Keeping a FV cool?

[Moshmeister]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to keep a FV cool? The lowest temp room in my house I can keep it is about 19-20c which means the fermenting brew stays around 22-23c - a bit higher than ideal.

I would prefer to lower it a bit and have heard one option is to wrap a wet towel around the vessel. Has anyone successfully tried this or any other methods they can recommend?

All advice much appreciated, cheers!

Mosh

 

[DrunkleJon]

The Swamp Cooler method is the easiest. Basically put it in a tub of water and throw a towel/shirt over it and maybe add a fan blowing on the damp towel/shirt. This should allow it to stay a little cooler. Then you could also drop frozen water bottles into the swamp water to cool it even more. Otherwise there are the higher dollar solutions that involve temperature controllers and fridges/freezers/ice blocks+fans which can be found in the DIY section. The swamp cooler is a good start though.

 

[BigFloyd]

This is an issue where anything is pretty much better than nothing.

If you plan to brew on a regular basis, a used fridge/freezer and a controller outlet box can be done for less than $100USD. I'd have to say that it's the best brew equipment investment I've ever made. Search the forums for STC-1000.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

+1 on BigFloyd's comment. Paying up a bit for electronic temperature control cannot be stressed enough, in my opinion.

With so many variables in brewing already, if you can perfectly control your temps throughout the entire fermentation I reckon you're at 3rd base already (or is it 4th - sorry not a baseball fan). Whether it's a used fridge with a temp controller box or a spare shelf in your wine cooler (what I use), take the plunge and you won't regret it!

 

[VonAle]

The Swamp Cooler method is the easiest. Basically put it in a tub of water and throw a towel/shirt over it and maybe add a fan blowing on the damp towel/shirt. This should allow it to stay a little cooler. Then you could also drop frozen water bottles into the swamp water to cool it even more. Otherwise there are the higher dollar solutions that involve temperature controllers and fridges/freezers/ice blocks+fans which can be found in the DIY section. The swamp cooler is a good start though.

The towel / shirt will take on a bit of a musty smell after a few days. Thats one reason I forgo that part.

I fill the tub with water up to the level of the beer in the bucket and keep the water at my desired temps with frozen water bottles. Also wrap the tub with a carpet remnant or something to insulate the outside of the tub.

 

[brewcephus]

With all the talk about temperature controlling, I have a question. I finally took the plunge a built an STC-1000 temp. controller and attached it to an old fridge I acquired from my mom. It works great with the .3*C variance. my question is this, how important is it to be using the heat side of that switch? I mean, the temp has to warm up by .3*C for the cooling unit to kick back on, so is having a heat source really that important?

Since the fridge is out in my shop, with no insulation, I have noticed that these cooler nights have dropped the temp of the fridge down about 1*C. So, maybe now that we are going into cooler weather the heat application might come in handy, was just trying to get some info from others on this.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I have a metal paint can with a incandescent light bulb attached to mine. Too cold an your yeast can fall asleep.

 

[kombat]

I only recently added a heating element to my setup (light bulb in a paintcan, same as DrunkleJon), but it's because I'm using a large chest freezer in my garage, and it's only now that temperatures are starting to dip below 0° C (freezing) around here, and the last thing I need is a carboy and 4 corny kegs of exploding beer slush in my freezer.

 

[brewcephus]

but it's because I'm using a large chest freezer in my garage, and it's only now that temperatures are starting to dip below 0° C (freezing) around here

ok, I guess this is what I was looking for. I will see about doing the light bulb/paint can idea for mine as well as I know that it will get awfully cold in that shop and I need to at least keep the temps up when it does.

Thanks again

 

[BigFloyd]

ok, I guess this is what I was looking for. I will see about doing the light bulb/paint can idea for mine as well as I know that it will get awfully cold in that shop and I need to at least keep the temps up when it does.

Thanks again

Here's the link to the DIY paint can heater - http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html

When you have the heater inside, reset your tolerance back up to the default 0.5*C because, if you have the cool/heat set points to closely, it can possibly cycle back and forth to much. Lets say you have it set for 17*C and a 0.5*C tolerance. The heat will only come on when the temp is at or below 16.5* and then turn off when you get back up to 17*. The residual heat may continue to warm up the inside of the freezer to 17.3 or so before it starts to naturally cool off again.

As always, tape the sensor to the side of the fermenter bucket and insulate it with bubble wrap or something. The temp of the beer, not the air, is what matters.