Getting warmer out

[Bamsdealer]

So, until I move in my new house in a month and a half I'd like to start another beer or two in the meantime. At my current place, I don't have much control over temps, nor do I feel like starting a project since I'm getting married and moving over the next couple months. Temps are starting to rise and my brew buckets are now reading over 70. Should I do my next brew in a glass fermenter if I want to use a simple swamp cooler to keep temps down a little? I'm guessing it will conduct heat better than plastic and would be better suited for a swamp cooler. I prefer buckets for primary fermentation, but will use a carboy if it means keeping temps a few degrees cooler.

 

[duboman]

I'm not really sure one will make a difference over the other, glass is not a great conductor and it's also thicker than the plastic, I don't think there's a noticeable difference or advantage

 

[Zamial]

YES! Use a carboy in a small tub of water. Stretch an old T-shirt over it and get the shirt wet. Evaporation theory should net you a 5F difference in temp. You can freeze a few soda bottles of water and add those to the tub to get it even colder buy in my experience that is just a PITA to keep up with.

 

[Bamsdealer]

Thanks. That was my plan, but I just wasn't sure if an old shirt over a carboy would be better than an old shirt over a bucket. I've been doing the bottle thing the last couple days, but I'll be away for 5 days and 7 days at a time over the next 3 weeks.

 

[Buschbrew]

Put your buckets in a waterbath and check the temp daily. A few ice cubes will drop the temp big time. I used this set up when i started brewing. On a side note, Put a bit of sanitizer or OxyClean in the water or it will end up smelling like funk.

 

[Bamsdealer]

yeah... I do the water bath thing now, but I'll be away several times till I move so I'm looking for something with less maintenance.

 

[Buschbrew]

yeah... I do the water bath thing now, but I'll be away several times till I move so I'm looking for something with less maintenance.

just out of curiosity, with the cooler going, whats the temp dif in the house from day to night? if its around ten degrees I would suggest using a larger thermal mass, i.e. the bath tub. If you can keep the bath room temp diff around ten, a full bath would only change a few degrees.

Hopefully you have another bath to use when you are at the house.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[TheBreweryUnderground]

Give up bathing, your beer is more important than a little body odor.

 

[Bamsdealer]

just out of curiosity, with the cooler going, whats the temp dif in the house from day to night? if its around ten degrees I would suggest using a larger thermal mass, i.e. the bath tub. If you can keep the bath room temp diff around ten, a full bath would only change a few degrees.

Hopefully you have another bath to use when you are at the house.

Cheers and good luck.

I'd say about 10 degrees or so. As for the bath tub, I'll have to pass on that. It has a nice leak going and leaving it for a week will certainly cause flooding.

We rent the top half of a house now and don't have much control over heat or a/c unless we call downstairs everytime, so we just make due. Can't wait to close on the house. I'll have full control over the heat and air, it has a nice cubby hole in the basement that should stay cool as well as an extra fridge in the garage. No more temp issues for me

 

[kh54s10]

In answer to the question of glass versus plastic fermenters I feel it would not make much difference.

Seeing that you will be away for long periods of time the best you can really hope for is to get the wort cool for as long as you can at the start of fermentation then you will have to rely on the water to stabilize the temperature swings.

You could get a room air conditioner and keep one room cool.

 

[tennesseean_87]

Or brew Belgian beers. They like the high temps. Instead of fighting the temps, I'm just going to adjust my yeast and brew plans to match what the weather gives me.

 

[Buschbrew]

I give up! Take the stuff to a friends house and put it in their basement.

 

[Buschbrew]

I'd say about 10 degrees or so. As for the bath tub, I'll have to pass on that. It has a nice leak going and leaving it for a week will certainly cause flooding.

We rent the top half of a house now and don't have much control over heat or a/c unless we call downstairs everytime, so we just make due. Can't wait to close on the house. I'll have full control over the heat and air, it has a nice cubby hole in the basement that should stay cool as well as an extra fridge in the garage. No more temp issues for me

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