Best Way To Control Temp

[Imburr]

My first brew in Oct I just let carboy sit in my finished garage. It is war during the day, and cool at night. I am sure the beer fluxed 10 degrees or more daily. Obviously, this was bad.

My second beer, I put it into my temperature controlled office. I taped a SensorPush thermometer to the outside, and I made sure my carboy external temp stayed within margins, between 65 and 72 degrees.

Moving forward, what is the best and most cost effective method for keeping my temp rock steady? Move the carboy into my basement where it is cooler, and use a thermometer lead and a heat wrap to ensure the temp is correct? Those heat wraps are good in a cool environment or for warmer beer... what about cooler brews?

My next brew will be a porter, I have not checked the temp requirements yet. But being able to control the temp for all of the beer that I brew, and pay less than $100 for it would be ideal.

 

[Toga]

There are a ton of ways to keep cool or warm. Some work better than others. I have tried most of the methods you will find in the forum, from swamp cooler to actual cooler with ice blocks and water, heat belts, and many more. In my opinion a fridge/freezer with a dual stage temp controller is the ideal fermentation chamber provided you have a place to put it. A used fridge or chest freezer can be had for free or cheap via craigslist and a dual stage temp controller can be purchased or put together for $25-$40. I am using a smaller counter top height fridge that does not have a freezer around 4.3CF with a temp controller. I bought the fridge new at a scratch and dent appliance store for $80 and spent another $25 or so for an atc1000 temp controller, wiring, wall socket, and project box to assemble it in. I added a heat pad for a waterbed I had laying around for heat and the set up gave me infinite control to ferment at whatever temp I need. My only regret is not investing in a fridge and temp controller to ferment in sooner. Having perfect temp control is the single biggest improvement I have made to my home brewery.

 

[PADave]

I didn't feel like chancing a craigslist find, so I just bought a new chest freezer for not much more than a used one. An Inkbird controller is plug and play. I had to add a heating pad for the cooler winter months to bump the temps up a few degrees when finishing out a fermentation. I also use a small fan that I run during active fermentation to keep air moving and hopefully temps more consistent. And lastly a small renewable dehumidifier to keep moisture from building up, which will happen when using a freezer. All told about $300, everything bought new, and I can hold +- 1 degree. Temp. control by far is the best improvement you can make for your brewing. Also with a fridge or freezer you could do lagers, and cold crash if you're into that.

 

[Imburr]

Alright! Here is what I have, and what I currently use it for:

Main fridge, used for family food.
Beer fridge, which is actually a wine cooler with glass front. This is filled with beer.
4.5 cf fridge with no freezer, which I am converting into a kegerator.
Full size fridge in basement, with separate freezer. We use this for long term beer storage, or when we have parties and excess food.
Deep Freezer, the kind that opens from the top. We do not use this much, just random freezing.

Could I use the deep freezer like you mention? Inside I would put some sort of heating element/pad and when the dual stage thermo needed heat it would turn it on to heat the inside of the freezer. When it needed to cool, the heater would turn off, and the freezer would be turned on, cooling the beer.

Seems like there might be issues where it would be hovering right at a temp, and cooling then heating then cooling then heating over and over. Is this not an issue?

I suppose I could purchase another 4.5 cf mini fridge, they are all over FB for $75 or less.

 

[Redtab78]

I use an old fridge with a temp controller externally mounted and a reptile infrared warming bulb for the heating element, and I can control my Temps exactly to am.1 degree perfectly with this set up....fridge was $50 in local classifieds, reptile warmer and socket was $20 on ebay (got the 150w one), and the controller cost about $10 as I built it myself from a Bayrite unit found on ebay.....connections were as easy as watching the youtube video....l

 

[GPP33]

Unless I need to get really warm for a Saison I just toss my carboy in a storage tub filled with water. If I need to cool it down a little a couple frozen water bottles takes care for it, if I need to warm it up an inexpensive aquarium heater does the trick. Not as fancy as a chest freezer but it also takes up less space and is a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

[PADave]

Alright! Here is what I have, and what I currently use it for:

Could I use the deep freezer like you mention? Inside I would put some sort of heating element/pad and when the dual stage thermo needed heat it would turn it on to heat the inside of the freezer. When it needed to cool, the heater would turn off, and the freezer would be turned on, cooling the beer.

Seems like there might be issues where it would be hovering right at a temp, and cooling then heating then cooling then heating over and over. Is this not an issue?

I suppose I could purchase another 4.5 cf mini fridge, they are all over FB for $75 or less.

Yes you can use the deep freeze. The heater is not necessary during fermentation, the yeast take care of producing heat, unless you have the freezer in a really cool place. I only use the heat pad in the winter when our basement is about 62 and I want to raise temps to 68 finish fermentation. With a freezer you need some sort of dehumidifier, because you will get a lot of moisture. I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD0FN8A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Bayer-Z28]

This kind of answers some of my main question as well.
My basement is a bit cold (55*f) and it's only going to get colder during the winter, but it's stable. So I guess using a storage freezer with a decent controller will work. I was wondering on how to keep the temperature up, but since the fermentation process produces heat, then it should bring the temp up inside the closed "freezer." I can wire in a controller. That doesn't bother me.
I guess until I have to run a small heating element when the temp gets pretty low in the winter.
Is that safe drier a bit of a heater also? Most go hand in hand.

