Best Temp. Control System

[husker]

Now that I have a few batches of brew under my belt I think it is time to look into some temperature control system. A few things to consider

I am a college student so $$$ is probably the number one factor in what I get.

Space is limited as I have roommates and not a lot of room.

Right now my fermentation temps are around 72-70.

I am looking for something that I can do lagers with also.

I have looked at the son of fermentation. Any Ideas?

Thanks for all the help!!!

Adam

 

[daksin]

SOFC may get you there, but I'm not positive you can do lagers in it. At the very least you'll be using 4 big jugs of ice and swapping them out really a lot. It's definitely a great place to start though.

 

[husker]

SOFC may get you there, but I'm not positive you can do lagers in it. At the very least you'll be using 4 big jugs of ice and swapping them out really a lot. It's definitely a great place to start though.

My only thing with it is it can only hold one carboy. Can I take one batch out and put another in after the initial fermentation is over?

 

[daksin]

My only thing with it is it can only hold one carboy. Can I take one batch out and put another in after the initial fermentation is over?

Not with a lager, obviously, but for ales, yea, that would be fine. Once active fermentation is over, I let most of my beers finish for a week or two at room temp (mid 70s) with no ill effects.

 

[BigRob]

I was considering mounting a 120mm fan in a piece of foamboard cut to fit my window (kind of like you would to mount a window A/C unit). Hook up a few feet of dryer ducting to it, and control it with an ebay temp controller, then run it as the cooling source for my SOFC this winter. Seems like a cheap way to use the long cold winter to my benefit. Also you can easily expand the SOFC to fit 2 carboys.

 

[mikeysab]

I'd try to find a mini fridge on CL for cheap. I just found one for 10 bucks, and that mofo gets cold. Extend it with some of that pink 2" styrofoam and youre good to go. If you got an extra 50 bucks, put a ebay temp conteoller on it, or you could just tweak the factory thermostat to get you in a decent range.

 

[bctdi]

If you want to do lagers, I would just go ahead and look for a chest freezer or fridge on craigslist and get a temp controller. You could be well setup for under 200 bucks. A chest freezer doesn't take up much room and you will have full control over your fermentation process. To me , that was the best brewing money I ever spent.

 

[Seven]

I wine chiller like this one should work fine for ales.

If you want to do lagers you will most likely need a freezer or fridge and an external temperature controller.

 

[buffalobrewer]

I'd go chest freezer also. That and a temp controller and you are in business. You might also check around the dorms at the end of the semester for a small fridge and use it to cool the fermentation chamber (search will yield many builds using a dorm fridge).

 

[BrewerDon]

I started with a SOFC and I still use it at times. Since your ambient temperature is 70-72, you can certainly do lagers with it. You will need to change out four gallons of ice once per day to stay in the 48 to 50 degree range. Now if you want to lager your lagers in the 30s you probably won't be able to do that with the SOFC.

I later obtained a frig for free. It takes some time but you can probably also find one for free or really cheap. But, you'll probably still have to buy a new thermostat or controller.

Price wise, it's hard to say which will be cheaper. If you have a an old mercury thermostat, pc fan, and 12 volt power supply laying around then the SOFC may be the way to go.

But, if you find a free or cheap frig with a good temp range then that may be the way to go.

A refrigerator with a temperature controller is the most versatile. You can do ales, lagers, and even super cold lagering and you don't have change ice all the time.

 

[husker]

Thanks for the help guys! I dont think the roommates are to high on another fridge I think the SOFC is the way to go. Has anyone built one? Is the electrical equipment hard to wire in? What thermostat did you use?

Cheers

 

[Diaperload]

What is SOFC?

What I use is a simple swamp cooler. I bought a plastic tray/bin for 5 bucks. Place your bucket in the tray, add 5" of water. Place an old t-shirt over the bucket. I already had a cheap box fan. Just point the fan at the bucket. Easy and cheap.

 

[TrubDog]

The size of a SOFC is bigger than a mini fridge. $25 eBay temp controller and a smaller $50 Craigslist fridge or freezer. Done!

(your roommates will forgive you when they taste the great brew you start producing!)

 

[mikeysab]

If you wanna be bothered swapping out bottles of ice every 12 hours, which take up a bunch of room in your freezer, then SIFC is for you. If you want a fridge or freezer to do the work for you, then hit CL and get one. The freezers are your best option, but theyre more expensive than mini fridges

 

[SwampassJ]

Cheapest would be a swamp cooler. Bucket of water with a tshirt over the carboy/bucket with a fan flowing on the t-shirt to evaporate the water and cool it a few degrees. With some ice bottles you can get a decent drop but it requires watching and swapping with the ice. Lagers can be done, huge pain in the ass.

I bought a new 7cf GE freezer which is on sale at Home Depot with free shipping for 168. and the temp controllers will set you back between 30 and 100+ depending on model and shop you buy it from. You can fit two 6 gallon carboys with room to spare for jars of washed yeast and some gallon jugs on the hump. This is what I call the set it and forget it method and it keeps the smelly rhinofarts out of the room until you open the lid.

 

[BrewerDon]

Thanks for the help guys! I dont think the roommates are to high on another fridge I think the SOFC is the way to go. Has anyone built one? Is the electrical equipment hard to wire in? What thermostat did you use?

Cheers

I have both: An SOFC and a frig w/ controller. The SOFC is fairly easy to wire. I used an old house thermostat (mercury rocker switch). If you already have the parts, you may save a little money. You will need the insulation, thermostat, PC fan, and 12 volt power supply. You also need glue or something to attach the insulation. By the time you buy all that you may as well go the frig route. Plus, you still need a freezer to freeze your ice.

Either way, your beer will greatly improve with temperature controlled fermentation.

 

[helibrewer]

If you live in a house, keep the freezer outside. If you are in an apartment it's a little tougher. You can convert a mini fridge into a larger cooling chamber. Your space availability is the real factor.