanitizers?
Could be from that possibly.

 

[Super 6 Pack]

thanks for the replies here,

No, nothing PVC but I no longer get the garden hose taste and I put that down to getting the temps down. It was odd because I ended up with most batches tasting if the same plasticy taste so I upped my game and put more effort into cleaning and sanitizing (I know this is not the done thing but I clean it with near boiling water and sanitize with near boiling water and cider and leave in there for a day)

But largely, I go to more length to keep the temps right and try to do this in a very basic environment - the walk in wardrobe in our bedroom is in the middle of the house and more ambient temperature and away from children and pets but theres no electrical points so its changing ice packs and soaking T shirts (will use thicker material) I am thinking it also stops any light filtration also.

 

[Maheel]

thanks for the replies here,

N(I know this is not the done thing but I clean it with near boiling water and sanitize with near boiling water and cider and leave in there for a day)

whats the cider bit ?

 

[Super 6 Pack]

Ahh mustt have been multi tasking there, meant vinegar. I use white vinegar but have used apple cider vinegar.

 

[Peterbrew]

I'm not looking forward to summer, my shed was about 32 degrees the other day. I'm glad I've got a fridge in the shed for fermenting in so I can keep temps constant. I also use the brita filters from big w have two 8litre jugs that I use and think makes a difference.

 

[Dan Pratt]

seriously.

if you are brewing beer, get a fridge and temp control.

Its about $200 bucks to get setup, less if you can score the fridge for free.

 

[Super 6 Pack]

Probably a good investment, no more messing around and summer nearly here and all. Time to clean out the shed and make room for the important stuff.

 

[Squidgyal]

Can I get a bit more info on ‘fermenting fridges’. How do these work? I’m having some minor issues around keeping a constant temp in my fermenter.
Cheers

 

[S.E]

Can I get a bit more info on ‘fermenting fridges’. How do these work? I’m having some minor issues around keeping a constant temp in my fermenter.
Cheers

You can use any fridge or freezer, the only disadvantage of using a chest freezer is it can be difficult if you have a large fermenter to lift it in and out when full.

Use a temperature controller to keep the fridge at the desired temp. Site sponsor Inkbird have a good range of controllers. You plug your fridge into one of these and it will cut the power when the desired set temp is reached.

If you are good with wiring you can put your own together cheaply using something like this one but it’s easier add probably just as cheap to get a pre wired one https://www.ink-bird.com/products-temperature-controller-itc308.html.

You can also use your fridge and controller along with a heat source to keep your fermenter warm in cold weather.

 

[EmptyB]

One other thing, especially in a freezer, install a fan to circulate air. A little 12V computer fan does the job.

 

[awfulknauful]

Can I get a bit more info on ‘fermenting fridges’. How do these work? I’m having some minor issues around keeping a constant temp in my fermenter.
Cheers

Keep am eye out for something like this.
https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/pr...ewjacket-with-25-or-30-litre-fermenter-jacket

 

[sp0rk]

Keep am eye out for something like this.
https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/pr...ewjacket-with-25-or-30-litre-fermenter-jacket

By all accounts, Australian conditions are far too hot for these and you can't CC with them
They say it can lower temps up to 20c (I'd bet 15c at best) which here would mean my beer would still be around 28c at our hottest temps
Plus at that price, a fridge (even a bar fridge) and an STC/Inkbird/etc is far cheaper

 

[sp0rk]

Can I get a bit more info on ‘fermenting fridges’. How do these work? I’m having some minor issues around keeping a constant temp in my fermenter.
Cheers

Hi mate, pop into Country Brewer Toormina and have a chat to Matt, he'll be able to sort you out with setting up a solution

 

[awfulknauful]

By all accounts, Australian conditions are far too hot for these and you can't CC with them
They say it can lower temps up to 20c (I'd bet 15c at best) which here would mean my beer would still be around 28c at our hottest temps
Plus at that price, a fridge (even a bar fridge) and an STC/Inkbird/etc is far cheaper

Why I said "something" like this, possible "something" new on the horizon.

 

[S.E]

One other thing, especially in a freezer, install a fan to circulate air. A little 12V computer fan does the job.

Yes a fan is a great addition. I was going to mention that but left it out to keep the description simple to start with.

I used a USB computer fan during the winter and the heat generated by that and fermentation was enough to keep the brew warm without any other heat source in the fridge.

Also using a thermowell or taping the temp controller probe to the fermenter so it can measure wort temp rather than fridge temp if the probe is just left dangling in the fridge.