Advice on a project

I currently don't have the ability to store beers at colder temps for aging. My current temp is around 60deg. Until I can buy a good sized used freezer and get it downstairs w/o upsetting SWMBO I'm kinda stuck.

My basement floor is a cool 50-51deg. Not a "perfect" temp for storage and aging, but it will do. We're talking bottled and conditioned ales here.

So, for you project gurus, how can I maximize this natural cold? I was thinking of making a box with insulating board with the bottom open and the sides attached to the basement floor...possibly one side open and attached to a basement wall as well. What type of insulation would I have to go with and how could I attach the insulation to the basement floor?

Uh...how about putting the cases of beer on the basement floor? That's how I do it.

And 50 is pretty close to a perfect cellaring temp, IMHO.

I don't think the beer itself will get down to 50-51 in an open environment in the basement. To much air circulation.

To each his own--if my basement floor were at that temp I certainly wouldn't dink around with any such project.

FWIW, a thermometer on the floor of my basement typically reads about 57-61. If I take a bottle of beer out of a cardboard case that's sitting on the floor and immediately pour it & stick a thermometer in it, it'll read no more than a degree or two above that.

Ok, you got me thinking if it's worthwhile time/effor/cost so I'mma do a test and leave a glass bottle of water on the floor overnight and temp. it in the mornin.

It's nice to bounce ideas off others so you don't spend time on something like this when you could be brewin or drinkin.

If the air temp stays around 60 degrees that would be fine for aging beer.

A cardboard box set over the cases will do a great deal to stabilize the temperature.

Wrap a towel around each bottle and set it on the floor of the basement. Then, flood the basement with water to a depth of about 1 inch. Your bottles will stay the perfect temp.

Jester4176 said:

Wrap a towel around each bottle and set it on the floor of the basement. Then, flood the basement with water to a depth of about 1 inch. Your bottles will stay the perfect temp.

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You know? I never thought of that! Now I just have to engineer a walkway for SWMBO from the bottom of the stairwell to the washer/dryer! :rockin: Any thoughts on the mold that will form on my ceiling?

OK I have thought about this enough... What is SWMBO I give in I give in
JJ

jaybird said:

OK I have thought about this enough... What is SWMBO I give in I give in
JJ

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She Who Must Be Obeyed

Who the heck else would wash my dirty draw's?

Exo said:

You know? I never thought of that! Now I just have to engineer a walkway for SWMBO from the bottom of the stairwell to the washer/dryer! :rockin: Any thoughts on the mold that will form on my ceiling?

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Easy, Add sanitzer to the water, or fllod it with alchohol. The eveaporation rate will really cool your beer, but you will have to add aclhohol quite often to keep the 1 inch level.

Denny's Brew said:

Easy, Add sanitzer to the water, or fllod it with alchohol. The eveaporation rate will really cool your beer, but you will have to add aclhohol quite often to keep the 1 inch level.

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Yea, you could set up a drip system for the alcohol. And for the dampness, and to prevent mold, hang these all over the place:

http://www.damprid.dsiwebbuilder.com/index.asp?cat=173072

10 or 15 of them should do it. And a walkway of bricks leading to the washer/dryer should work fine for SWMBO.