 

[RM-MN]

This kind of answers some of my main question as well.
My basement is a bit cold (55*f) and it's only going to get colder during the winter, but it's stable. So I guess using a storage freezer with a decent controller will work. I was wondering on how to keep the temperature up, but since the fermentation process produces heat, then it should bring the temp up inside the closed "freezer." I can wire in a controller. That doesn't bother me.
I guess until I have to run a small heating element when the temp gets pretty low in the winter.
Is that safe drier a bit of a heater also? Most go hand in hand.

Ooh, perfect for Nottingham dry yeast as it ferments slow and very clean at that temp. Some people remark that this is like a lager yeast at that temp for it clean ferment.

Get a piece of old carpet or some plywood to set your fermenter on to insulate it from the cold floor. If it gets too cold for that get a big cardboard box to put over the fermenter and perhaps a small heater if it gets really cold. It's much easier to warm fermenting beer in a cold location than to chill it in a hot environment.

 

[Imburr]

What about a temp controller like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KMA6EAM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 Or is this too much capability and price wise?

 

[Bayer-Z28]

Ooh, perfect for Nottingham dry yeast as it ferments slow and very clean at that temp. Some people remark that this is like a lager yeast at that temp for it clean ferment.

Get a piece of old carpet or some plywood to set your fermenter on to insulate it from the cold floor. If it gets too cold for that get a big cardboard box to put over the fermenter and perhaps a small heater if it gets really cold. It's much easier to warm fermenting beer in a cold location than to chill it in a hot environment.

Oh sweet.. Thanks for the reply. I don't mean to jack OPs thread.

I have some rigid insulation scraps I can use to keep the floor temps from influencing the process... I can almost build a little enclosure for it come to think of it. I've heard I can do some Belgians at these temps too. That's what my main goal is to make some nice tripel or Quads.

 

[Redtab78]

What about a temp controller like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KMA6EAM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 Or is this too much capability and price wise?

that is perfect, plug the freezer/refridgerator into the cool side, and a very small personal heater (for about $10 at wally world) into the heat, set it and forget it! (for a few days anyway, unless your like me and like looking at it every single day:rockin

 

[Toga]

What about a temp controller like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KMA6EAM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 Or is this too much capability and price wise?

That will work. Here is another option for a bit less. These are popular and work well. https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B01MDSWXY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481132334&sr=8-1&keywords=inkbird+itc-308

 

[Sailingeric]

I got a small chest freezer at Home Depot for about $120, you could look on Craiglist for a used one. I have my temp controller to keep the temp down in the summer and in the winter I use a heat wrap around the frementer bucket to keep the wort warm.

 

[PADave]

Is that safe drier a bit of a heater also? Most go hand in hand.

No, just full of that silica gel beads. When they turn color you plug it in for a day or so which warms it up and dries it out. I usually can go months between recharges.

 

[PADave]

This is pretty much my setup:

Controller:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011296704/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Heating pad:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CO9BDOG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Fan:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OXTWZI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Dehumidifier:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD0FN8A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Like I said above, I only use the heating pad in the winter. I only keep the fan on the first few days, to try to keep the temps even. I also keep several gallons of water in the freezer to kind of act as a heat sink and help stabilize temps. The heating pad sits under them. Also, be sure to measure the temp of the wort, not the air temp. Either tape the sensor with some bubble wrap or insulating material to the fermenter or use a thermowell.

 

[GPP33]

Yes you can use the deep freeze. The heater is not necessary during fermentation, the yeast take care of producing heat, unless you have the freezer in a really cool place. I only use the heat pad in the winter when our basement is about 62 and I want to raise temps to 68 finish fermentation. With a freezer you need some sort of dehumidifier, because you will get a lot of moisture. I use this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD0FN8A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Saisons like to ferment warm, I did one at 85-90 degrees which required me to put a space heater in the keezer. The OP will probably fight the same condensation issues you do but for those of us who live where your skin turns into jerky and 20% is "high humidity" it's really not much of an issue.

 

[Imburr]

So then, what is the best way to resolve the humidity issues? Running a small dehumidifier seems like it could be problemmatic... Unless I vent the dehumidifier out of the side of the freezer or something.

 

[naturebrew]

My setup is pretty basic and works well in my cool basement, on each fermenter I have a pipe heater tape with the thermostat removed wired into one of these temp controllers https://www.amazon.com/bayite-Fahrenheit-Digital-Temperature-Controller/dp/B011VGASLW/ref=sr_1_8?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1481224042&sr=1-8&keywords=temperature+controller

I wrap the fermenters with foil bubble wrap insulation which saves on energy as it keeps the heat in when you need it, I don't put this on until the initial fermentation has completed and the temp starts dropping into the zone I want.

Works great on my three 15 gal sanke kegs and allows me to brew a different type of beer in each keg.

