Pangea
Well-Known Member
I'd like to get some feedback from you guys about an idea...
I want to be able to ferment 1BBL batches in 55gal poly drums in my garage - with temperature control. I live in south louisiana, so I only need cooling. I have been giving it lots of thought, and currently have 2 options in mind.
1.) Build a big box in garage with wall studs, plywood, and insulation. Install window A/C unit that cycles with a regular johnson temp controller to keep the inside of the "box" at 60-something degrees. Put poly drums (more than 1) on casters to roll into and out of the room.
2.) Use a chest freezer to keep a reservoir of glycol soln at low temp. Pump glycol though a home-made jacket for each drum. The jacket basically be an insulating material that wraps around the outide, with a copper pipe running between it and the drum. The copper pipe would be formed to wrap back and forth around 1/2 of the drum and could be attached to the jacket itself. the idea being to be able to maybe "strap" the homemade cooling jacket to the drum, and a march pump would cycle on and pump glycol when needed.
The benefit to option 2, if done correctly, is the ability to crash cool. Dont think that would be feasible in idea #1.
Anyway, just wanted to bounce this off HBT. Thanks.
I want to be able to ferment 1BBL batches in 55gal poly drums in my garage - with temperature control. I live in south louisiana, so I only need cooling. I have been giving it lots of thought, and currently have 2 options in mind.
1.) Build a big box in garage with wall studs, plywood, and insulation. Install window A/C unit that cycles with a regular johnson temp controller to keep the inside of the "box" at 60-something degrees. Put poly drums (more than 1) on casters to roll into and out of the room.
2.) Use a chest freezer to keep a reservoir of glycol soln at low temp. Pump glycol though a home-made jacket for each drum. The jacket basically be an insulating material that wraps around the outide, with a copper pipe running between it and the drum. The copper pipe would be formed to wrap back and forth around 1/2 of the drum and could be attached to the jacket itself. the idea being to be able to maybe "strap" the homemade cooling jacket to the drum, and a march pump would cycle on and pump glycol when needed.
The benefit to option 2, if done correctly, is the ability to crash cool. Dont think that would be feasible in idea #1.
Anyway, just wanted to bounce this off HBT. Thanks.