Trying to figure an approach for my new fermentation chamber

[J187]

I have a two stage STC1000. I would like to be able to ferment two buckets at once and also store at least three or four boxes of beer to keep my storage of my home brew cold! I was thinking of either getting a chest freezer or building a chamber out of a dorm fridge. I think I'd prefer a chest freezer at this point, mostly because I have several other house projects that need attention. I am thinking about this one

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Ch...eezer-in-White-HMCF7W1/203445397?N=5yc1vZc3nr

Has anyone else used a chest freezer to not only ferment but to store their beer as well? I'm hoping to stack a few boxes on that little shelf, and I guess I might be open to building an extension ontop of the freezer if need be.

 

[Rockn_M]

You won't be able to do ferment and keep beer cold in the same freezer at the same time. I'll store kegs to lager or carb but have to wait until I'm not fermenting to do that. Currently I have 2 kegs lagering and a stash of beer to keep cold until I have a chance to make more beer.

 

[J187]

why not? Set the freezer to say, 50 and throw a bew belt or fermwrap on the bucket and set the second stage of the controller to 68. Why wouldn't that work?

thanks for the input!

 

[Rockn_M]

Maybe. Just seems like opposing forces that will fight against each other to reach equilibrium. If you are fermenting with lager yeast you should be ok with keeping the freezer in the low 50's but the beer you are storing won't be that cold.

 

[J187]

how do you store your beers? Do you keg or bottle?

 

[Rockn_M]

For homebrew I keg. But I have beer that I buy to try new things or if I am going somewhere.

Currently I am not fermenting anything so I have my freezer set to about 38 to lager and carb 2 kegs. When the kegerator has space I'll move them over.

 

[killebrew]

I currently use a chest freezer to hold my kegs and ferment at the same time. Set the freezer at serving temp and use some flex watt beat tape for reptiles around your fermenter. Works perfectly and no issues with keeping the temps on the ferment l, just set the stc to kick on within a degree. I've been doing this for almost a year.

 

[J187]

I currently use a chest freezer to hold my kegs and ferment at the same time. Set the freezer at serving temp and use some flex watt beat tape for reptiles around your fermenter. Works perfectly and no issues with keeping the temps on the ferment l, just set the stc to kick on within a degree. I've been doing this for almost a year.

Thanks. That's exactly what I'm saying. Glad to know it works well for you. I appreciate the response.

 

[thejuanald]

I currently use a chest freezer to hold my kegs and ferment at the same time. Set the freezer at serving temp and use some flex watt beat tape for reptiles around your fermenter. Works perfectly and no issues with keeping the temps on the ferment l, just set the stc to kick on within a degree. I've been doing this for almost a year.

Could you explain this a little more to me. How does the heat tape work? With a two stage STC-1000, you can set one to run at serving temp, and the heat tape heats the fermenter and you have another temp probe in/on the fermenter and that maintains the fermenting temp?

 

[chisena]

I'm suffering a similar reality. I have a keg of Pilsner carbed and at 38F but I am ready to brew an ale that I want to ferment at 65F... Oh me... what ever will I do :-(

 

[Ike]

How about this:

Use the chest freezer to keep all your tasty finished beer at serving temps, then build a separate chamber next to it for fermentation. Use some insulated duct (passed through a collar on the freezer, I'm thinking) and a computer fan attached to a separate STC to pump cold air from the chest freezer into the fermentation chamber as determined by the thermocouple. This way, you can keep your drinkin' beer cold and your brewin' beer cold enough all with only one compressor.

Overkill?

 

[chisena]

Yes. Cold air duct to another chamber. Now we're talking.