Carboy styro shipping container as insulation jacket? | HomeBrewTalk.com - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Community.

Homebrew Talk

Help Support Homebrew Talk by donating:

  1. Dismiss Notice
  2. We have a new forum and it needs your help! Homebrewing Deals is a forum to post whatever deals and specials you find that other homebrewers might value! Includes coupon layering, Craigslist finds, eBay finds, Amazon specials, etc.
    Dismiss Notice

Carboy styro shipping container as insulation jacket?

Discussion in 'Fermenters' started by sea2summit3, Dec 3, 2009.

 

  1. #1
    sea2summit3

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Dec 3, 2009
    I just scored a $20, 7-gal glass carboy on craigslist that came with a custom styrofoam shipping container. :ban: I'm figuring I can use it as a insulation jacket. Any ideas on how to integrate a simple thermometer into the sytrofoam to monitor fermentation temp? I'm assuming the small airspace that exits between the carboy and shipping container would equalize to the same temperature as the wort. Would a simple "Good Cook"-like probe thermometer stuck into the side give accurate readings?

    [​IMG][/url][/IMG]
     
  2. #2
    Cheaton

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Dec 4, 2009
    I don't know that simply having insulation is going to do much for your temperature control. If your temperatures rise or drop outside of your range how do you plan on getting them back within tolerance?
     
  3. #3
    sea2summit3

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Dec 4, 2009
    I've got a laundry room that consistantly stays about 66 (now that its gotten colder) I was thinking the heat released during fermentation might keep it a couple degrees warmer if it had insulation. If it were to drop out of range I suppose I would just let it ferment at a lower temp. The room stays pretty consitant though.
     
  4. #4
    Scut_Monkey

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Dec 4, 2009
    I would say if the room is staying consistently at 66 I would simply ferment without the stryofoam container. 66F is a decent temp for most ales when you consider the true fermentation temp in the fermentor is going to be ~5F above this. I wouldn't want to ferment higher than this by trapping the heat with the styrofoam. I try to keep most my ales at 62F ambient and therefore ~67F inside.
     
  5. #5
    IrregularPulse

    Hobby Collector  

    Posted Dec 4, 2009
    +1. 66 is on the high end for ambient air temp for most ale yeasts. Don't want to trap any more heat.
     
  6. #6
    sea2summit3

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Dec 9, 2009
    Good point... but I've got to figure out something to do with this awesome chunk of styrofoam!
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page

Group Builder