Which Option For Heating Fermenter During Winter?

[juzz1981]

Hi Everyone,

Quick one regarding keeping the fermenter warm during winter, what does most people use?

Heatbelt
Immersion Heater
Heatpad

I was thinking if using a heatbelt, the temp could be controlled by shifting the belt along the fermenter. Moving up above/near the top of the brew level would theoretically be cooler and moving the belt right onto the brew would be at its warmest, if you know what i mean.

Any opinions would be great.

( Oh yeah, and I know I can just use a lager yeast which I do, but i also like the ale yeast flavour )

 

[manticle]

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...=32818&st=0

 

[felten]

I use a light bulb+fridgemate inside the fridge, but that is because I'm poor. :unsure:

 

[DU99]

i use an old fridge with a 25watt globe and thermostat set to 24/25..works fine also have a digitial temp gauge..to check

 

[juzz1981]

Thanks guys.

 

[MeLoveBeer]

I picked up immersion heaters for each of my fermenters (as I don't have a temp controlled fridge). They are fantastic, however I can see them quickly becoming redundant when I find the right fridge.

Only problem I have with them is adjusting the temp of in-progress ferments... it means turning the immersion heater off, pulling it out of the beer and then putting your hands all over it to make the adjustment. I get really nervous about contamination (I currently spray with starsan after I make adjustments, but think it would be difficult to completely sanitise given the amount of crud on the heater).

If I was doing it again, I'd probably go for the heatpad teamed up with a temp controller and probe.

 

[DUANNE]

i use a heat pad in my fermentation fridge along with a temp controller. i just put the pad up on the freezer hump away from the fermenter, using this setup i can do any thing from lagers(without the pad) to saisons even i the middle of winter. or summer for that matter! :beerbang:

 

[kegpig]

A heat pad with a temp controller works well for me

 

[Yob]

heatpad and timer, great.. temp controller imminent B)

 

[scotteth]

I use a $20 electric blanket inside a fridge (with tempmate). Works perfectly.

 

[MattC]

i use a heat pad in my fermentation fridge along with a temp controller. i just put the pad up on the freezer hump away from the fermenter, using this setup i can do any thing from lagers(without the pad) to saisons even i the middle of winter. or summer for that matter! :beerbang:

hog, do u have tempmate controlling only fridge temp or heat pad as well?

 

[petesbrew]

I either bring mine in from the garage, wait longer, or use lager yeast. Couldn't be arsed heating it.

 

[DUANNE]

hog, do u have tempmate controlling only fridge temp or heat pad as well?

just controlling the fridge atm. surprisingly though it doesnt actually run the freezer all that much. one of these days though i would like to update to a unit that runs both,just another thing on an out of control list of things i "need"

 

[devo]

Well for lagering you don't need to do anything(it's bloody freezing) but for my ales I've resorted to bring my fermenters indoors. I have found that once the fermentation kicked in they would hold steady even if the ambient room temp dropped below 16c.

 

[aussiechucka]

Bunnings has some small 200 watt fan heaters if you are limited on space. I am planning using this in my brewing fridge. It has my own built in temp controller on it. The fan is only 100mm high wide and deep, by the look of it. Plus it is only 200 watts.
Cheers
Aussiechucka

 

[cozmocracker]

i have an up right freezer with tempmate and an old waterbed heater, does a great job for me.

 

[cdbrown]

Last winter used an aquarium heater in a 3L plastic bottle controlled by a fridgemate. When there was a few cold nights recently I just filled the bottle with hot water from the tap and that warmed up the air in the fridge for the night as I didn't have the heater set up.

 

[DU99]

a simple 25/40 watt light globe will provide heat..even a 12volt dicoric downlight will genearate heat..remember there in you roof and they can burn insulation

 

[leiothrix]

I really wouldn't recommend a 12V halogen. They're enormous energy pigs, spit out all kinds of light you don't want, esp. near beer (IR & UV, the glass is meant to filter it, but I wouldn't trust it). And of course mounting the transformer inside the fridge would be all kinds of dumb.

Mount a BC batton in the bottom of a ceramic pot. Silicone up the hole where the wire goes through to prevent condensation entering. Put the 25/40W globe in it and stick the pot in the fridge upside-down.

The pot provides mechanical protection for the globe, stops the light exiting and potentially spoiling your beer, stops you burning anything, and provides a nice heat spreader.

Saying that I use a heat belt hung in the corner of my fridge. Does the same thing and takes up a whole lot less room. Costs a bit more initially though.

Rob.

 

[DU99]

would a towel do the job...