Most images I see on chest freezer conversions are for kegging. I see a few with carboys in them but not many. I am considering a chest freezer (and temp controller) to help with the horrible hot months we have but I was wondering if it's a major pain to get those carboys in/out of the freezer. I looked at one in the store and my back hurt thinking about it. Is this why people don't use chest freezers for fermentation chambers?
Fermenting in chest freezer
- Thread starter pretzelb
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
kevin9167
Well-Known Member
Yes - it's kind of a pain to get carboys and buckets into chest freezers, but it works for me. My back is still young enough that I can do it. It is much easier to put carboys into an upright fridge/freezer.
You don't have to be as careful with kegs in a keezer, which makes it easier
You don't have to be as careful with kegs in a keezer, which makes it easier
you might wanna use buckets or better bottles for primary. a glass carboy weighs almost 20lbs dry, while a plastic fermenter of the same size is usually under 2lbs.
heavy carboys are one reason I've been buying those 'carboy carriers'...the nylon strap rig with handles. very nice.
heavy carboys are one reason I've been buying those 'carboy carriers'...the nylon strap rig with handles. very nice.
KellyK
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 163
- Reaction score
- 7
We use a chest freezer for fermentation and it works like a champ. We have a dual stage Johnson controller that will work for heating or cooling (not both at the same time as you have to change the jumper in the controller). We have a heating unit that basically looks like a heating pad. It was designed for brewing. It sticks to the back wall of the chest freezer and can raise the ambient temperature by about 15-20 degrees, so we can do 80 degree ferments on Belgians in winter. Obviously the range on cooling is more substantial, handles lagers with no problem. My husband takes care of the lifting of the carboys in and out of the chest freezer, so I can't speak to the effort that takes. Our freezer holds up to 6 carboys at a time, so it's much better than a stand up freezer for space accommodation.
mkling
Well-Known Member
I use my chest freezer for both my kegs and for lager fermentation. When fermenting lagers, it means my kegs are going to be at 50F, but I can live with that. On the other hand, I haven't used it for fermenting ales at 68F or so because I'm not willing to serve my kegs that warm.
pretzelb
Well-Known Member
I've seen 3 posts just today on Winpak and never heard of them before. I did some searching and found a few mentions of no chill brewing using these things. I am intrigued. Too bad my first wort chiller is ordered and on the way.
I do use Better Bottle so weight isn't too bad. But I find that I still lift them with my legs when full just to be safe. 5g by itself is still pretty heavy. If I go this route I might need a handle or straps since I won't be able to get my hands under the carboy while it's in the freezer.
commonlaw
Well-Known Member
I'm in a similar situation, but think I am going to go with a chest freezer and get some of those nylon straps for my glass carboy.
Someone posted this build in another thread a few days ago--chest freezer doing keezer/fermentation chamber double duty. If I can find a big enough chest freezer, this would be ideal.
http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/freezer/freezer.html
I'm still trying to understand how it works tho. It sounds like the temp control probe is on the fermenter side. Say you want to ferment at an ambient 64 degrees. Do you set the temp controller to overlap so that at maybe 60 degrees you turn on cooling as well as heating? If you could get a steady temp in the mid '40s on the keg side and low 60s on the ferment side, it would be awesome.
Someone posted this build in another thread a few days ago--chest freezer doing keezer/fermentation chamber double duty. If I can find a big enough chest freezer, this would be ideal.
http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/freezer/freezer.html
I'm still trying to understand how it works tho. It sounds like the temp control probe is on the fermenter side. Say you want to ferment at an ambient 64 degrees. Do you set the temp controller to overlap so that at maybe 60 degrees you turn on cooling as well as heating? If you could get a steady temp in the mid '40s on the keg side and low 60s on the ferment side, it would be awesome.
springer
Well-Known Member
BB are the way to go if you are using a chest freezer I have no problem getting the BB into the freezer .
when i use the 15 gallon winpack type fermenter I use a stand up converted freezer . 11-12 gallons of wort is damn heavy and the fermenter is tall.
when i use the 15 gallon winpack type fermenter I use a stand up converted freezer . 11-12 gallons of wort is damn heavy and the fermenter is tall.
Nwalesmith
Well-Known Member
Can you tell me where you got the heating unit?
You can use something as simple as a desk lamp. I use one with a reptile ceramic heater bulb in place of a light bulb, picked it up at petsmart. The temp controller just turns that on and off instead of the freezer, works great in the winter, this time of year i'm in nothing but cooling mode though.
Sacreddog717
Well-Known Member
William's Brewing has a space heater. http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWERS-EDGE-SPACE-HEATER-P518.aspx
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
I use a 7.2 cu ft chest freezer that I put on big casters. I never lift a full keg. Just roll her over to the brewhouse. This addition makes chest freezers preferable IMO.
For heat I use a 'work light' or silicone coated heavy duty bulb. I don't like hot air solutions (space heater) as in my small keezer, I'm afraid it will melt something. The light bulb works almost too good. Had to go down to 75W.
For heat I use a 'work light' or silicone coated heavy duty bulb. I don't like hot air solutions (space heater) as in my small keezer, I'm afraid it will melt something. The light bulb works almost too good. Had to go down to 75W.
