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11-27-2006, 02:37 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: CT
Posts: 257
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Basement Temps
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After repeated requests to move my fermentation out of the closet due to my stinky Hefe... I put my primary in the basement with my freshly brewed Cheesefood Caramel Cream.
Fermentation started out slowly... temp was 60*F so I moved it back up to the closet when Momma Dukes wasnt around. 
Its not even that cold out yet here in CT, but I figure once I buy two more carboys today and brew another batch, I need to move my operation to the basement. Any ideas on how to keep my babies in the upper 60*s low 70*s while in the basement? I had it over by the furnace/water heater, but it was still chilly. Dont think a blanket would work... and I dont feel like building a box, but I realize I may have to.
What should I do?
Thanks
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11-27-2006, 02:43 PM
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#2
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Cranky Old Guy
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Willamina & Oak Grove, Oregon, USA
Posts: 24,799
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Blankets are a good idea. You can make a tent out of them and use a small electric heater (with a fan & thermostat) to maintain the temperature. Water heater wrappers are also good. Put the plastic on the inside for easy cleaning after blow-offs.
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Last edited by david_42; 11-27-2006 at 02:45 PM.
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11-27-2006, 02:53 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 50
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You could move to lagers. I've never done it, but I think a lot of people do in the winter, when basement temps are nice and chilly.
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11-27-2006, 03:14 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: CT
Posts: 257
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by david_42
Blankets are a good idea. You can make a tent out of them and use a small electric heater (with a fan & thermostat) to maintain the temperature. Water heater wrappers are also good. Put the plastic on the inside for easy cleaning after blow-offs.
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There's just something about combining electric heaters and blankets that doesnt sit well in my stomach....
Troybinso - Yea, I want to Lager some time, but I need to get brewing for the holidays. I'm not ready to make this leap just yet. |
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11-27-2006, 03:29 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Joppatowne, MD
Posts: 4,313
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Get a brew belt heater. Wraps right around your carboy/bucket and is said to keep your cold bottle at 70F.
I think it's easier to heat a place that's too cold than try to lager in a place that's too warm.
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11-27-2006, 03:31 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 11,900
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I ferment ales in my basement this time of year, and it's coooold down there. Typically, I don't mind my fermentation temps for ales to be in the mid-sixties, which is almost achieved just from the heat generated by a vigorous fermentation. You'll be surprised how much heat is generated when those yeasties get all worked up. To supplement that, I take a drug-store-variety heating pad (the kind you use for muscle pain, etc.), put it up against the wall of the carboy, then wrap a blanket around that to keep it in place. Set it to high or medium, and this will raise your temps several degrees.
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11-27-2006, 03:49 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: CT
Posts: 257
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Evan!
I take a drug-store-variety heating pad (the kind you use for muscle pain, etc.), put it up against the wall of the carboy, then wrap a blanket around that to keep it in place. Set it to high or medium, and this will raise your temps several degrees.
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Good call... thats probably cheaper than those carboy heaters too...
Thanks |
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11-27-2006, 04:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 156
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Cool ferments
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Do yourself a favor while your basement is at 60. Make a Dusseldorf Altbier using 50% Munich Malt and Wyeast 1007 yeast. It prefers cooler temps (down to 55). After ferment, 2ndary it for about a month ... you wont be sorry. Its a great beer.
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11-27-2006, 04:41 PM
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#9
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Grouchy Old Fart
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Eldorado, WI
Posts: 7,545
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by david_42
Blankets are a good idea. You can make a tent out of them and use a small electric heater (with a fan & thermostat) to maintain the temperature. Water heater wrappers are also good. Put the plastic on the inside for easy cleaning after blow-offs.
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Um, I wouldn't do that unless you really relish the idea of burning down your house.........
Take a thermometer and scope out several zones in you basement. You might be surprised by the variation in temps down there. Otherwise the heat belt is a good idea, so is lagering.
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12-04-2006, 04:11 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 15
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Im in the same boat myself. From searching i found someone suggest putting the carboy in a bucket of water with an aquarium heater. Any drawbacks to this? Seems to me like the water idea would keep things more consistant. I have a heating pad for the blanket wrap idea and a aquarium heater so i could do either.
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