 

[Kharnynb]

if you have a cold cellar, you can just make a swamp "warmer" instead of cooler:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=568659

just needs a stc-1000, a big bucket and a aquarium heater.

 

[mredge73]

I have a stand up frost free freezer purchased from a second hand appliance store. It was under $150 for sure.
Anyway the schematic was stickered on the back so I rewired the thing with a STC1000 controlling the processes.
While it is plugged in the fan runs continuous. When the cool relay is triggered the compressor comes on, when the heat relay is triggered the defroster element comes on.
This gives me full range temperature control without adding additional heaters. When the compressor is on it dehumidifies automatically but I also added an Eva-dry dehumidifier.

 

[PADave]

So then, what is the best way to resolve the humidity issues? Running a small dehumidifier seems like it could be problemmatic... Unless I vent the dehumidifier out of the side of the freezer or something.

What I posted above or something similar.

 

[VeloxGuy]

I just ordered a low voltage heater in an ink temp controller.
Will put the heater and carboys in a cupboard in the garage and plug heater I to temp controller.

Will monitor closely for a while and maybe get a small fan to circulate air.

Am looking forward to seeing the difference it makes. In the beer. Until now I was fermenting in the sore room in the basement. Was fairly cool but not very consistent temp. Plus, now my mother in law is in that room and for some reason doesn't want the bubbling, giggling, and smell from the carbon. She's not very reasonable.

 

[RM-MN]

I just ordered a low voltage heater in an ink temp controller.
Will put the heater and carboys in a cupboard in the garage and plug heater I to temp controller.

Will monitor closely for a while and maybe get a small fan to circulate air.

Am looking forward to seeing the difference it makes. In the beer. Until now I was fermenting in the sore room in the basement. Was fairly cool but not very consistent temp. Plus, now my mother in law is in that room and for some reason doesn't want the bubbling, giggling, and smell from the carbon. She's not very reasonable.

Can you move her to a closet. Surely your beer is more important than a happy marriage.

 

[vallonswayla]

My first brew in Oct I just let carboy sit in my finished garage. It is war during the day, and cool at night. I am sure the beer fluxed 10 degrees or more daily. Obviously, this was bad.

My second beer, I put it into my temperature controlled office. I taped a SensorPush thermometer to the outside, and I made sure my carboy external temp stayed within margins, between 65 and 72 degrees.

Moving forward, what is the best and most cost effective method for keeping my temp rock steady? Move the carboy into my basement where it is cooler, and use a thermometer lead and a heat wrap to ensure the temp is correct? Those heat wraps are good in a cool environment or for warmer beer... what about cooler brews?

My next brew will be a porter, I have not checked the temp requirements yet. But being able to control the temp for all of the beer that I brew, and pay less than $100 for it would be ideal.

I know this is an old thread, but did the SensorPush work ok for you? I just picked one up but won't be able to test out for a month or two.

 

[Brews and Blues]

On a similar topic: I have a American Cream Ale in the carboy in my basement. It bubbled like crazy just like it was supposed to for the first 3 days, slowed on the 4th and then stopped at day 5-6. Its been 12 days now and for some reason I looked at my thermometer while I was down there and realized that the temp is about 56 degrees in my basement. I didn't realize it was that cool. Will this effect the fermentation much? It seems like it fermented just as expected even though it was in a cool environment. I have also read that it may just effect the taste a bit.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

My first brew in Oct I just let carboy sit in my finished garage. It is war during the day, and cool at night. I am sure the beer fluxed 10 degrees or more daily. Obviously, this was bad.

My second beer, I put it into my temperature controlled office. I taped a SensorPush thermometer to the outside, and I made sure my carboy external temp stayed within margins, between 65 and 72 degrees.

Moving forward, what is the best and most cost effective method for keeping my temp rock steady? Move the carboy into my basement where it is cooler, and use a thermometer lead and a heat wrap to ensure the temp is correct? Those heat wraps are good in a cool environment or for warmer beer... what about cooler brews?

My next brew will be a porter, I have not checked the temp requirements yet. But being able to control the temp for all of the beer that I brew, and pay less than $100 for it would be ideal.

Basement is best. Way back when brewers used caves and or carved out caves to put their fermenting skills to work the temp stays consistent and at a degree needed to brew. My basement keeps a consistent 64-66 degrees. Needed a higher temp would require a heater of some sort.

 

[WBB]

This. I just built my second one so I could ferment more than one at a time. Can dial in within 2* between 55* and 75* with just a fermwrap heating pad and two frozen gallon jugs of water. Could probably even go beyond those temp limits if needed. Cost...without itc308 or fermwarp, about $45. And it’s easily moveable.

 

[vallonswayla]

This. I just built my second one so I could ferment more than one at a time. Can dial in within 2* between 55* and 75* with just a fermwrap heating pad and two frozen gallon jugs of water. Could probably even go beyond those temp limits if needed. Cost...without itc308 or fermwarp, about $45. And it’s easily moveable.

View attachment 663497

Nice. This is my current project. Have the pieces cut, just need to do the rest now.