Water bath bottle conditioning?

[BVilleggiante]

I want to bottle condition at 70 degrees but have been having a hard time doing so in the winter. I was putting them in my chest freezer and creating humidity via a fish tank heater in a bucket with water, however I was getting inconsistent results based on how cold it was outside.

Don't know why I didn't think of it before, but tonight I put my bottles in a very large tub, put water in it and put my fish tank heater in that at 70 degrees. The water should heat to 70 degrees and therefore the bottles should also heat to 70 degrees and stay there, at least, that's what I believe. Has anyone done this before?

 

[Akavango]

I would love to know if that is possible too.

 

[BVilleggiante]

Well...if no one replies, I'll let you know my results.

I would love to know if that is possible too.

 

[bourgeoisbee]

I've done that to heat up a fermentor (bucket), but not bottles. It works great for a bucket. I like this heater too, but you need a temperature controller Wort-O-Matic: Fermentation Can Heater

 

[Revvy]

People have talked about it on and off for years, but nobody's ever actually done it. Part of it has to do with the difficulty of keeping the bottles upright when submerged in water. They tend to want to float even full.

If you could build a rack that holds the bottles and can weigh them down. Then an aquarium heater could be used to maintain a constant temp above 70.

 

[BVilleggiante]

Why's it a big deal if they fall over? They'll sealed so it's not like water will get in...right?

People have talked about it on and off for years, but nobody's ever actually done it. Part of it has to do with the difficulty of keeping the bottles upright when submerged in water. They tend to want to float even full.

If you could build a rack that holds the bottles and can weigh them down. Then an aquarium heater could be used to maintain a constant temp above 70.

 

[Revvy]

Why's it a big deal if they fall over? They'll sealed so it's not like water will get in...right?

Well, you know all that sediment in the bottom of bottle conditioned beers? Do you want it all shaken up or do you want it all nice and settled in the bottom? Me I like to start the sediment compaction right from the beginning.

 

[BVilleggiante]

Gotcha. That is a good point.

Well, you know all that sediment in the bottom of bottle conditioned beers? Do you want it all shaken up or do you want it all nice and settled in the bottom? Me I like to start the sediment compaction right from the beginning.