Opihi59
New Member
Aloha everyone, I figured it appropriate to pop in on the introduction page. I've been brewing about 4 years now, but only intermittently/seasonally. My biggest challenge in brewing is temperature control. I live on Oahu, and the coolest ambient temperature I have available is generally over 80* which isn't conducive to the best brewing. I have used ice bottles in a water bath but this has been too much PITA to make it the least bit convenient, so I have only been able to brew in the "winter." I've decided to start a batch now though and am brewing a cider. I scavenged a broken (5-gallon type upside down bottle variety) water cooler and gutted it for the cooling side, and submerged the coil in a water bath with an aquarium pump/power head for circulation. It works fine but the thermostat control is useless and I'm not always able to be here to turn it on/off manually.
I have researched numerous controllers, but really lack confidence and exposure to their merits or flaws. As I understand it, controllers made by places like Ranco, Kegco and others seem to control temperature by limiting current/power to the refrigeration device rather than directly turning the compressor on or off as the case may be. I'd really prefer to be able to wire in a thermostatic controller place of the original controller, but I am open to suggestions.
While I realize the introductions forum is not the desired venue for posting up this type of question, if I find support from our forum, I will start a thread and link it here so I can get help. Of course I don't like sounding like a black hole of need but feel I have read what I can without having (until now) access to search functions, etc.
For the rest of the introduction you all deserve, I have been brewing about 4 years, and have accumulated a reasonable collection of equipment that I cobble together from various sources. While I honestly could purchase some very high quality off-the-shelf stuff, I feel the joy of brewing is also associated with the spirit of making stuff yourself from what you can cobble together, and in this I find the true attraction to using this sort of innovation in making my own adult beverages. I like to make up my own recipes as much as possible, but I also don't want to brew a batch of pus and waste resources. One of my sons also brews, but is on the mainland in a more favorable climate, and makes some significantly advanced craft beers and has far more elaborate commercial type equipment for this hobby.
I've been on Oahu for 20 yrs, never intending to have stayed more than just an initial tour (military) but have retired here and own a home. I enjoy being able to brew beers that are not readily available to me on the local economy, and I prefer brewing British bitters and ales, but not necessarily the IPAs. My favorite brew is hard ciders. I want to launch into brewing Ginger Beer as I like these, but need to get my cooler temperature control taken care of first.
It would be nice to get one of those big coolers like are used in floral shops that cool to 60s, but unless I find one on the side of the road in a discard pile, I'm not going to purchase new. I don't AC my home, and we've lived ambient for the last 20 years. Since I am now a reptile, if I go somewhere the temp is in the 50s, I am wrapped in more layers of clothes than anyone around me.
Thanks for your input, I'm open to your suggestions.
I have researched numerous controllers, but really lack confidence and exposure to their merits or flaws. As I understand it, controllers made by places like Ranco, Kegco and others seem to control temperature by limiting current/power to the refrigeration device rather than directly turning the compressor on or off as the case may be. I'd really prefer to be able to wire in a thermostatic controller place of the original controller, but I am open to suggestions.
While I realize the introductions forum is not the desired venue for posting up this type of question, if I find support from our forum, I will start a thread and link it here so I can get help. Of course I don't like sounding like a black hole of need but feel I have read what I can without having (until now) access to search functions, etc.
For the rest of the introduction you all deserve, I have been brewing about 4 years, and have accumulated a reasonable collection of equipment that I cobble together from various sources. While I honestly could purchase some very high quality off-the-shelf stuff, I feel the joy of brewing is also associated with the spirit of making stuff yourself from what you can cobble together, and in this I find the true attraction to using this sort of innovation in making my own adult beverages. I like to make up my own recipes as much as possible, but I also don't want to brew a batch of pus and waste resources. One of my sons also brews, but is on the mainland in a more favorable climate, and makes some significantly advanced craft beers and has far more elaborate commercial type equipment for this hobby.
I've been on Oahu for 20 yrs, never intending to have stayed more than just an initial tour (military) but have retired here and own a home. I enjoy being able to brew beers that are not readily available to me on the local economy, and I prefer brewing British bitters and ales, but not necessarily the IPAs. My favorite brew is hard ciders. I want to launch into brewing Ginger Beer as I like these, but need to get my cooler temperature control taken care of first.
It would be nice to get one of those big coolers like are used in floral shops that cool to 60s, but unless I find one on the side of the road in a discard pile, I'm not going to purchase new. I don't AC my home, and we've lived ambient for the last 20 years. Since I am now a reptile, if I go somewhere the temp is in the 50s, I am wrapped in more layers of clothes than anyone around me.
Thanks for your input, I'm open to your suggestions.
