How do you brew during the cold months?

[Jack_0106]

Haven't brewed anything in a few weeks because of the temps dropping. How do you guys keep your fermenters at a steady temp?

I've seen the heating pads, do they work? have a mix of 1 gal and 6 gal fermenters

 

[Dland]

Fermwrap heat pads and mix of bubble wrap and truck cab insulation works for me. Any type of heat pad and insulation can work, used w inkbird 308 controller.

Also a good time to brew lagers, where lower fermentation temps are a benefit.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

have a mix of 1 gal and 6 gal fermenters

If you have a beverage cooler, you can put the (spigot-less) 1 gal carboys in the cooler and use water to regulate the fermentation temperature. Checking/adjusting the water temperature twice a day seems to be is sufficient for most people.

"Son of a Fermentation Chiller" is a classic approach (for those who like to build from scratch). Over the last decade "repurposed college dorm room fridge" has been a popular approach to talk about.

 

[Airborneguy]

I have a drop light connected to a temperature controller inside of my fermentation fridge.

If you don’t have an enclosed chamber, a tub of water and a cheap aquarium heater works great.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Easily! Summer room temp is just below 80. Ground water temp is in the mid-80s. Fermenting in the winter means a) I'm not restricted to what the fermenter can hold, and b) ground water is cold enough to chill without ice water help.

If I had to warm a beer more than 68-ish, I have an inkbird and a heat wrap that work great.

 

[JohnSand]

I now use an old chest freezer with a controller and heat belt. Before that I used ice packs in summer. In winter I varied my yeast to suit the temperatures in the basement. I also checked the temperature variation with a thermometer. The coolest was near the doors, slightly warmer was the rear floor, then on a table, then near the water heater. It worked.

 

[Jack_0106]

I have a drop light connected to a temperature controller inside of my fermentation fridge.

If you don’t have an enclosed chamber, a tub of water and a cheap aquarium heater works great.

Thats a great idea

 

[grampska]

We have schizophrenic weather here. So we have random days of warm weather in the winter where I can brew but the basic brewing heating pads you can keep the fridge that I have in the uninsulated garage at 68F once the cold weather kicks back in.

 

[hotbeer]

For the 2½ gallons or less I brew at a time, I just keep the FV inside the house which is pretty much the ideal temp for the light ales and IPA's I like to make. So it doesn't matter what time of year it is.

Don't know how many gallons at a time I could go before smells got to be an issue for the spouse. However lately when I have something in the FV, I keep it in the unused powder room off the laundry. If smells ever got to be an issue, then the exhaust fan will take care of that. So far I've not had to turn it on.

 

[Skeeter686]

I have a drop light connected to a temperature controller inside of my fermentation fridge.

I had considered that, myself. However, I was concerned that my beer might develop "light struck" skunkiness.

Do you have an opaque fermenter?

 

[MaxStout]

I have a fermentation chamber built from a 7 cu ft freezer with an Inkbird ITC-1000 dual controller. I added a 6" tall, insulated collar to allow more height inside. For heating, I use a 50W ceramic reptile heating bulb in a socket, with a little computer fan to move the air around. I have a 20W seedling heating mat suspended at the other end of the freezer for particularly cold days--especially when I have two fermenters inside. The ferm chamber is in an unheated garage in Minnesota. I've never had trouble maintaining temps.

 

[OleBrewing]

well was not fermenting in the middle of winter in it. built a side fermenting chamber off an old fridge with holes in the side and in and out fans. used it to keep minnows and beer from freezing at outside temps down to -30 degrees albeit being in a garage. temp controller and very small amazon space heater. just to keep above freezing; the heater did not work much. never did see how it would perform at 65-68 degrees but think it would be fine (keep in mind this is an old fridge with minimum plastic and ceramic coating inside shell.

but heat tape (in ND it is a common item for water lines they will produce more heat than needed if insulated) and blanket wrap in a cardboard box would work. temp conroller was the stc-1000 from amazon seems to work well with multiple thermometers giving same temps and its an easy build with youtube videos. they were cheap when i got one. one i use is celsius but believe they make both now.

 

[Beerstein]

My garage rarely goes below 58F in the winter. I tend to switch to Nottingham and S-04 in the winter. For warmer ales, I have a $20 seedling germination mat I wrap the fermzilla.

 

[Kickass]

What temp is it In your house and can you leave the fermenter someplace within? Another option is to take advantage of the cooler temps to ferment lagers.

 

[Jack_0106]

What temp is it In your house and can you leave the fermenter someplace within? Another option is to take advantage of the cooler temps to ferment lagers.

Ah yeah the FV will be in my office which will probably be okay in fairness. Outside temps over night in Nov and Dec it can drop to 0 degrees C (30 degrees F).

Not sure of inside temps but I'd imagine overnight they'd be around 15C degrees (55F to 60F).

 

[Airborneguy]

I had considered that, myself. However, I was concerned that my beer might develop "light struck" skunkiness.

Do you have an opaque fermenter?

I’ve just recently acquired 2 anvil stainless fermenters. I have a beer in one now, but not in the fridge. My office is the perfect temp this time of year for fermenting ales.

I haven’t noticed any problems over the year or so I’ve been using this system. The light rarely kicks on, it heats the chamber quickly, which then holds temp well so it’s rarely needed. Probably not enough to worry.

That said, I do plan to switch to a heat belt or mat someday soon.

 

[gonpce]

I'm cheap use fermenter in tub of water heat maintained by aquarium heater

 

[Jack_0106]

I'm cheap use fermenter in tub of water heat maintained by aquarium heater

How much water do you use? I can put my 1 gallon inside my 6gallon and fill it with water. Do you fill the whole way up to the neck?

 

[gonpce]

How much water do you use? I can put my 1 gallon inside my 6gallon and fill it with water. Do you fill the whole way up to the neck?

Really just have enough to cover the heater will work. I usually have about 1/3 of fermenter under water