Horseflesh

Recipes 

First off, I do have a proper temperature controlled fermentation chamber, so I can baby my brews one bucket at a time.

But I also have a couple of other places in the house that I could stash buckets or carboys, if the temperatures there were useful. And not just for beer--I'm open to anything!

Fireplace: If I cover the opening to the brick fireplace, the interior will be low 50s to low 60s. It will probably get even colder as we get into winter.

Laundry room: Due to the waste heat fron the freezer, fermentation chamber, and computers, this room swings from about 68 to 78, but is usually ~70-73. (this is where I store bottles to carb up.)

Any ideas?

If those temperature ranges are useless, I might build another STC-1000 controller. A vessel in the fireplace, with a heating wrap, could probably be maintained at ale yeast temperatures during the colder half of our year.

mgortel

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Good for a lager.....or as you suggest....a heater wrap with a controller for ale.

Too warm.....no go.

I assume you want to be able to do more than 1 bucket at a time...the reason for post since your ferm chamber can only do 1 bucket?

Do you have room to add a larger ferm chamber or additional?

Otherwise....fireplace seems like best option w heater and controller. No basement I assume?

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alane1

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laundry room...I believe you can start a saison around 65 and let the temp get up to even around 90,but I've never brewed one and am not sure if it's the yeast activity or the abient temp that gets the temp that high.I've read that the high temps are often desirable to get the ester profile for the style.

Horseflesh

Recipes 

Correct, I have room for 1 bucket in the chamber. I do have room to add a second chamber, but I was hoping to find something to do without buying a second fridge project. I suppose it is inevitable though.

It seems like using a heater in the chilly fireplace will be the most inexpensive way to make good use of the places I have now.

Alane1, good idea. I will have to taste some saisons though to see if I like the style, I'm pretty new to beer for these parts and still have a lot to learn.

WileECoyote

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50ish is good for a lager, If you haven't done a lager before, I would highly recommend reading up on lagering before trying one, as it can be more complicated than some want to deal with.

With your temps, I would try this one.
French Saison Activator Wyeast ACT3711- 4.25 oz. 65 to 77 deg, I have yet to try this one but would think, start with low temp 65 and ramp it up to your 70 to 72 deg would work good, or start it at 70 and let is ferment out, as its right in the mid range for this yeast.

I make this in summer a lot. Belgian Saison, Belgian Saison Activator Wyeast ACT3724, 70 to 95 deg, 70 to start fermentation, then ramp up the temp 4 to 5 deg every day till you hit about 84 deg, works great, this yeast likes stick around 1.030 ramping temps helps eliminate that.

Cheers

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beergolf

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The laundry room would be good for a saison using 3711. That yeast is not as temp sensitive as 3724 which likes it even hotter. If I want to brew with 3724 I just stick the fermenter in a tub of water and use an aquarium heater to get the temps up. I have one that will go to 90. But 3711 will ferment out at the ambient emps you have.

You could also brew Belgians. Pitch the yeast in the low to mid 60's and just let it do what it wants. This keeps the yeast from going too crazy too fast.

Wakadaka

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the problem with both spots is consistency. the laundry room is going to have a huge fluctuation in temperature based on what you have said.

if i were you i would brew a california common in the fireplace. the temperature range could work pretty well.

i wouldn't bother with a true lager in the fireplace. without careful control of the temperature it would be a crap shoot.

kingwood-kid

Recipes 

Fireplace would be fine for cali commons (as mentioned by Wakadaka), alts, kolsches and pseudo-lagers with US-05. The laundry room is a little cool for 3724/565, but great for other Belgians. Your beer temp won't fluctuate nearly as much as the room temp; 5 gallons of water can absorb/release a lot of heat energy without changing temps much, especially in a plastic bucket.

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Cellarbrau

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I think the main problem is that your temperatures swing by 10F. No good for making beer.

beergolf

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The solution to this is a big tub of water for the fermenter to sit in. Evens out the temp swings.