Fermentation temp control with an electric blanket?

sleepystevenson · 10-28-2008, 09:15 PM

Going for another post today...

I ferment in my garage and due to the logistics of my fermenter I don't have a lot of choices to move it into other warmer rooms...

The temps this time of year are in the low 50s. I am trying to think of an easy way to boost those temps up, as I brew ales exclusively (to date...)

Anyway, I was thinking that maybe I could wrap an electric blanket for a bed around the entire fermenter, and control the temps with a ranco / love temp controller.

My fermenter is about 6' tall and 24" diameter. I have a probe from a digital thermo covered in bubble insulation and taped to the outside wall of the fermenter to keep an eye on temps. (maybe just keep the electric blanket away from the temp probe area by taping a box over it, or something)

Any thoughts on this idea or any other ideas? (see pic of fermenter below).

EDIT: Forgot to mention, it is 60 gal capacity, but I am only filling it with 25 gal +/- batch.

coolbeerluke · 10-28-2008, 09:30 PM

no ideas other than what you already said but, nice fermenter! does it work well?

sleepystevenson · 10-28-2008, 09:34 PM

Well...It seems to be working great. My first batch with it is still in it right now. So...we'll see how the beer comes out!

**IrregularPulse** · 10-28-2008, 11:48 PM

25 gallons in a 60 gallong fermenter. Arn't you concerned with the must head space?

**BrewBeemer** · 10-29-2008, 01:55 AM

The head space volume isn't a problem as the Co2 blanket produced is protecting the bier. It's the little nasties that can get in if the fermenter
didn't have a top and airlock for which her/she has so no problm. My group of friends on a first ever brew used a 80 gallon stainless cylinder 18" in diameter over 7' long with spherical ends, top with a Vee band clamp for a AG 11 gallon batch. Perfect fermenter and bier. I believe some lab project it became available free from the Berkeley Rad Lab. One of the brewing friends at the Lab found a home for it.

sleepystevenson · 10-29-2008, 03:13 AM

That's the way I always understood it, too, brewbeemer. Not really too concerned, but we'll find out! I know one thing, it was definitely full of CO2 cause the blow off tube was bubblin' to beat H*** for the first couple days!