Ikea mini fermentation cabinet for the financially strapped.

So, i don't make a ton of money, yet i needed a logical way to store my brewing equipment and not have to deal with my old back of the closet setup. The wife and i took a trip to Ikea with an empty carboy in tow. We had a cabinet in mind, but when i test fitted it, it became clear that it would not work and was about 6" shorter than i planned. We walked around some more and i came up with this from a multi-sectional closet/entertainment center series that you buy individually. Total cost was about $130 or so. The cabinet, doors, and leg extensions each are bought separately, but still, not a bad deal for the price. The display light is also Ikea and was just a few dollars more.

It's big enough to hold 2 5gal carboys side by side or one carboy and 2 cornies depending how you adjust your shelves. A few nails on the side too care of the mash paddle and carboy brush and any really long items. I'm not too sure how well it'll hold up to any residual moisture, so it might be a good idea to put a liner on the bottom, but so far so good. First batch went in last week and didn't have a destructive blowoff like i did 3 brews back.

I'll probably end up lining the cabinet with foam, but this is fine until the high summer temps hit us.

It looks great! Do you have anything in there for temperature control? Or if not, any plans to add something?

I like the concept, but without temperature control it's pretty much a deal-breaker for me here in SoCal.

weirdboy said:

Do you have anything in there for temperature control? Or if not, any plans to add something?

I like the concept, but without temperature control it's pretty much a deal-breaker for me here in SoCal.

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Nothing for temp control at all, as i'm in the midst of tracking down a freezer for a keezer. I'm sure something could be figured out, but i'm not doing lagers over here just yet, so it's fine for the high gravity brews i've been doing. The wet t-shirt would help me in a pinch, but i cant see the same setup for a hot SoCal summer.

Do you recall the name of said unit (no need to do those silly slashed "O" characters or umlauts)?

Nice steins and VW toys! My old man is a VW fan. Ever heard of the Bad Camberg show?

Oh, nice fermentation cabinet too I usually hope to have more than one carboy going at a time... however I presently have none

jpc said:

Do you recall the name of said unit (no need to do those silly slashed "O" characters or umlauts)?

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No, i can't say that i do. Probably something weird like Bjergenderk or somesuch.

Baja_Brewer said:

Nice steins and VW toys! My old man is a VW fan. Ever heard of the Bad Camberg show?

Oh, nice fermentation cabinet too I usually hope to have more than one carboy going at a time... however I presently have none

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Thanks! The dark stein is brand new from Disney World, but the 4 on the top shelf were my grandfather's that he bought in germany. Not terribly valuable, but nice sentimental value. Can't say i know of the Bad Camberg show, but a quick Google has me interested. Looks like a good time. I used to show my Beetle, but don't have the means to at the moment. Did pretty good too, placing in 3 of 4 shows and taking 1st in class in two of them. We're all about the German stuff at our little homebrewpub.

jpc said:

Do you recall the name of said unit (no need to do those silly slashed "O" characters or umlauts)?

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It looks like a BESTÅ unit which is $90, plus $20 each for the doors, and $10 for the feet.

A4J said:

It looks like a BESTÅ unit which is $90, plus $20 each for the doors, and $10 for the feet.

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Spot on, mate! Thank you. I knew it was a B, but couldn't figure the word (in a mad rush of errands today). :rockin: Prices are correct as well. It's basically one of the "design it yourself" things they have. Perfect for what i'm using it for.

edit: if memory serves, i think i paid $15 for the doors and $6 for the foot extensions. Also, you get better shelf hooks when you purchase the doors. I had a ton of spare parts that just are not needed when you have the upgrade.

These ideas may or may not help but...You could buy some cheap low noise computer fans or salvage some from old computers. (they rate these in cfm or cubic feet a minute...), a temp probe and a fan controller and possibly an enclosure and a fan shroud w/filter for any contamination concerns. (all computer parts).

Next cut a few holes into the fermentation area to mount the fans. I would try 1 intake and 1 exhaust at the top in a right to left air flow and 2 in the bottom with the opposite configuration.... mount the thermo sensor wire and the fans to the fan controller and plug it into your computer....

