Freezer with controller - ferment, lager and cold crash?

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heckofagator

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From reading, it seems as if the chest freezers with temp controller are probably the best way to go. And ideally, it seems you could make use of a few of them for different purposes.

But for the sake of space and money, are any of you using the same single chest freezer to ferment, cold crash and maybe even lager in?

Again, I realize you'll be stuck at just 1 temp in the freezer, so you may have to plan what's in there at any one given time, but I'm not sure I can justify several freezers at this time.
 
i am using two true gdm-10PT to do this. there are even STC-1000 firm ware updates that allow you to program the dates you want ferm, swing up for diacetyl rest, and then cold crash and hold. but i do a transfer to keg for conditioning(frees up for the next run if i have one planned).

also i think you meant to post this here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f258/ ?
 
You will have to compromise somewhere. Personally, since I think fermentation temp is the most important than I would make that priority one and than base my beers off of that until you get another freezer. That or go with a cheap ice/heat bath setup for fermentation and use the freezer for lagering.

I keg and ferment in a keezer. It is a hassle and I drink warm beer which I don't mind but eventually I will get two freezers.
 
wait is the op wanting to do all these at the same time in one freezer? maybe i misunderstood the question. i thought he was using a digital control to ferm 1 beer at a fixed temp, then cold crash the same beer, then lager the same beer, then start the process over each batch.
 
Yeah, 1 freezer, a bunch of tasks, but not all at the same time.

For instance, I want to ferment a beer, so I set the temp at 65 and let it go. Then I want to cold crash before I bottle, so I set the temp down to 38. Then I take that out and bottle it up, so the freezer is empty. Next I want to do a lager, so I get my wort and set the temp to whatever you lager at.

In theory, it sounds nice, but I usually seem to have a couple beers fermenting at the same time, so I think that's when you're going to run into a little trouble (having beers at different stages when you need the fridge).

Again, yeah, I think multiple freezers is nice, but right now I'm doing ok with only a Cool Brewing fermentation bag (although I'm not really cold crashing nor laggering). Just wondering if you can do most of what you need with only 1 freezer.
 
I have been wondering the same thing. As I am looking into kegging and can't really afford 2 freezers or fridges. I really would only have 1 keg in there at a time and won't brew another till that one kicks. So when there isn't a keg in it it would be my fermenter. Possible with a temp controller right?
 
heckofagator said:
Yeah, 1 freezer, a bunch of tasks, but not all at the same time.

For instance, I want to ferment a beer, so I set the temp at 65 and let it go. Then I want to cold crash before I bottle, so I set the temp down to 38. Then I take that out and bottle it up, so the freezer is empty. Next I want to do a lager, so I get my wort and set the temp to whatever you lager at.

In theory, it sounds nice, but I usually seem to have a couple beers fermenting at the same time, so I think that's when you're going to run into a little trouble (having beers at different stages when you need the fridge).

Again, yeah, I think multiple freezers is nice, but right now I'm doing ok with only a Cool Brewing fermentation bag (although I'm not really cold crashing nor laggering). Just wondering if you can do most of what you need with only 1 freezer.
Click to expand...


I tried this... For a while

The sweet spot I found was a frig ($60 of Craigslist) with a temp controller to ferment ales or lagers in.... (I usually do 2 ales or 2 lagers at the same time)

And a freezer next to it at a constant 38 deg for keg storage and lagering. Right now Im adding tubing etc through the wall for a tap on the other side (kitchen wall).

One works... Doit if you have to... But a fridge and freezer are sooooo much better
 

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