Bonus benefit of having a fermentation chamber...

Besides being able to just nail the ferment temp, and then being able to cold crash and have clear beer from the keg right off the bat..

It's that smell when I open the freezer door a few days into primary... So sweet and powerful! Oh man, I just want to start licking the carboys!

this is my second batch with the new chamber.. The first one I screwed up the mash, but even with the low efficiency, the beer came out pretty good.. and clear as commercial beer after cold crashing close to a week...

I can't wait for this one.. My efficiency came out a little over this time... Chilling went perfectly.. Started flocculating within an hour of pitching yeast Saturday afternoon...

It's based on B3's APAII... Smells freaking incredible sweet in that freezer!

Got me wanting to brew again, this last one went so smooth... But I can't until this stuff is finished!

This forum is great! I'd still be at square one trying to figure it out without this place...

well I have everything ready to go. I just have to go to my parents house for thanksgiving to pick up their old freezer. The controller is wired up, I got my heater and circulation system ready. I'm working on what recipe I should make for the first brew to put into the chamber.

Tinga said:

well I have everything ready to go. I just have to go to my parents house for thanksgiving to pick up their old freezer. The controller is wired up, I got my heater and circulation system ready. I'm working on what recipe I should make for the first brew to put into the chamber.

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Why do you need a heater? The temperature controller should be enough. How hot do you want it in there?

oops. Just saw your location. Hmmmm winter time and it can't keep things at say 64*?

C-Rider said:

oops. Just saw your location. Hmmmm winter time and it can't keep things at say 64*?

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Northern MN in the winter in a college house.

Tinga said:

Northern MN in the winter in a college house.

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Where in Northern MN, if you don't mind me asking? I'm from Deer River.

If you are kegging why crash cool? It does that in the keg while carbing no?> Should clear in there and save time.

TheSlash said:

If you are kegging why crash cool? It does that in the keg while carbing no?> Should clear in there and save time.

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Because you've already knocked most of the yeast and sediments out of the beer before the racking...

The second reason, is that it brings the beer to near serving temp before putting under pressure, so the other cornies in the kegerator don't get warmed up when the new one is added (thermal mass/absorbtion)...

All I can tell you, is that the beer is 'definitely' clearer after crash cooling.. No two ways about it... Night and day difference... Close to 'filtered' clearer...

teresalgl said:

Where in Northern MN, if you don't mind me asking? I'm from Deer River.

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Over in Duluth

I have problems keeping my beer warm enought in my basement in WI as well. I have a Brew room that and nI have to turn the heater on sometimes or I have to bring beers upstairs. The wife is getting a little upset at the collection of carboys in the spare bedroom, 4 and growing!

I've prewired the chamber for heater(s)..

And I will have to add them before the first of the year when it gets cold and stays that way... probably well before the first...

Looking at small heating pads and gun safe dehumidifiers as possible heaters..
Or if I have the money, I could always buy carboy heaters made for the purpose.. but that seems expensive and that there a less expensive alternatives...