There are free "fan controller programs" and other temp monitoring software to use the fans to increase/decrease air flow while monitoring the air temp from your computer automatically. I do not suspect this would be much less than the rooms temperature but it is much better than "a wet tee shirt" in a dark cubby hole that you are probably trying to keep mold and fungus out of.....probably less than $40.00 in parts to do...If you have a way to cut the holes and some computer skills.....

To push it "over the top" I would buy a sheet of "shower wall plastic" usually in Lowes or Home Depot for about 20.00 a sheet, cut to the appropriate sizes to "line" the fermentation area with a "drain hole and a "catch" pan underneath the unit.

But the idea is very nice!

I like this and as I will be moving to Atlanta in a couple of months, I will have easy access to an Ikea! As, I am going to be dealing with heat issues, I would need to modify it for use as a fermentation chamber, but I can see plenty of homebrewing storage solutions coming home from there.

I see a VW addiction, nothing wrong with that. i've got a 54 Bug, 56 Porsche Speedster engine, tranny and those large aluminum brakes. You can hear the cam knowing it's Speedster vs a pre 356A. A family original owner car.
BTW going cheap is smart i've spendt many hours murdering a fridge or two to remove the complete cooling system to build your own fermenting coolers, easy just bend the copper lines carefully without letting the gas out. Call me cheap on fixed income plus a curbside pack rat.

BrewBeemer said:

I see a VW addiction, nothing wrong with that. i've got a 54 Bug, 56 Porsche Speedster engine, tranny and those large aluminum brakes. You can hear the cam knowing it's Speedster vs a pre 356A. A family original owner car.
BTW going cheap is smart i've spendt many hours murdering a fridge or two to remove the complete cooling system to build your own fermenting coolers, easy just bend the copper lines carefully without letting the gas out. Call me cheap on fixed income plus a curbside pack rat.

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Indee. Had a 72 type one for a bit, but right now i have an 02 Beetle and the wife an 06 Rabbit. As soon as money levels out and i get the money i'm worth, i'm looking to get an early 80s Mk1. Hell, maybe a tap handle shifter.

I appreciate all the feedback everyone. Like i said, working on a small budget here. For my purposes, this cabinet works just fine. It's not my permanent fermentation solution, but it is a permanent storage solution and that's just as good.

Real VW's and Porsches are air cooled, water is watering your lawn.
Old school.

BrewBeemer said:

Real VW's and Porsches are air cooled, water is watering your lawn.
Old school.

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i don't believe that. never have. i love them all.

It dosnt matter if its water cooled, My 69 type one is water cooled with a 250 hp suby engine

turboedbug said:

It dosnt matter if its water cooled, My 69 type one is water cooled with a 250 hp suby engine

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None of these motors were around in 1954 no less 1956, dad installed a Judson that didn't work a damn for the energy taken hence the Speedster converson in 56. A brand new Speedster only 300 miles went in. Hear of the VW air cooled club back in the 50's? We went on may trips plus I still have the car club disc with the clouds and air blowing. Your speaking new transplants all before 1956 as any option back then except (puke) Corvair engine swaps. Speedster is stock looking with a custom tuned twin stainless exhaust stubs out the rear a home made muffler exhaust system. My friends VW camper has a suby and wants to add the turbo version and somehow it became a red flag with DMV so he can not install this turbo engine upgrade ready to install and register it here in Calif. now. Just by asking DMV they now have a note attached next to his VIN number. A 5.2 RPI LandRover engine in a 61 P1800 Volvo replaced the 3.5 Rover of years ago I installed, lighter than the iron 1800 Volvo engine, 385 hp 401 tq, oops way OT.

Baja_Brewer said:

Nice steins and VW toys! My old man is a VW fan. Ever heard of the Bad Camberg show?

Oh, nice fermentation cabinet too I usually hope to have more than one carboy going at a time... however I presently have none

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Your right coast, left coast here, too far away.