The Lager Chest has arrived.

EdWort · Aug 14, 2006

Whoo Hoo. I'm ready to ferment at some decent temps after living in the land of no basements and triple digit temps.

I had my hopes on a Frigidaire chest freezer I saw on Craigslist. It was 80"x30" and SWMBO approved. I could fit alot of carboys in that puppy. Anyway, I borrow a trailer and drive 30 minutes to get it only to find out it's a Kenmore thats 9 years old with a cracked liner, torn gasket, and rust in a number of places for the deal of $250. I pointed all these things out and it didn't matter to the guy, so I walked. I was pretty peeved having taken time off and borrowing a trailer only to find a POS freezer.

On the way home, I stopped at Fry's Electronics and checked out their scratch & dent department. I managed to pick up this new Amana 10 cu. ft. freezer for $214.

Here it is loaded with carboys and I still can fit one 5 gallon corny and one 3 gallon corny in it.

Here it is with just cornies. It'll fit six full size and one 3 gallon corny. I have the Johnson controller connected and am dialing in a fermenting temp tonight.

Time to get down to business! :tank:

MrSaLTy · Aug 15, 2006

Sweet, that looks like a perfect size for the space I got. Was it marked down? If so, what was the original price if you remember?

EdWort · Aug 15, 2006

MrSaLTy said:
Sweet, that looks like a perfect size for the space I got. Was it marked down? If so, what was the original price if you remember?

It originally was $299 with a markdown of $15, but I asked if they could do better since it was the floor model and had a couple dings. The salesguy came back with $214 and I took it.

Amana is brand name in refrigeration and I froogled the model when I got home and got prices from $319 to $359 for it so I'm happy with the price.

The Johnson controller is working great. I have it dialed in right now for 65 degrees. :mug:

I'll be racking my first AG Kolsch this week and putting it in there for a month or so. The Better Bottle works out great cause I'm able to grip it by the neck and lower it into the freezer.

clayof2day · Aug 15, 2006

For your Kolsch 65 should be a good primary ferment temp. but after about a week you'll probably want to rack it to a secondary or a keg and condition it at in the mid 30's to 40ish (based on the range of procedures I've read). Cold-conditioning for ~3 weeks is highly recommended for all the Kolsch recipes I've read.

EdWort · Aug 15, 2006

clayof2day said:
For your Kolsch 65 should be a good primary ferment temp. but after about a week you'll probably want to rack it to a secondary or a keg and condition it at in the mid 30's to 40ish (based on the range of procedures I've read). Cold-conditioning for ~3 weeks is highly recommended for all the Kolsch recipes I've read.

Yeah, but my primary ferment was at 75 due to no freezer.

Do you do it gradually or all at once? Thanks.

user 574 · Aug 15, 2006

Nice!

I really need to get into that someday... What's the controller go for again? Also, what is the efficiency rating on these things; that yellow sticker on annual run dollars?

EdWort · Aug 15, 2006

desertBrew said:
Nice!

I really need to get into that someday... What's the controller go for again? Also, what is the efficiency rating on these things; that yellow sticker on annual run dollars?

I don't know off the top, but I do remember this model fell on the very far left of the range showed meaning it's the most efficient of its class. I'll take a look this evening and let you know.

clayof2day · Aug 15, 2006

EdWort said:
Yeah, but my primary ferment was at 75 due to no freezer.

Do you do it gradually or all at once? Thanks.

I put mine in my fridge in a corny and I don't have a controller, so mine was all at once. Gradually would be best for your yeast, I'm sure. I'm going to bottle half my patch, so we'll see if they are able to bottle condition or not.

Matt

P.S. I don't know how this got to reply number 6, but hey, I'm sure we'll all figure it out

Bernie Brewer · Aug 15, 2006

desertBrew said:
Nice!

I really need to get into that someday... What's the controller go for again? Also, what is the efficiency rating on these things; that yellow sticker on annual run dollars?

I paid around 50 bones for my controller, but that was quite a few years ago, maybe six or seven. But it stillworks great!

EdWort · Aug 15, 2006

desertBrew said:
Nice!

I really need to get into that someday... What's the controller go for again? Also, what is the efficiency rating on these things; that yellow sticker on annual run dollars?

Here ya go.

Based on my rates here in Austin, it'll cost me $35/year or 9.5 cents a day. :cross:

What I don't understand is the range from 312 to 312 KwH. Strange.

user 574 · Aug 15, 2006

The clock on this server is nuts - peoples replys to my comments are before my comments. And so now is mine. :cross:.

Anyways, this is good info Ed. That thing doesn't look much bigger than my fermentation chiller. Hmmm birthday is coming up...

EdWort · Aug 15, 2006

desertBrew said:
The clock on this server is nuts - peoples replys to my comments are before my comments. And so now is mine. :cross:.

Anyways, this is good info Ed. That thing doesn't look much bigger than my fermentation chiller. Hmmm birthday is coming up...

Yeah, it looks like a time zone issue. You might check your Control Panel in the forum. SWMBO is happy about the size too. It will fit better in the Brew Hut whenever I get around to building it. Right now, it's delegated to the garage.

Monk · Aug 18, 2006

Edwort: Have you had any trouble with the temp in your freezer? I just bought one tonight and I attached the regulator and set it to FastFreeze. It shut off after a few minutes, but when I shot the Tempgun into it, the temp was 58! It's gradually coming up.
Here's a question: Where is the correct place to put the temp sensor inside the freezer? Against the side or bottom? or sitting in the hangin cage-drawer-thing? Anybody know?

Thanks, guys.

Monk

Biermann · Aug 18, 2006

Monk said:
Edwort: Have you had any trouble with the temp in your freezer? I just bought one tonight and I attached the regulator and set it to FastFreeze. It shut off after a few minutes, but when I shot the Tempgun into it, the temp was 58! It's gradually coming up.
Here's a question: Where is the correct place to put the temp sensor inside the freezer? Against the side or bottom? or sitting in the hangin cage-drawer-thing? Anybody know?

Thanks, guys.

Monk

I put my temp probe actually ON my fermenter (tape it, or set your fermenter on it). That way, the thermometer is reading the temp of the beer, and is keeping IT constant, not the fridge wall, or the ambient air, etc.

Hope this helps.

Monk · Aug 18, 2006

Thanks, Biermann; that sounds smart. I'll work it that way.

Does the fact that it's a freezer instead of a fridge affect the cooling at all?

Biermann · Aug 18, 2006

I use an old fridge with good results. It depends on what you are lagering, but most temps are achievable with a fridge. I personally don't see a difference.

EdWort · Aug 18, 2006

Monk said:
Edwort: Have you had any trouble with the temp in your freezer? I just bought one tonight and I attached the regulator and set it to FastFreeze. It shut off after a few minutes, but when I shot the Tempgun into it, the temp was 58!

Mine is working well. I did not adust the thermostat, I just plugged it into the Johnson controller.

Good question on placing the thermocoupler of the controller. Right now mine's kinda empty with only one carboy of Porter in it. I'm racking a Kolsch to secondary today, so Porter won't be so lonely. :cross:

The Lager Chest has arrived.

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