Temperature Control

Hi everyone, been listening to Jamil's podcasts and got "Brewing Classic Styles" a couple of days ago. He seems to emphasize the importance of fermentation temperatures alot and how he thinks they are one of the most critical aspects to making a good beer. Now I understand the easiest way to control lagers is to buy a spare refrigerator and put a controller on it to keep temps low and adjust as needed. However, what are some ways to control fermentations that you want warmer? For example, in his tripel recipe he suggests starting the fermentation at 64*F and raising it a little each day up to about 82*F so that the beer finishes dry. Now I've seen the Brew Belt which claims it will make a fermenting beer up to 20* warmer, but that's a constant. Any other equipment or techniques out there that could do the trick?

Search the forum for aquarium heaters. There are several threads on the subject. Put your carboy in a water bath, put the heater in the bath, adjust temp. This only works when ambient temps are below your target temps however.

I recently picked up a 200W heater at a local pet store for $18. Pay attention to the lowest temp setting on the heater. Many of them start at 70F. I found one that went as low as 64F.

I use a fridge and a small cube heater with a two stage controller. The fermenter goes in the fridge along with the cube heater. The controller turns on the fridge or heater as needed to keep the beer at the desired temp.

^^ I have been worrying about this aspect of brewing as well because it seems this is where (if you want good controlled product) you have to spend the bucks to get temperature controlled environment. Curious as to what some of these solutions to the problems cost?

IrregularPulse said:

^^ I have been worrying about this aspect of brewing as well because it seems this is where (if you want good controlled product) you have to spend the bucks to get temperature controlled environment. Curious as to what some of these solutions to the problems cost?

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I found a lightly used chest freezer on craigslist and bought a dual-stage RANCO controller on ebay and the total was right around $100.