Low-tech lagering solution- let's discuss

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flyangler18

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So anyone who knows me will declare that I generally don't have either the patience nor the palate for many lagers, but I'm trying to challenge myself into new areas in both brewing and drinking a lager or two. However, my conundrum is that I don't have a dedicated lagering fridge, and my typical basement temperatures this time of year hover at 58-60° with very little deviation. Firebrewer has needled me into attempting a Maibock and I've trying to give it the old college try without cramping my already limited workshop space with another chest freezer or by spending too much coin. I try to let the seasons dictate my brewing as much as possible, taking advantage of natural conditions rather than forcing the issue by mechanical means.

I know Yoop has had success using a chest cooler with lots of ice, and I may wind up going this route....but let's chat it up about some other low-tech solutions for shoestring lagering! :D
 
Other than ice packs I'm not sure how you're going to be able to. Some lager strains have a high of 57F. 58F might do the trick. Only one way to find out. :mug:
 
Other than ice packs I'm not sure how you're going to be able to. Some lager strains have a high of 57F. 58F might do the trick. Only one way to find out.

I like the way you think. :D I suspect I may be able to squirrel the fermenters in the garage for the lagering, but the ferment has me scratching my head. I mean, I don't want a diacetyl bomb because I got too lazy or stubborn to control the ferment. :drunk:

I should be honest- I'm not opposed to ice packs or a CL chest freezer, but enjoy the challenge of brewing according to season!
 
Swampcooler1.jpg


Swampcooler2.jpg


Frozen juice/soda bottles
I can knock 20 degrees off ambient temps changing them out in the morning and afternoon, 10 degrees is EASY. Two bottles, change them 2 or 3 times a day.

I put enough water in to so that the carboy is about 1/3 to 1/2 submerged
 
I've been thinking of a way to take a thermo-electric cooler and modify it into a bigger box for the reason you mentioned.

I haven't gotten past the brainstorming phase, but I have one that broke. And if I manage to fix it I might just retrofit the guts into something larger that could hold a carboy.
They generally cool 25-35* cooler than the ambient temp of the room so it would probably work perfect in the basement and they're a lot cheaper than a full-sized condenser fridge.

Something like this:
Coleman 40 Qt. RoadTrip Vertical/Horizontal Thermoelectric Cooler at KitchenwaresEtc -

But if you come up with any idea other than an icebath I'd love to know. Talking SWMBO into another full-sized fridge in the basement just isn't working. I even offered to let her use part of it. :(
 
Ice packs, a water basin, a T-shirt, and a fan. Put your carboy in the basin, fill basin with water, put T-shirt over carboy, add ice into water, turn on fan. Check temperature after a couple hours. If it is too low, take some ice out. If it is too high, add some more ice.
 
Ice packs, a water basin, a T-shirt, and a fan. Put your carboy in the basin, fill basin with water, put T-shirt over carboy, add ice into water, turn on fan. Check temperature after a couple hours. If it is too low, take some ice out. If it is too high, add some more ice.

The ubiquitous swamp cooler. I know it well. :mug:
 
So anyone who knows me will declare that I generally don't have either the patience nor the palate for many lagers, but I'm trying to challenge myself into new areas in both brewing and drinking a lager or two.

You must not be a true born and bred Pennsylvanian with an opening statement like that!

Anywho, I'm going to see if I can get my SOF down to lagering temps for a Pils or two this year (I have the room in the front chamber to partially submerse the carboy in an ice bath if necessary). The basement I ferment in doesn't drop below the upper 60s all winter long and doesn't exceed 72 during the summer so the SOF gets year round use either way.
 
You must not be a true born and bred Pennsylvanian with an opening statement like that!

Nope. :D

Transplanted from the east side of the Delaware- Burlington County FTW. :rockin:
 
I suspect the swamp cooler approach would be enough. Put it in a tub of water (no ice), put a T-shirt or towel on it and add a fan. This kind of arrangement works even better this time of year since the humidity is so much lower compared to in the summer (35% vs 70% for me) . You should easily be able to hold 55F and I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't hit 50F this way.

Me, I can hardly brew enough lagers while my basement is cold to last me the summer
 
The owner of the lhbs thought a empty sump basket might be cooler. I checked, and mine was in the 50's during the summer. You all know what I am talking about right? That round hole in the basment concrete that is suppose to collect water. Put a little insulation material on top and you would be in business. Just a thought.

I never had to go this route because my neighbor had a kegerator he was not using. My maibock is lagering in there as I type, (has been since before Christmas).
 
It's discussions like this that make me WISH I had a basement. Constant ambient temps of 58-60? What a dream for ales...

Here in CA, we don't have basements. This time of year room temperature is 75 during the day and 60 at night. In the garage, 80 on a sunny day and 45 at night. That fluctuation has led to some really "unique" ester production in a lot of my brews.

Thought I'd chime in and just voice my extreme envy of all you heart-landers.
 
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