Bar Refrigerator at 42F, Better Bottles Insulation and Lagers Question.

[jerryodom]

I'm plotting on how to get a steady production of small batch lagers going in the garage. I've got this little refrigerator that on it's lowest setting sits at 40-42F that I think will work for fermenting with WLP833 yeast in these 3 gallon better bottles. As I understand it that yeast has a pretty low optimal temperature range starting at 48F. Plastic is a better insulator than glass and I've heard that in glass carboys your temperature can vary by 5F.

So does anyone think I won't be able to get a good fermentation in a 40-42F refrigerator?(proper starter sizes of course)

 

[stratslinger]

Do you have a brew belt, or similar device, to add a little heat directly to your better bottle? That'd probably get you to a pretty ideal temperature range in those conditions. Otherwise, I think just placing your fermenter directly into a 40F fridge with yeast that bottom out at 48F is asking for the yeast to go dormant pretty quickly.

 

[jerryodom]

I do not have a brew beltbut you did give me another idea. Just a nice thick bath towel or blanket around the fermenter for insulation? I don't think the yeast will necessarily fall out with an ambient temperature of 42F given the heat put off by the fermentation but I do feel it's close especially when the unit is running. A cover of sorts should further insulate it and keep that direct cold off the bottle.