Carboy Help !

I currently use a 15gal conical fermenter, as I have been making session ales and fermenting at around 70 degrees, which is my garage temperature most of the year. I have recently installled a shed ""brewery" and want to branch out and make lagers. I will also have lower (fluctuating) temperatures in the brewshed. I want to move to using the standard 23 litre glass carboys I have seen so often. I have three questions :

1 : Temperature. My conical has a nice screw in temp guage. What is the most efficient means to measure and check temperature of your fermentation in a carboy? Easy to do if making a lager or something at cool temperatures in a kegerator with thermo control, but what about fermenting at 70F when it is colder? Do you stick a thermometer in every little while, and use a heating blanket or so? Is there a rig you can get which would control the heating blanket via a thermostat to maintain the right temperature in the carboy?

2 : Tapping : Again, my conical has a nice tap to tap off beer to my secondary. I have not seen glass carboys with taps on them. Are these all siphoned?

Is this the way to go, or do you recommend getting a larger fermentation chamber and fitting my conical into that?

Murray said:

1 : Temperature. My conical has a nice screw in temp guage. What is the most efficient means to measure and check temperature of your fermentation in a carboy?

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Do this with a stick on Fermometer a
Liquid crystal thermometer which adheres to the side of a carboy, bucket, or even stainless conical to tell you the fermentation temperature

Murray said:

Easy to do if making a lager or something at cool temperatures in a kegerator with thermo control, but what about fermenting at 70F when it is colder? Do you stick a thermometer in every little while, and use a heating blanket or so? Is there a rig you can get which would control the heating blanket via a thermostat to maintain the right temperature in the carboy?

Click to expand...

I used to ferment ales in a mini fridge and use a heating pad for heat then set a temperature controller to my desired temperature and plug the fridge into it. Taped the probe to the side of the carboy and taped a piece of insulation on top of it.

Murray said:

2 : Tapping : Again, my conical has a nice tap to tap off beer to my secondary. I have not seen glass carboys with taps on them. Are these all siphoned?

Click to expand...

Siphoned, yes. There are a few ways to do this. I use an "auto-siphon" myself

Murray said:

Is this the way to go, or do you recommend getting a larger fermentation chamber and fitting my conical into that?

Click to expand...

I can't answer that. But if I had a conical, I would figure out a way to heat and cool it before I bought a carboy

Many thanks. I have taken your advice and found a fridge that fits my conical! Now all I need is a heating pad and I have both-way temperature control.