oooFishy

Recipes 

Hey everyone, just joined this forum.

Really excited to be currently brewin up my first batch of ale. Unfortunately, there's no space for the carboy in the house, so I'm forced to keep it in my garage. During the night I wouldn't be surprised if temperatures dropped below 50 F. Do any of you guys have any ideas on how to insulated my carboy or something. I was thinking maybe a sleeping bag during the night...haha, or is this just a waste of time.

And if I am forced to brew at these temperatures should I expect the fermentation to take a few weeks longer?

Thanks in advance for relpies

oooFishy

flingdingo

Recipes 

Actually the sleeping bag isn't a bad idea. Are you sure you can't commandeer a closet or something inside for your beer? If the temps in your garage swing wildly from day to night, more than 5 - 10 degrees, your yeast will get pissed off and quit working for you. They like a nice steady temperature.

Do everything you can to ensure that the temperature of your fermenting beer stays constant. A lot of guys will set the fermentor in a large tub of water, and monitor the temp of the water. Too hot - add some ice. Too cool - add some hot water.

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Beer. It's what's for dinner.

david_42

Recipes 

Fermentations at 50F will take a long time. Just putting a cardboard box with a 4 watt nightlight over your fermenter will help, but maybe you should try a lager.

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casebrew

Recipes 

Do you have the box the carboy came in? Some are even shipped in foam, sorta like an ice chest....

I just picked up a 3/4 size fridge- on the side of the road. Works too, down to 20 in the fridge. 2x2x5, first planned use will be as a warm spot for carbonation. Probably boxed bottles, plus a light bulb, on a waterbed thermosttat...

Edit, to add a better variation: I'll use an old Mr Coffee, hooked to the water bed thermo. More heat, less light.

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So far, I've had more experience thinking than I've had brewing....you don't think they are mutually exclusive, do you?

57 batches so far,
33 wine, mostly Loquat, peach, plum, prickly pear
22 beers and ciders
1 sauerkraut
1 Tequila, from a prickly pear wine experiment that didn't work. I call it "Prickly Heat"

oooFishy

Recipes 

I employed my sleeping bag technique last night, and it actually worked quite well! The temp of the carboy in the morning was just under 70 F. Whereas grage temp was im sure was in the 40's-50's. However, I took the sleeping bag off at around noon, and the temp managed to drop back to the low 60's. I've decided to leave the bag on all the time and check the temp periodically. Im sure my brew will thank me for making it so cozy, haha.


oooFishy