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lockwom · 12-05-2012, 06:49 PM

I kegged for awhile, but took a hiatus so my chest freezer could instead act as fermentation chamber. Now that I've learned the value of temperature control, I'm returning the freezer to kegging because I'm sick of bottling.

I know most people have the space for a kegerator and a ferm chamber, but I simply do not. This looks like a good solution, so I just ordered it. My analog Johnson controller still required monitoring anynow, so keeping an eye on bottles isn't anything new.

Has anyone experimented with dry ice for more persistent cooling? I plan on having the zipper open slightly for a blowoff tube anyhow, so one would assume gas could escape there.

Safa · 12-05-2012, 07:55 PM

Havent thought about dry ice, but as for a blow off tube, mine fits right inside the cooler. No need to create space for heat to get in IMO!

lockwom · 12-05-2012, 08:08 PM

I'll try external blowoff first; I'm presuming more heat will escape through the tube than enter the bag at peak fermentation, and less potential for excessive moisture accumulating in there.

Not that I know what's ideal, but looking forward to experimenting!

Cool brewing, you should consider marketing this to brew shops in big cities. Folks in NYC and DC are generally tight on space.

vp1 · 12-05-2012, 08:09 PM

Not sure if this was discussed already but I was able to get 2 5 gallon glass carboys in and maintain low 60's with ambient temps of 70 with two 1 liter bottles. Just recently I was BARELY able to squeeze a 6.5 gallon glass and a 7 gallon (the tall and skinny one) bucket in. Same temperatures demands as before. Adds a lot of flexibility to be able to have two active fermentations at once cooled. Good product!

**BxBrewer** · 12-06-2012, 11:11 AM

I would want the co2 to stay in the bag and replace o2. I use a can of "damp rid" inside the cooler along with blow off tube and bottles. There more than enough space.

lockwom · 12-07-2012, 02:05 PM

Does anybody have a controlled experiment (like Kaiser's) where fermentation blowoff is inside and outside an insulated fermentation chamber?

I would suspect that since fermentation is exothermic, the escaping CO2 in a blowoff tube going outside the bag could carry substantial heat away like a chimney.

I wouldn't worry too much about replacing O2 in your bag. People successfully ferment in crawlspaces, which always seems dangerously dirty. The key is a sealed airlock.

Safa · 12-07-2012, 02:54 PM

Good thinking Lockworm, afraid I've not done it.

What is the coldest anyone has achieved? If you started out with like 8 frozen two litres and switched two of them out every 12 hours, how cold do you think we could get fermentation?

bfinleyui · 12-07-2012, 02:59 PM

I have no doubts you could get down to lagering temps, but it'd be a pain in the ass. If you have a freezer big enough to put 8 frozen two liters in, might as well put an STC on it and put your beer in there

Personally, I just hooked up a raspberry pi last night as I changed my ice, so you can go here and see the temp readings over the last 15 hours or so.

lockwom · 12-07-2012, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfinleyui

Personally, I just hooked up a raspberry pi last night as I changed my ice, so you can go here and see the temp readings over the last 15 hours or so.

Brilliant! Passive temperature control.

**CoolBrewing** · 12-08-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Safa

Good thinking Lockworm, afraid I've not done it.

What is the coldest anyone has achieved? If you started out with like 8 frozen two litres and switched two of them out every 12 hours, how cold do you think we could get fermentation?

Good Question. I just lagered a Noble Pilsner in a 65 degree room getting it down to 40 degrees F and holding it there. It took 3-4 frozen gallon jugs to lower the temp then changing 2 every 24 hours.

I will post up a detailed graph soon!