Bucket fermentation temp controller

[ehartunian]

Well, I'm sure this isn't original, but I thought of using a bit of copper tubing to act as a temp control system with a plastic bucket. The idea is to keep a cooler with ice water in it (I know, I have to refresh the cooler with ice probably every day), in the cooler is a submersible pond pump, and that pumps cold water through the tubing. The pump is controlled by a DIY STC1000-based temp controller. I'm still waiting for the pump to arrive, so I haven't tested, but here is a pic of the plumbing. The single copper tube is a DIY thermowell for the STC probe, then there is the copper coil (1/4 OD refrigerant line from HD), and an airlock will go through the grommet. I should get the pump in the next couple days, so I will post a test run. I just want to maintain a ferm temp, not trying to chill with this or lager (though I'm sure it will hold lager temps with enough ice water).
Anyone try this before?

Thanks for looking, Eric

 

[thekraken]

Didn't I read something somewhere about copper being no good for beer? Not wort, but beer. Maybe it was brass?

 

[alphaomega]

No, you are unfortunately (for the OP) correct. Beer is too acidic and will eat away at the copper. Not good for the beer and the coil.

 

[jerbrew]

Yea copper post fermentation can cause catalytic oxidation in your beer and start converting alcohols into aldehydes. It will prematurely stale your beer.

http://byo.com/malt/item/1144-metallurgy-for-homebrewers

good read from '07

 

[ehartunian]

Ok, I didn't know that since we all mostly use copper with immersion chillers- but I guess that is only for a brief period. I will still try this with water as a proof of concept, and then try to rig the same setup with SS tubing.

 

[thekraken]

For the record ehartunian, the concept is proven. Folks use SS coils like yours to chill their fermenters. Googling something like "glycol chilling homebrew" aught to turn up some relevant projects.

Though I don't think I've ever seen anyone do it with a bucket.

 

[kpr121]

A while back I used to fill my MLT rubbermaid cooler with ice water and place my immersion chiller inside. Connect inlet of immersion chiller to a pond pump. Put both the pump and outlet pipe in a large tub/water bath where my fermenters would sit in. Plugged the pump into a temperature controller so that it would kick on when the temps were too high, recirculate water through the IC and effectively cool down the water bath.

Kinda similar to the son of fermentation chambers but moving water instead of air. I had all the equipment already from other brewing needs and it would just sit around until the next brewday so I figured why not put it to use. All I had to do was replace ice every once in a while (maybe twice during fermentation).

It was very similar to what you are doing, except pumping the water from different places. Maybe you could salvage up something like that with what you have there. I don’t think I would be putting copper in my fermenters.

 

[dsniegocki]

OP, this is the basis on which the FTS system for the SS BrewTech buckets and chronicals work. A stainless coil fit onto the lid, with chilled water flowing through via a pump controlled with a temperature controller. Works very well. I eventually got sick of swapping ice, and keep an old keg in my keezer with sanitized water instead (pump inside the keg), with lines running to the bucket.

If you need to stick with the ice water, I'd recommend keeping sets of about 6-8 bottles of water in your freezer, and swap them in and out instead of using ice cubes. They will melt slower, and I find them more convenient.