anyone use a carboy bag + fermwrap during winter for ales?

[jigidyjim]

Thinking of buying a carboy bag (there's a few different models online looks like), and hooking up my fermwrap to a temp control, sticking it in my garage (where temp is definitely below fermentation temps), and using it for ales while my freezer is used for lagers. I figure I can do this til maybe march or april, when my garage probably starts to get to warm for it.

Anyone do this, recommend it?

 

[cronik]

I am super new to the brewin gig, first batch on day 3. But I noticed that my indoor temp was a lil high so I put it in a uninsalaeted room that gets pretty cold, I ended up wrapin a shirt around it and it is currently at 65 - 66 degrees(thermometer on the outside of the carboy). I dont know if that is kinda the same idea.. I am also down in Santa Cruz right now so the weather should be similar to the town.

 

[ultravista]

Carboy bag?

 

[TheCarnie]

carboy bag?

+1

 

[jigidyjim]

Carboy bag?

Something like this:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/16587/102269/Carboy_Parka_-_6.5_Gallon

or this:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/16589/102269/Carboy_Bag_6.5_Gallon

 

[Dogphish]

to me, the best carboy bag is one that i don't have to buy. i would use an old flannel sleeping bag or flannel pillow case with a hole cut in one end for the mouth of the carboy to fit thru.

remember that vigorous fermentation creates heat, enough to raise the internal temperature of your beer 3 degrees F, or so. if the weather gets warmer, you will need to take off the cover and let the heat escape.

 

[luthierzan]

Thinking of buying a carboy bag (there's a few different models online looks like), and hooking up my fermwrap to a temp control, sticking it in my garage (where temp is definitely below fermentation temps), and using it for ales while my freezer is used for lagers. I figure I can do this til maybe march or april, when my garage probably starts to get to warm for it.

Anyone do this, recommend it?

Yes this is how I ferment all winter long

 

[BayerischBier]

why don't you just put that carboy in a closet in your house/apartment?
You even have to cool this guy thus fermentation produces heat (up to 10-15F).

I run ales in the closet of our (rel. unheated) kitchen and they are just fine at 68-72. Thus there are some nasty stinkers among the yeasts ('forbidden fruit' == rotten eggs) I run a small tube down to the basement and then outside.

 

[jigidyjim]

why don't you just put that carboy in a closet in your house/apartment?

I'm trying to find the best way to have a consistent, stable temp, without using my fridge (since it's doing lagers right now).

I was wondering if purposely putting it some place cold (garage), and then using a temperature controlled ferm wrap (with some sort of insulation), would end up having a more consistent and controllable 68 degrees than just having it sit somewhere in my house where the ambient temp fluctuates 62-70 depending on whether the heater is on/off in the house. Plus if the fermentation causes a 10 degree rise in heat, I'd end up with an 80 degree fermentation in the worst case, unless I rig up some sort of cooling system with an ice bucket.

I fermented ales for 2 years at room temp in the house and the were great, but I'm just trying to dial in my processes a little better, get a temperature control system going, and see if the results are much different.

 

[ultravista]

Ahh, I get it. For my carboy accessories, I use shirts and sweatshirts. Both fit pretty nice and keeps the light off the glass.

 

[luthierzan]

I put a fermwrap around the carboy. I use a three panel one that goes completely around it, not the 2 pannel version the homebrew stores sell. I put bubble wrap, old towels, etc around it to insulate it. I put a garbage bag over the whole thing with a hole where the neck of the carboy is.

I live in a condo so I keep my fermenting carboys outside on our deck. The garbage bag keeps it from getting wet from rain and snow. I put rigid foam underneith to lessen the direct contact of the cold outside floor, this lessens the chance of stratafication in the carboy.
i have the fermwrap hooked up to a temp control unit, and the probe in a thermowell in the beer.
Last week when we had -10C (14F) temperatures I was still able to maintain a temperature of 19.5C (67F) the exact temperature I wanted.
It is easy to maintain a temperature, the colder it gets the more insulation (old towels. old blankets, old out of style ski jacket, etc) you throw on it.

 

[pikledbill]

you might try a sleeping bag...that's what I have used in the past...works pretty well.

Also, a small lamp - tungsten filament - in an enclosed space (a small closet) can be used to help regulate the temperature if it tends to get too cool (buy one with a dimmer switch to regulate the temp). I have used this approach also. I have a small electronic thermometer with an external temperature probe (Ebay for around $10). Put the probe inside the closet close to the carboy and hang the thermometer outside the closet on a nail. Run the lamp cord outside of the closet (under the door) so the dimmer is available without opening the door. I actually have a closet door that I put a "peak window" in so I could open the little window to see what the temperature was in my carboy (but I am a freak).

Have you thought about building a small wooden box big enough for a carboy/bucket? You can insulate the inside of the box, and put an insulated hinged lid on it...build it against an interior wall to add some warmth from the house (heat escaping through the wall is remarkably stable in temperature - at least at my house). To regulate the temperature, just crack the lid a little (or a lot) if it gets too warm. I have one in my basement that I use all summer (built at a corner with two conrete walls and the concrete floor to provide cooling).

The one in my garage keeps a pretty stable temp during the winter...it seems to be a mix of the heat sink of the concrete floor, the coolness of the garage, and the heat escaping through the interior wall. Once I get the lid positioned correctly, the temp stays pretty constant.

Good luck.