dpittard
Well-Known Member
Hello all!
I'm new to the hobby and I am planning my first brew. I've picked out my brew kit, my ingredient kit, and I've read (and still reading) as much as I can. I know I'm going to start with a very easy, extract kit. I know I want to first learn the rules so I can break them later. I know I want to start with something easy.
Through all this information gathered, I'm still a little foggy on one part and I'd like to clear it up before I take the plunge and start buying stuff.
HERE'S MY QUESTION (for those who want to skip my ramblings!):
What is the most cost effective way to keep fermentation at a stable level?
I live in Georgia and I plan to start my brew soon (within a month). So outside temps will be at the lowest at night of 30˚ and the absolute highest of 70˚. We set the inside temp to 68-70˚ but turn it off at night.
So here's what I'm thinking for my first brew. I'll get a relatively large container, large enough to fit an ale pail, fill it with water, submerse my ale pail, insert an ample aquarium heater (which I already have. Aquaria is one of my hobbies) and pump, set it to 69˚ and circulate the water to ensure even temps throughout the ale pail bath. I'm planning on keeping this in my garage where temp aren't quite inside or outside, this way the environment temp isn't too high, ensuring the bath will never rise above 70˚.
Am I way off here, or should this work?
Now, for the scenarios.
Winter:
During winter, what do you guys find is the best cost effective manor in keep fermentation at the desired temp? Most of the time we will have the heat off and have a fire going. I've seen our living room temp rise to 80˚ before while the rest of the house has no heat at all (still probably in the 60s though).
Summer:
Summers here are flat-out miserable. We set our inside temp to 78˚ while outside it remains a constant 75˚+. Is this the point I will need to get a mini fridge and external temp control? Or start using frozen bottles of ice?
Here's a summary:
Thanks in advance! I really appreciate the amount of information I've obtained here and I really enjoy the crowd! Thank for letting me be a part of this great experience!
And BTW, I don't know what to search for or this post wouldn't exist.
I'm new to the hobby and I am planning my first brew. I've picked out my brew kit, my ingredient kit, and I've read (and still reading) as much as I can. I know I'm going to start with a very easy, extract kit. I know I want to first learn the rules so I can break them later. I know I want to start with something easy.
Through all this information gathered, I'm still a little foggy on one part and I'd like to clear it up before I take the plunge and start buying stuff.
HERE'S MY QUESTION (for those who want to skip my ramblings!):
What is the most cost effective way to keep fermentation at a stable level?
I live in Georgia and I plan to start my brew soon (within a month). So outside temps will be at the lowest at night of 30˚ and the absolute highest of 70˚. We set the inside temp to 68-70˚ but turn it off at night.
So here's what I'm thinking for my first brew. I'll get a relatively large container, large enough to fit an ale pail, fill it with water, submerse my ale pail, insert an ample aquarium heater (which I already have. Aquaria is one of my hobbies) and pump, set it to 69˚ and circulate the water to ensure even temps throughout the ale pail bath. I'm planning on keeping this in my garage where temp aren't quite inside or outside, this way the environment temp isn't too high, ensuring the bath will never rise above 70˚.
Am I way off here, or should this work?
Now, for the scenarios.
Winter:
During winter, what do you guys find is the best cost effective manor in keep fermentation at the desired temp? Most of the time we will have the heat off and have a fire going. I've seen our living room temp rise to 80˚ before while the rest of the house has no heat at all (still probably in the 60s though).
Summer:
Summers here are flat-out miserable. We set our inside temp to 78˚ while outside it remains a constant 75˚+. Is this the point I will need to get a mini fridge and external temp control? Or start using frozen bottles of ice?
Here's a summary:
- Will my water bath + aquarium heater suffice for my first brew?
- How do you maintain constant temps during Winter when the house temps can fluctuate?
- How do you maintain 68-70˚ temps duing summer when inside temps are 78˚?
- Does anyone have any homebew that they want to send me? I've actually never had any before!
Thanks in advance! I really appreciate the amount of information I've obtained here and I really enjoy the crowd! Thank for letting me be a part of this great experience!
And BTW, I don't know what to search for or this post wouldn't exist.