Temperature Control

Hi All,

I've been planning to start getting into homebrewing with a kit. But I live in Japan, and unfortunately the temperature of my apartment can vary quite a bit.

There's no centralized heating and poor insulation, so in the winter the temperature will drop under 35, and in summer it can easily reach 90. My only options for managing the temperature of my apartment is currently a kerosene heater in the winter and fans in the summer. I could possibly buy full-on AC unit with a thermostat, but that would be extremely expensive. If I only had a basement.

Does anyone have any recommendations for rigging some sort of basic, inexpensive temperature control?

When we were growing up in England, My dad brewed a lot of beer. He would immerse his primary in a large tub of water and use a submersible aqarium heater to keep the water surrounding the primary at 70 degrees. With an old sheet draped over the whole thing, this did a great job. Myself, I use an oil filled space heater in a closet. The space heater is way less efficient, but does an Ok job.
Not sure what you could do in the summer except for buying an AC.

Thanks, I guess I'll try something using ice in a cooler in the summer. Japan has the most expensive electricity in the world, so I kind of doubt I'll spend the money to keep my place cool at all times with AC.

inbuninbu said:

Thanks, I guess I'll try something using ice in a cooler in the summer. Japan has the most expensive electricity in the world, so I kind of doubt I'll spend the money to keep my place cool at all times with AC.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I use. My carboy always goes in water. I then use the aquarium heater in the winter. For summer, I fill old gatorade or soda bottles with water and freeze them. I find that way is easier to control temp because if it gets too cold I simply remove a frozen bottle. Much easier than removing free-floating ice cubes.

By the way, welcome to the threads! Good luck!

-Tripod

Lagers in the winter. Belgians in the summer. Seasonal brewing can help reduce temperature control problems.

I have the equipment for total control, but in the winter, I can ferment lagers in the brewery and lager them in the garage.

Tripod said:

This is exactly what I use. My carboy always goes in water. I then use the aquarium heater in the winter. For summer, I fill old gatorade or soda bottles with water and freeze them. I find that way is easier to control temp because if it gets too cold I simply remove a frozen bottle. Much easier than removing free-floating ice cubes.

By the way, welcome to the threads! Good luck!

-Tripod

Click to expand...

Me too. I employeee a swamp coller set-up. I don't have the cold winters but definitely the hot summers, although we were in the 30's at night a few weeks ago for several days running. I have found that whatever the room temp is, the water does not vary as much and changes temp slowly. For me the temp only varies up or down about 10 degrees at the extreme and it takes a long time to move so I have plenty of time to react to temp changes.

I am talking of course about inside room temp. It may be 35 outside but my house will stay at 65 even if I don't run the heater. Are the temps you mention what you get in your apartment? If so those are extreme. Aside from making beer, I can't imagine how you sleep if it's 35 inside or 90 for that matter.

Dennis

david_42 said:

I have the equipment for total control, ....

Click to expand...

What equipment do you use for your control David?

a heat belt isn't too expensive and can kep your beer happy in the winter. Sumer time, waterbath.