How to lager cool?

[spanick]

Im thinking about making a lager here in the near future. However, winter is winding down and tempuratures both indoors and out are rising. Where I live, it gets especially hot and I know of no way to keeping a fermenting lager at low enough tempuratures. I'm not shooting for a steam beer so I don't want to ferment at ale tempurates.

Is there any way that I could cool just the fermenter down to the right tempurature?

 

[JasonInBTR]

Lots of options ranging from a swamp cooler (water bath with ice) to a dedicated fermentation chamber. The chamber can be something as frankenstein as a wooden/foam box with dismantled fridge parts or a simple as a chest freezer with a temp controller.

I will probably just get some smallish chest freezer when I make the plunge.....

Jason

 

[Homercidal]

If you live in an even slightly warm area, a swamp cooler won't work well for most lager beers. You will need a freezer, or refrigerator of some type (Check on craigslist for a cheap used one), or you could build an icebox-type cooler.

I would recommend a used freezer and a Johnson or Ranco temp controller. You might spend $200, but you have very precise control and there is very little hands-on work. With an Icebox cooler you have to build it yourself, which is great if you like doing that kind of thing. I think there is a thread on here about a "son of fermentation chamber" or something. Pretty neat set up.

 

[Hammy71]

I have an old refrigerator in my basement that will hold two (6gal) carboys. I have a Ranco 2-stage temperature controller. During the summer, I use the fridge to keep the temps down. During the winter, I have a fermwrap tywrapped along the back on the fridge to keep the ambient temperature where it needs to be. A small computer fan also helps maintain everything.

 

[spanick]

Thanks a lot. I think I still have a small fridge from college I could Jerry rig to cool a 6 gallon carboy or something. That's definitely gonna have to be the way to do.

 

[patrick524]

What I did was to buy one of those old milk dispensers.
http://mbauction.com/Gallery/84f86ae9-e87c-417c-bb8f-7f28624aede9/Milk Dispenser.jpg
I picked it up for 20 bucks at a surplus supply store. This is very rare to pick it up in that condition. From there I picked up a temp. guage. It fits a 6 gallon carboy pretty well.