If i put a fermenting glass carboy in the cellar sink, and fill the sink up with water(so the carboy is always mostly immeresed in water), will the fermenting temperature of the wort be about the same as the temperature of the water in the sink?
If i ferment in a sink, will the fermenting temp be the same as the water?
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eriktlupus
Well-Known Member
very close, if you need it cooler wrap the carboy in a t-shirt so that it wicks water up and evaporates
GearBeer
Well-Known Member
The fermenting temperature will be slightly higher but it'll be comparable.
It's a great method, definitely better than open air. I always primary in a water bath.
flyangler18
Well-Known Member
It also depends on the yeast strain- really aggressive strains like Hefe and Bavarian Wheat strains can raise the temp significantly. When I last made my Rabbit Run Rye with Wyeast 3056, the temp in the carboy was nearly 10 degrees over ambient!
flyangler18
Well-Known Member
This was actually in a fermentation cabinet- had to get the temperature controller down to around 50 to have the temp of the carboy hit 62.
Zymurgrafi
Well-Known Member
You can also use a large plastic tub if you do not have a large enough sink. Adding ice can cool everything down too. Though you will have to keep adding it and watch the temp to maintain a consistent temp. You conversely use an aquarium heater to warm the bath if it is too cold ambient.
One thing to point out additionally is that if you use a plastic tub and it is sitting on a cold concrete basement floor that will lower the temp as well.
I have found comparing the temperature of the water bath to the temp of the fermenter (stick on thermometer) it is usually about 2 degrees difference actually. Likewise with a fermentation chamber. For instance, I have 2 6 gallon carboys of bitter fermenting right now. One is in the chamber (with a heating pad) the other in a water bath with heater. in both cases the carboy is reading 2 points lower that ambient (air in the chamber, water in the bath) when the most active fermentation was going on at the beginning it was opposite.
One thing to point out additionally is that if you use a plastic tub and it is sitting on a cold concrete basement floor that will lower the temp as well.
I have found comparing the temperature of the water bath to the temp of the fermenter (stick on thermometer) it is usually about 2 degrees difference actually. Likewise with a fermentation chamber. For instance, I have 2 6 gallon carboys of bitter fermenting right now. One is in the chamber (with a heating pad) the other in a water bath with heater. in both cases the carboy is reading 2 points lower that ambient (air in the chamber, water in the bath) when the most active fermentation was going on at the beginning it was opposite.
