Almost First Brew

[Ducky2010]

So I bought John Palmer's How to Brew for my boyfriend, read it, and have become slightly obsessed with brewing myself. We've spent the last few weeks looking around for some of the equipment, ordered the rest from Norther Brewer, and everything came in yesterday. We *were* really excited to try our first brew today, but the A/C went out!!

Obviously there will be no beer making today, seeing as how it's nearly 80 degrees in the apartment. But since we're in Houston and it's blazing hot outside, we usually keep the apartment at 75. Which is a bit high anyway.

Any ideas for keeping my fermenter cool on the cheap? Long term plans might involve getting a mini-fridge for fermenting, but that is not happening right now. I was thinking of filling the tub with water and some ice and monitoring from there.

 

[bluenadas]

The tub would work.

I'm in Houston too. I went with a Lowes (Holiday brand) 7 cu ft chest freezer ($180) and an Ebay "aquarium" temp controller ($20). I also converted one to a keezer.

Works like a champ for about $200.

 

[hodge]

So I bought John Palmer's How to Brew for my boyfriend, read it, and have become slightly obsessed with brewing myself. We've spent the last few weeks looking around for some of the equipment, ordered the rest from Norther Brewer, and everything came in yesterday. We *were* really excited to try our first brew today, but the A/C went out!!

Obviously there will be no beer making today, seeing as how it's nearly 80 degrees in the apartment. But since we're in Houston and it's blazing hot outside, we usually keep the apartment at 75. Which is a bit high anyway.

Any ideas for keeping my fermenter cool on the cheap? Long term plans might involve getting a mini-fridge for fermenting, but that is not happening right now. I was thinking of filling the tub with water and some ice and monitoring from there.

You're in a tough spot for temp control given that you live in an apt and live in humid Houston. I think that your idea about using a tub with ice is probably the best you're going to be able to do on the cheap. Maybe a full bathtub would be even better so that you'd have a larger mass of liquid surrounding the fermenter.

I'm kind of in the same boat, although it doesn't get so hot here in VT, as I don't have any way to force my fermentation colder. I'm planning on brewing Saisons in the hot months as those yeasts like the hot weather.

Good luck!