So a floating thermometer is a good thing (swamp cooler)

[callmebruce]

I happily read the swamp cooler threads, and thought I'd be all slick-like and use my huge bucket, ice-cold water and a heavy beach towel (rather than t-shirts) to keep my fermentation bucket cool.

I swapped out frozen water bottles a couple times, and stuck my hand in the water (outside the fermentation bucket) to make sure it was nice and cool. Kept saying to myself, "I really ought to get a thermometer."

Well, I picked up a small one and hung it in the swamp cooler. It read in the 70's. So I figured I'd get fancy and get a floating thermometer from the pool shop. Tossed it in the water I thought was nice and cool. Low 70's.

Quickly put in more ice, and am rethinking the swamp cooler/frozen water bottle thing. Or at least need to figure out a better method of keeping the temps cold in there.

Perhaps it's time for more toys (big ol' dorm fridge?)

I'm sure my beer will be fine. It's an Ale. I had wanted to ferment it around 62 degrees. Looks like the first week was a whole lot closer to 70 (and maybe a little above).

Lesson learned. Just because it feels cool on your hand, doesn't mean it's cool.

 

[phuzle]

I've been making a lot of ales through the winter and this spring with WL California V yeast. My apartment's heat is kept around 72, but I figured it was only that warm near the thermostat, because the beer always felt cool to the touch. I recently bought some fermometers, and even though the beers are still cool to the touch, the temp reads around 72. Made great beer through the winter, so that yeast must just do well with higher temps.

 

[pd230soi]

I have found that room temp as a lot to do with the challenge of keeping a swamp cooler cool. I have a third bathroom (unused) with an enormous tub. I can fit 4 ferm buckets in it at one time. And lots and lots of water.

Ground water temp in the winters is low 40s. Normally I can maintain 62-65 without too much effort. However if my darling bride turns up the heat just a bit up there it screams up. Then I have the change out the water, use ice bottles, etc.

So in my limited exp I am discovering that with my set up room temp has a bigger impact than I would have thought.

 

[callmebruce]

Well, with 2 frozen water bottles and a frozen blue ice pack, it's right at 65 degrees. I swapped them out this morning, bringing it up to 3 frozen water bottles and an ice pack.

Think I'll skip the dorm fridge for now. It's much cheaper to just change out 3 or 4 water bottles each day. Maybe get all fancy and add a (gasp!) 4th or 5th water bottle when it gets warm out.

But yeah, just putting my hand in the water - the 65 degree water didn't feel a whole lot different than the low 70's water. My hand does not make a very good temperature gauge.

Now I'm looking at the top of the big plastic bucket and thinking I could cut out a piece of foam to go over it, leaving a hole for the airlock. Might work a little better than the heavy towel.

 

[Just1pepsi]

I tried the swamp cooler advice, which honestly did not make a whole lot of sense to be because of how evaporative coolers work, I couldn't see it actually cooling anything but the wet towel and maybe the carboy. I was correct.

If you want to chill it you'll need refrigeration or colder temperatures in whatever box it sits in (room, shed, whatever). A wooden box with a small window unit blowing into it would work, but may be more costly to run than a small refrigerator.

Submerging the carboy in ice water would likely work as well, but thats more of a pita in my opinion than its worth. (I personally don't have time to babysit ice water)

 

[TTB-J]

Swamp coolers work a lot better when you use an actual cooler. If the bucket that you're using isn't insulated, it's not likely to hold the temperature of the water very well and you'll be changing out water bottles like crazy. I've never felt the need to do the t-shirt/fan thing. I just put a couple of pieces of styrofoam with a hole cut in the middle so the airlock fits through.

 

[callmebruce]

I filled it to the beer line with cold water, and wrapped some foam around the outside of the bucket (some foam pads I used to use when backpacking). It's doing okay with swapping out 3 or so water bottles each morning - but I think I'll go with a real cooler.

I don't want to be swapping out water bottles every day, and it might get unmanageable in the summer. Not to knock anyone that's doing swamp coolers and it works for them - I just know it can get hot in my garage (not as hot as outside) - and I'm lazy. (er, I like to conserve energy)

 

[Yooper]

I filled it to the beer line with cold water, and wrapped some foam around the outside of the bucket (some foam pads I used to use when backpacking). It's doing okay with swapping out 3 or so water bottles each morning - but I think I'll go with a real cooler.

I don't want to be swapping out water bottles every day, and it might get unmanageable in the summer. Not to knock anyone that's doing swamp coolers and it works for them - I just know it can get hot in my garage (not as hot as outside) - and I'm lazy. (er, I like to conserve energy)

Here's my solution:

A few bigger frozen water bottles (2L soda size) in a water bath, and I'm all set!

 

[Token]

Are those handles on the lid? I like that. heh, heh...

 

[Yooper]

Are those handles on the lid? I like that. heh, heh...

Yes- after I made the lid with four layers of insulation, I was pretty darn proud of myself. It fits on there very tightly, and works great. Except.......then I had to take the lid OFF! Except for the hole for the airlock, there was nothing to grab onto! So, a piece of clothesline and some scrap wood for underneath longways made handles. It's not exactly beautiful, but it works!

 

[callmebruce]

That looks great! I'm stealing your idea - er - appropriating it.

I want to try another California Common - this time with actual lager yeast and really a California Common. I also want to brew over the summer - and I know that room will easily be in the high 70's, low 80's.