So three days ago, I brewed a five gallon batch of British Brown ale (extract). Everything went without incident, and it's in the carboy, which is inside the cooler. Also in the cooler are two frozen one-gallon milk jugs, along with (1½" blowoff tube and jar. Everything fits easily. I've been swapping the jugs for new ones once a day in the early evening. An electronic thermometer is hanging at a level halfway between the carboy's shoulder and bottom.
After three days, it's still fermenting at a steady, unhurried pace. Air temp in the cooler is 55, the adhesive thermometer on the carboy says 60, though the wort is probably a degree or two higher. I just took one of the jugs out. When I swap tonight, I'll replace the gallon that's still there and put in frozen quart jug. Though the temp is generally steady through the day, air temp and carboy temp have both been slowly trending lower (initial air temp was 64...carboy initially settled on 66-68).
The cooler works so well, my concern is that it might be getting too cool! The jury is still out, but so far the it seems to be a definite winner.
After three days, it's still fermenting at a steady, unhurried pace. Air temp in the cooler is 55, the adhesive thermometer on the carboy says 60, though the wort is probably a degree or two higher. I just took one of the jugs out. When I swap tonight, I'll replace the gallon that's still there and put in frozen quart jug. Though the temp is generally steady through the day, air temp and carboy temp have both been slowly trending lower (initial air temp was 64...carboy initially settled on 66-68).
The cooler works so well, my concern is that it might be getting too cool! The jury is still out, but so far the it seems to be a definite winner.
