Hello From Pompano Beach, FL

[Flaviking]

Hello Everyone!

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to this board. I have successfully upgraded from my original Mr Beer kit to an extract brew system and completed a drinkable batch of beer all from lurking and absorbing as much knowledge as I can on this site.

It is truly a wealth of information.

My next step is building a fermentation chamber (as its hot as all hell down here this time of year) and then upgrade to an all grain system where I can start to experiment. I am sure you will see me more and more around these parts as I am officially hooked!!

Thanks again.

 

[BrettFitz]

Welcome aboard Flavking!

I live just up the road and feel your pain about temp control. Building a fermentation chamber was going to be my first order of business as well.

Then someone happened to complain that they had a broken fridge (freezer on top version) and they were too lazy to dispose of it. So I went and snatched it up.

It is not as sexy as building a chamber specifically for fermenting, which I will get to, but for now I can spend my time/$ on other things. Here's how I set it up.

In my garage I have two fridges, both freezer on top styles. One is plugged in. The fridge part of that one is filled to the brim with home brews and craft brews I've hoarded over the past couple years, and maybe a rootbeer or two my kids snuck in without me seeing it. The freezer portion has a few unimportant things and a bunch of water jugs of various sizes - a couple 1-gallons, a few 64-oz bottles, a few smaller ones, and a few lunch cooler square thingys.

Next to it is the broken fridge. I took the freezer door off that one and store some beer stuff there that is not going to get moldy or stress in the garage heat. Down in the fridge part, I removed all of the shelving. Then I built a very simple subfloor to level the inside from corner to corner (most fridges have that little hump in the back). Now it fits 2 carboys or fermentation buckets. Each morning (and each evening at least during the initial fermentation stages), I peek in and check the temp on the fermentation buckets, and control the temp by switching out the frozen water jugs from the working freezer right next to it. If the temp creeps up a degree or two, I put a gallon sized plus one or two of the little sizes. If it is cooling down more than usual, I just go with the gallon sized. So far I've been able to keep everything within a 3-degree range without any difficulty.

The down side is that you have to peek in at least every day. But so far it is not an issue, I don't mind one bit. If I go out of town, my neighbor takes care of it for me. There aren't additional electric costs as I already had the extra fridge running in the garage.

Like I said, building a chamber is on my list. But for now, this works and works well, and it was free.

--I was just talking with a friend this morning from Pompano, he has a crew of brewers he chums around with down there. If I meet them and they aren't buttholes I'll pass their contact info along.
Brett

 

[cbrodbeck]

Welcome to the forum! I'm pretty new to brewing as well, and live just DOWN the road from the two of you. Quick question.. you guys know of any other home brew supply place down here aside from BX? They're great and all, but a pretty far drive when I realize I'm short 1lb DME for a starter.

Charles

 

[Flaviking]

Welcome to the forum! I'm pretty new to brewing as well, and live just DOWN the road from the two of you. Quick question.. you guys know of any other home brew supply place down here aside from BX? They're great and all, but a pretty far drive when I realize I'm short 1lb DME for a starter.

Charles

The Funky Buddha has a home brew supply store attached to it... That is where I go. It's just north of Glades on US1 in Boca.

Pretty nice bar too if your there in the evening.

Where is BX?

 

[Flaviking]

Welcome aboard Flavking!

I live just up the road and feel your pain about temp control. Building a fermentation chamber was going to be my first order of business as well.

Then someone happened to complain that they had a broken fridge (freezer on top version) and they were too lazy to dispose of it. So I went and snatched it up.

It is not as sexy as building a chamber specifically for fermenting, which I will get to, but for now I can spend my time/$ on other things. Here's how I set it up.

In my garage I have two fridges, both freezer on top styles. One is plugged in. The fridge part of that one is filled to the brim with home brews and craft brews I've hoarded over the past couple years, and maybe a rootbeer or two my kids snuck in without me seeing it. The freezer portion has a few unimportant things and a bunch of water jugs of various sizes - a couple 1-gallons, a few 64-oz bottles, a few smaller ones, and a few lunch cooler square thingys.

Next to it is the broken fridge. I took the freezer door off that one and store some beer stuff there that is not going to get moldy or stress in the garage heat. Down in the fridge part, I removed all of the shelving. Then I built a very simple subfloor to level the inside from corner to corner (most fridges have that little hump in the back). Now it fits 2 carboys or fermentation buckets. Each morning (and each evening at least during the initial fermentation stages), I peek in and check the temp on the fermentation buckets, and control the temp by switching out the frozen water jugs from the working freezer right next to it. If the temp creeps up a degree or two, I put a gallon sized plus one or two of the little sizes. If it is cooling down more than usual, I just go with the gallon sized. So far I've been able to keep everything within a 3-degree range without any difficulty.

The down side is that you have to peek in at least every day. But so far it is not an issue, I don't mind one bit. If I go out of town, my neighbor takes care of it for me. There aren't additional electric costs as I already had the extra fridge running in the garage.

Like I said, building a chamber is on my list. But for now, this works and works well, and it was free.

--I was just talking with a friend this morning from Pompano, he has a crew of brewers he chums around with down there. If I meet them and they aren't buttholes I'll pass their contact info along.
Brett

Sounds like a decent set up.. Im deciding between a a actual fermentation chamber or something like a son of fermentation chiller. Everything is on hold though until I get that, which kind of sucks...Ill have it done before the end of July though.

I'd appreciate that... I was actually looking into brew clubs the other day. Thought it might be fun to check it out.

 

[BrettFitz]

Just walked out of BX 10 minutes ago (peeking over my shoulder to make sure the wife isn't gonna walk in). have never been to the Funky Budha but will check it out fo sho. I heard they basically have everything BX has.

 

[cbrodbeck]

The Funky Buddha has a home brew supply store attached to it... That is where I go. It's just north of Glades on US1 in Boca.

Pretty nice bar too if your there in the evening.

Where is BX?

Gotta check out the Funky Buddha... looks a heck of a lot closer than BX. BX is located just north of Lake Worth Road, west of 95.

Charles

 

[lobotion]

Anything by Jacksonville

 

[Flaviking]

Gotta check out the Funky Buddha... looks a heck of a lot closer than BX. BX is located just north of Lake Worth Road, west of 95.

Charles

Woa.. yeah that's a hike.. Funky buddha is good man. At least good form me in my beginning stages.. they have basically everything you need to get a good system going, plus they have tons of hops, grains and yeast for AG brewing.


They also host free brewing classes every Sunday.

 

[brewski08]

i am so glad i read this post.

i am down south over the summer, and i absolutely hate giving my business to BX. i will definitely check out the Funky Buddha next time i need supplies.

any chance you guys have a link to their homebrew website?

 

[BrettFitz]

brewski08,
Just curious, what's your beef with BX?

 

[Flaviking]

i am so glad i read this post.

i am down south over the summer, and i absolutely hate giving my business to BX. i will definitely check out the Funky Buddha next time i need supplies.

any chance you guys have a link to their homebrew website?

Here you go:

http://www.thefunkybuddha.com/index.php

They don't have a home brew website yet.. I think it's still pretty new.

 

[emmdubb23]

Anything by Jacksonville

Go to just brew it, they have 2 locations, one at the beach and one in Riverside

 

[Brewski_59]

Welcome Flaviking. From your neighbor up the road.