Lowering fermentor temperature

Lately I've been using the wet towel + fan on my fermentation bucket to keep the temps down. I'd like to maybe go even lower though... I was wondering if there were any other popular options.

One thing I thought of was getting one of those drink coolers like people use, but I guess getting a really big one, big enough for the entire bucket to fit in, then dump some ice in there... would that work? Anyone seen one big enough to fit the entire 5 gallon bucket in and close?

 

No temperture controller?

just bring it outside and put it in a snowbank.
Ooops not winter just yet. But surrounding it with ice will do the trick. Make sure you moniter your fermentation temps. Wouldn't want it to get too low.

 

I've heard of people putting the bucket/carboy into a basement utility sink filled with water which you then throw a 1 or 2 liter bottle of ice in every day or two. I can imagine this would work in any container that would fit a bucket and some room on the sides for water. The idea is that a small volume of ice brings the water temp down a little bit, which then pulls heat from the wort.

I'm still dreaming up ways of doing a lager ferment and storage this winter without a fridge and temp controller.

Bobby

 

I think you can get a plastic pail in a 70 quart Ice Cube cooler but I don't believe you can close the lid on it. You can then cool it with water and ice.
Some have cut out the lid so the airlock can protrude and some have taken off the lid and made a custom top.

 

that could work. does it matter if like, 1/4th or 1/2 of the bucket is in water/ice, and the other half isn't? since the yeast is kinda constantly churning the beer, will the cooling distribute okay? or would the top half be a different temp?

 

Best thing I have made so far for my brewing . . . HIGHLY recomended
http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF

 

Here is another llink.

http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/FermentationChiller.html

 

I was going along the same route, I had planned to use a tub with ice water and wet towel/fan. But instead I got a fridge for $0


It's pretty amazing how many freezers or refrigerators you can get for free. Some of them may be ugly, but hey... Best sources, provided they service your area, are craigslist.org and freecycle.org. Around here there are several offered up per day, but it takes a while to get the timing right so you're the first one to get it.

You can get some good deals on eBay too if you search within 100 miles or so and don't mind driving a bit. Older ugly fridges and freezers that work usually don't sell for much and since they have to be picked up locally, you have a much smaller group of people bidding against you.

Even if you got a freezer that didn't work, you could put some ice in it and have an icebox to lager in

 

I did this but went one step further for a cost of $20.00. I bought some styrofoam insulation and taped it to the sides of the cooler - and made a styroafoam lid to accomodate the top of the carboy & airlock. Works great..keeps the temp just below 50F when I add ice every day or two. Abbient temp is about 70F.

Cheers.

 

see post that shows a tweak to the SOFC

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=13810

http://home.comcast.net/~reddog83/beer.htm