Couple questions regarding setting up swamp cooler

I'm planning on doing my third batch, a Newcastle clone from Midwest, this weekend. I've learned a lot since I started brewing... my first brew had no temp control whatsoever and fermented at room temp (around 70°F) and likely got pretty warm inside the fermenter. My second brew I kept in a cold room with the window cracked and the sticker on that one said mid to upper 60's the whole time (I used Nottingham so it could have been a little cooler but I made progress). My third batch I want to try out a swamp cooler to try and maintain a steady, cooler temp.

I don't have a cooler to fit my fermenter in but I have an empty Rubbermaid tub to put it in. Right now the stick on thermometer on my empty fermenter says its 63° in the basement. I think that would be a good temperature to maintain for the yeast I'm using (Safale S-04) but without a swamp cooler the wort temp could get into the 70's I'd imagine.

So to maintain low to mid 60's in my uninsulated swamp cooler, how much ice should I put in it? I imagine I won't need much but I've never done this before. Also, my stick on thermometer is halfway down the carboy, so it would be submerged in water if I were to fill the swamp cooler up to the wort level. How should I monitor my temperature?

 

I would suggest a "dry" run so to speak. Fill your fermenter up with water and drop it in the tub. Since your sticker thermometer is on the side I would drop a thermometer straight in the fermenter. Then experiment with ice additions to see what it does for you. I've also heard of putting a shirt or some other fabric over the fermenter and letting the water wick up the fabric. The extra evaporation will assist in bringing the temp down. Though I imagine that works better on a glass carboy than a bucket.

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I use a large Rubbermaid tub. I fill my fermenter, place it in the tub and fill the tub up to right about the level of the wort. I then float frozen jugs in the tub according to how much I need it cooled. Because I have a hard time cooling the wort with my chiller below 80, I start with two jugs to bring the temp down to where I want it. After that point one jug changed every few hours will usually keep it down about 5 degrees below ambient. If I need it cooler I change the jugs more often, or use two or even three. Also keep in mind that once you get it where you want it less ice is needed to keep it there. After about three or four days I stop using frozen jugs and let the water alone cool it. It keeps it from fluctuations through the day and usually keeps it a couple degrees below ambient. This is a way to start and you'll learn how your set up responds with practice.

 

+1 on a tub and frozen jugs. A little more work, but a cheap solution.

 

My swamp cooler set up.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/swamp-cooler-61314.html
Keep the thermostrip uncovered and away from the fan.
With the fan running will hold an active fermentation at 62° in an ambient temperature of 67°. Wet the towel by hand every couple of days. Evaporation is significant.

 

Do you put frozen water bottles or anything in the water?

 

The water bath will keep the temp more stable even if basement temp fluctuates.
If you want to ramp temp to finish fermentation or for a belgian brew you could add an aquarium heater to the water bath.

 

With an ambient temp of only 67° I have never needed frozen water bottles.

 

Wow evaporation must be pretty significant then. I don't have a fan so I think I'm going to put at least one, maybe 2 frozen water bottles in the water bath to keep active fermentation temp in the mid to low 60's at 63° ambient temp.

 

I had the same issues with my first brews. I know this is not what you asked but I picked up a Cool Brewing bag for like $60 bucks and can keep the temp at a steady 62* with one frozen 2 liter bottle of water at an ambient temp of 70-75*. I actually got it down to 55* with a gallon container.

Besides my wort chiller this has probably been the best investment I have made so far in my process. No mess, no water, no wet towels or shirts to worry about you just need two 2 liter containers to switch out plus if you have blowoff or god forbid a carboy breaking the bag is water tight which my downstairs neighbor appreciates. Hope this helps.


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