Fermentation Tempature

I'm curious to know for beer that requires a fermentation temperature of 68 degrees, what were to happen if I ferment at 37 degrees?

For example, I'm considering brewing a dry Irish stout extract. Primary, secondary, and bottle/keg temperature is 68 degrees.

I'm in Texas and it's a cool, 100 degrees. I have an old fridge with a soda keg in it. I plan to buy a micro matic tap kit to covert the fridge into a kegerator. However, the remaining space my wife wants to use for food and drinks for the kids. So I really can't adjust the temperature of the fridge.

Since I have the fridge, I really don't want to build a fermentation chamber or do the pool with water, ice and a fan.

If it requires 60 to 75 degrees F, and you try it at 37, it won't take off, thats even be too low for lagering

An ale yeast would become dormant at a cold temp like that.

OOOOF, 100 degree temps are a killer. Your first priority in brewing should be fermenting in the proper range, THEN worry about how/where to keg it. If you can't ferment properly than there's nothing to keg Lowe's has a 5 cf chest freezer for about $150 that's perfect for a single fermentation chamber or a 7 cf chest freezer for a double chamber. I know it's extra $ to spend when you already have a fridge but if the wifey wants to use part of the fridge for food storage and you have 100 degree temps there aren't any other options as 37 is too low for any fermentation to happen.

I am in the same boat, I have been doing the tub with water and ice bottles for the past month or so. Ideally (and I plan on getting) a 7 c.u ft chest freezer with a johnson controller would be best for me, but I will have to deal with the swamp cooler method for now.

Thanks for all the feedback. Glad I'm checked. If I can convince my wife to use the fridge for just fermenting, could I get away with using a temperature controller to manage temps?

I don't know if using a temperature controller with a fridge is the same as as using it with a freezer because at the time, I didn't have the extra fridge. Per a previous post on a similar topic, a freezer was mentioned, but so was a swamp cooler.

With my work schedule, I'm afraid to do the swamp cooler option and as mentioned don't know if I can set temps high enough for fermenting in the fridge without a temp controller.

you should tell the wife to make room for her food and for the kids juice if a bought juice box is stable for years at body temp so if your pantry you are good.

Convert it and ferment strong!

BillyRaygun said:

Thanks for all the feedback. Glad I'm checked. If I can convince my wife to use the fridge for just fermenting, could I get away with using a temperature controller to manage temps?

I don't know if using a temperature controller with a fridge is the same as as using it with a freezer because at the time, I didn't have the extra fridge. Per a previous post on a similar topic, a freezer was mentioned, but so was a swamp cooler.

With my work schedule, I'm afraid to do the swamp cooler option and as mentioned don't know if I can set temps high enough for fermenting in the fridge without a temp controller.

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The Johnson's temp control works great w/a fridg. I have two on my two apt sized fridges and they are both kept about 70* to bottle condition. I ferment in a muck bucket w/ice and a wet towel. But you could easy set the temp for say 65 for fermenting., then jack it up to 7o to bottle condition.

You can absolutely use a temp controller on a fridge just like a freezer. However you'll probably want to set the temp to ~65 to ferment an ale but you'll want to serve it from a keg around 40. So you could ferment at 65 and then lower to 40 to serve, but if you want to start fermenting another batch before your first is gone you'll need to serve at a warmer temp.

jkatz419 said:

You can absolutely use a temp controller on a fridge just like a freezer. However you'll probably want to set the temp to ~65 to ferment an ale but you'll want to serve it from a keg around 40. So you could ferment at 65 and then lower to 40 to serve, but if you want to start fermenting another batch before your first is gone you'll need to serve at a warmer temp.

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Yea, that's why I have 3 apt fridges. One set at 50-45 for drinking and two at 70 for bottle conditioning. As I"m now shifting to one gallon batches I can probably use one to ferment as I won't have the problem of storing so many bottles. Each fridge can hold 40 bottles and three mugs.

Excellent information. Thanks for all the help. This is the feedback I needed. Anyone want the challenge of explaining to my wife why I need another fridge .

A cheap alternative is to go to home depot, buy an 18 gal 'rope tote', a fan and a case of bottled water. Put the fermentor in the rope tote full of water, turn the fan on. Use frozen water bottles to further control temps on those ever so pleasant summer afternoons in TX.