Hot Florida - Chest Freezer vs Cooler w/ ice

So here is my question,

I live in hot south Florida. I cannot ferment my beer inside my house, it will have to be done in my garage. The garage will more than likely be in the 78-88 degree range during the summer. That is my best guess.

Should I try the cooler + water and bottles of ice surrounding my carboy method to maintain temperature for ALE fermenting?

OR

Do I go on craigslist and snag a chest freezer for about 70-100 bucks and have room for the bottled beers + fermenting carboys? I am also unsure of the conversion of the thermometer so that I can maintain appropriate temperature, but everyone seems to think that modification to a chest freezer / minifridge is an easy process.

Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

I would go the chest freezer route. More reliable. If you have to switch out water bottles you have to tend to it daily. So what if you forget, and or want to go on a weekend getaway. Just my preference.

+1 on the chest freezer. Obviously you will need to connect it to a temperature regulator or you will have beercicles.

+1 chest freezer. get a Ronco ETC and a thermowell carboy cap. you may need to sand the temp sensor on the Ronco to get it to fit in the thermowell. but once you do hook it up and plug the freezer into the ETC and set its temp. the ETC will turn the freezer on and off for you at the appropriate temps.

TipsyDragon said:

+1 chest freezer. get a Ronco ETC and a thermowell carboy cap. you may need to sand the temp sensor on the Ronco to get it to fit in the thermowell. but once you do hook it up and plug the freezer into the ETC and set its temp. the ETC will turn the freezer on and off for you at the appropriate temps.

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Could you send me links to this Thermowell Carboy Cap that you refer to? Also, what is the purpose of the Thermowell? Is it to ensure that the fermentor stays at say 68 degrees, and not the chest freezer itself?

this is a thermowell. its a way of getting the temp sensor of the Ronco ETC into the center and warmest part of the fermenting wort without it getting wet. IMO its more accurate than taping the sensor to the side of the carboy and putting some bubble wrap over it. the temp at the outside edge can be a degree or so cooler than the middle (not really enough to be worried about).

I've fermented a lager in my garage with the cooler and ice method and never got above 56, or you could spend the money on a probably inefficient old freezer