DIY Lager Tun, or, other cheap lagering suggetions

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domdom

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Hello!
Just started home brewing a couple months ago after moving into a bigger house that has a basement with plenty of space to store fermenters and bottles.

I've brewed a handful of ales so far without any problems (other than a can of expired LME, rookie mistake). Since I'm fermenting in the basement, I have the advantage of semi-steady temperature. I've thought about making a DIY lagering tun so that I can brew lager once it starts getting cooler and also to help control the temperature once it starts getting unbearably hot this summer.

So here's my plan: get a 10 gallon trash can (like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KDAMFK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20). Wrap the whole thing with fiberglass insulation. Then, place a 5 gallon bucket inside, and put ice/ice packs and water in the space between the bucket and the trash can. Check the temp every couple days and re-ice as needed.

Does this seem like it would work? I've thought about getting a mini-fridge, but from what i've seen, none would fit a 5 gallon bucket. Also thought about getting a 10 gallon water cooler so that I could also convert it for all grain brewing as needed. Any other ideas of cheap ways to maintain cooler temps for fermenting?
 
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I use a cheap mini-fridge that i got off of craigslist for $30. It has plenty of room for my 7.9 gallon fermenter bucket.
 
Yep, I found a free full size fridge. Holds my 15.5 gallon lagering keg just fine. Spent $45 on a temperature controller and it hold whatever temps I want it to for beer related settings. Also, it doubles as a refridgerator when I need it to, lol. ;) If you could fit one down the basement opening... might be looking into as the stuff is all there to do what you want.
 
Your trash can idea will work, it would just be a pain to refill with ice every day for 4-12 weeks while you lager your beer.

My mini-fridge has a bump in the back of the cooled compartment for the compressor. This prevented me from fitting carboys into it, until I removed the shelves on the door. Now a 6.5 gal carboy fits fine, I haven't tried a bucket though.

+1 to finding a used minifridge/fridge/freezer on craigslist
 
if you want to go with plastic tote i would recommend this one:
lowes cat no 2921-002
it fits 2 6.5gal carboys+ ~9gal of water, i use it with aquarium heater, DIY cooling system and temp controller, without lid on i can hold stable 54F (haven't tried lower) but im sure you can use it with frozen bottles ect, just more maintenance
 
I'm doing the ole swamp cooler thing in my basement now. What a PITA!!! I think the only thing saving me is the use of a fountain pump (I usually use to circulate ice water through my IC). Steady 52 degrees with 5 iced bottles that have to be changed out every 12 hours (hence the Pain In The Arse).

Temp without constantly changing bottles...56 deg. Yeah I'm trolling CL to find a chest freezer someone is dumping for cheap and making me a ferm chamber with an aquarium temp controller.
 
thanks for all the info. taking the shelves out of the door is a really good idea and would probably work. i'm just using 5 gallon buckets, so it doesn't need to be too big. does anyone know what cubic foot size would work for this?
 
I never did the swamp cooler thing. In hindsight, I really should've when I was in my last apartment (horrible, horrible temp swings).

I pretty much just waited to jump into lagers until I had a ferm chamber. After tasting my first one that I brewed in December and has been lagering in my keezer ever since, I got another chest freezer specifically for lagering. Fits 7 kegs.

It's more upfront cost than a swamp cooler, but if you really want to do lagers on a regular basis, get a freezer off craigslist and throw a temp controller on it.
 
cheapest/easiest is clear out space in your fridge. using a blowoff tube will only take a few inches over the top of a bucket.

mine goes from 36-45 so good for the low end of most lager fermentation depending on yeast strain. I let a batch sit at 68 until I see bubbling, then put it in there. a thermometer sitting next to it in the fridge stayed at 47-49 during primary fermentation, I think because the fridge's temp sensor isn't near the bottom where I had the bucket. so the beer probably stayed at 50+ from generating heat.

for secondary gradually lower it to the fridge's lower temp setting.
 
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