Fermentation Setups

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sgraham602

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So. As I've started brewing more, I'm looking at upgrading my fermentation setup. Right now I have a chest freezer with a temp controller that I use for fermentation that fits 2 carboys and a Keezer that holds 4 kegs. I'm debating upgrading my chest freezer to something larger so I can hold more carboys or getting a fridge for my kegs and turning the keezer back into a for lagering and fermenting (this would mean i'd have 2 chest freezers for fermenting and a fridge to tap kegs out of).

my only hang up is my garage has one friggin outlet, so right now i have the two chest freezers on a surge protector...not sure what adding a fridge to that would do!

I'd like to see some other peoples chest freezer/fermenter set ups!
 
Here is my work in progress sorry there dark my phone csm sucks

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brandonhagen1 - I'm thoroughly intrigued by what you posted. What do you have going on there in the freezer section?

And how in the world can you run a fridge on its side? I didn't think you could do that. Did you move the compressor?
 
I have a chest freezer that can hold a combo of 2 primaries and 2 secondaries at one time. In the future I plan on getting two standing freezers and 2 fourteen gallon blichmann conicals as I make 10 gallon batches at a time. I then want to convert my old chest freezer into a 4 tap kegerator
 
I have a mini fridge hooked up to it the freezer and fridge does not work it wsd just sitting in my garage collecting dust it was insulated and ready to go so I used it
 
Is that freezer sitting on its side?? I thought that was a definite no no for the compressor. Doesn't the compressor / expansion lines need to be sitting in the correct orientation for proper operation?
 
I'll have to post pics of my new and improved set up. once I get everything put into place. I found a cheap fridge on craigslist that I am going to convert into a kegerator. I have a chest freezer for fermentation. and my old keezer is going to get converted back into a chest freezer to ferment/lager in.
 
I have a small 1970's fridge for a ferm chamber that I can just fit two Ale Pails in. When I have multiple batches that need temp control I use my double sink as a swamp cooler, although I hate the lack of control there. I sometimes have to cold-crash in my keg fridge if I have beers in primary in the ferm chamber already. I secondary at room temp, usually from 65-70 in my basement. I also rarely secondary, so there's that.

I've thought of building a chamber to extend my ferm fridge out some so I can get another two FV's in it (so long as everything is an ale yeast happy around the same temp). Still doesn't help me with cold-crashing, though.
 
I'm jealous of you guys that have basements. Down in the Carolina, basements aren't as common. The only way for me to ferment in my house would be to set the AC to 65.

When I was a bachelor i used to set my heat to 55-60 in the winter and make lagers inside (before I had my chest freezers). I would just bundle up. My utility bills weren't too bad those winters. SWMBO would not put up with that, so i haven't pulled that off in years!:D
 
Yeah, well for secondary the temp isn't nearly as important anyways. You can secondary at 78* if you have to. The fermentation is essentially done at that point (except for some advanced techniques with lagers and such) so you're just letting the beer clean up and drop-out. I don't know what I'd do without a basement though. I have like 200sq. ft. of space taken up with brewing stuffs.
 
I bought a chest freezer off of craigslist for $150. It will hold 10 five gallon carboys (two rows of five). I attached a Ranco 2-stage controller and put a space heater w/a fan inside of the unit. Works like a charm and it doubles as a beer cellar for sours/wild ales that I want to age. It is, hands down, the best brewing upgrade/expense I've committed to.
 
That's 10 carboys, and the space heater, and the beers that are aging!

The thing is huge, probably 7 feet wide. I can easily sit down inside of it...with another person. My two year old can stand up in it with the lid shut. Not that I let him that close to it. He's like a tazmanian devil.
 
Heres a start to my set up....The summer was brutal this year and even though I controlled the temps (pain in the arse) im all about set it and for get it...

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I just picked up an upright refrigerator/bottom freezer for $60, and a 2-5gallon pin lock corny keg kegerator kit with faucet and CO2 regulator upgrades from kegconnection. I believe that I can now easily set up a kegerator in my garage, but I'm trying to figure out if I can also use it as a fermentation chamber for lagering, cold crashing, etc. My ales can ferment inside year round because my laundry room in the basement stays about 65-70.

The refrigerator has an auto defrost. With the internal temp setting at almost the warmest - I am getting a carboy to steadily read about 55*F. I live in the Northeast, so in late fall to early spring the ambient temperature can drop below this. Should I worry about it actually getting too cold inside the fridge and have to set up a warming system (reptile heating element set up, i.e.)?

Thanks in advance for the advice.:D
 
doctormiah said:
I just picked up an upright refrigerator/bottom freezer for $60, and a 2-5gallon pin lock corny keg kegerator kit with faucet and CO2 regulator upgrades from kegconnection. I believe that I can now easily set up a kegerator in my garage, but I'm trying to figure out if I can also use it as a fermentation chamber for lagering, cold crashing, etc. My ales can ferment inside year round because my laundry room in the basement stays about 65-70.

The refrigerator has an auto defrost. With the internal temp setting at almost the warmest - I am getting a carboy to steadily read about 55*F. I live in the Northeast, so in late fall to early spring the ambient temperature can drop below this. Should I worry about it actually getting too cold inside the fridge and have to set up a warming system (reptile heating element set up, i.e.)?

Thanks in advance for the advice.:D

Yes. Ambient always catches up if you can't counter it.
 
I live in the Northeast, so in late fall to early spring the ambient temperature can drop below this. Should I worry about it actually getting too cold inside the fridge and have to set up a warming system (reptile heating element set up, i.e.)?


I've just had to do that same thing. I ended up getting a dual temp controller and a $20 space heater. It's been working well. The garage has been in the 50s this week. The heater just kicks on every 40 minutes or so to bring the fermentor up to 65.
 
I finally got everything organized. The fridge is going to be converted into a kegerator and the 2 chest freezers will be for fermenting/lagering. :D

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That's one hell of a cave. Nicely done!

I need to control temps in a small apartment. Freezer is way too big. I've been looking into wine coolers on Craigslist. Any of you guys have success/problems with something like that?
 
Krovitz said:
That's one hell of a cave. Nicely done!

I need to control temps in a small apartment. Freezer is way too big. I've been looking into wine coolers on Craigslist. Any of you guys have success/problems with something like that?

I have 2 mini fridges devoted to fermentation. If you go that route look for one with a "full floor".
 
Just got the freezer today:)

Finally, just set it and forget it:) Cant see spending all that time on a brew day to have it wasted by a few degrees of high/uncontrolled temps. Probably my best investment thus far..

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poislb said:
Just got the freezer today:)

Finally, just set it and forget it:) Cant see spending all that time on a brew day to have it wasted by a few degrees of high/uncontrolled temps. Probably my best investment thus far..

And then you will look at a smart programmable controller that will raise for a diacetyl rest and then cold crash. The quest never ends.
 
You are correct, it never ends. Only been a week and Iv added a cooling fan, made some custom blow off tubes cause my 1inch one wont fit, added some more thermometeters to monitor the inside and outside air temp plus humidity. And one of those eva air contraptions.

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How does the Eva dry work? I'm constantly dealing with some slight mold growth on the bottom of my chest freezer

Just place it in the freezer, there are indicators on it if its wet or dry. Once its wet ya just plug it into an outlet, theres a fan in there that drys out the wetness. Then place it back in the freezer and its good again. They say it lasts up to 10 years. Get the high cap one, check out amazon. I got mine for I think 20 bucks.

The fan helps out alot to, it keep air flow moving. If ya dont have a fan, its easy to make one out of a cpu fan and any charger or any adapter really that plugs into an outlet.
 
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