Carboy Fermenting Chilling and Warming Extra Cheap Method?

[mister704]

What do you all think of this? I am thinking since I don't have much room in the garage that I can use and inflatable cool with the inflatable lid to help keep the carboy down in lager temps of 45F-50F or less. Just add some ice and water and seal the lid and let it roll. That should easily keep the temp down.

After this brew, my next is a Belgian Strong Golden Ale which will require the temps to change over time. Thinking of using a fish tank warmer to increase its temperature gradually.

The cooler is 20x20x26 which will easy fit the carboy and airlock.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008WXMX4I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[BigFloyd]

Interesting idea. I'd be a little afraid of it deflating in the middle of a ferment or the fish tank heater getting stuck to it and melting a hole in the thin vinyl.

 

[mmertz]

Why don't you try this? www.cool-brewing.com

 

[BigFloyd]

Why don't you try this? www.cool-brewing.com

For the price of that insulated sleeve with freight ($65), he could spend just a few more dollars and have a used Craigslist fermenter freezer or fridge with an STC-1000 controller and be able to precisely control temps (even for lagers).

 

[Skep18]

60qt cube ($25) n some spray insulation($3). Cut a hole in the lid to stick the airlock out the top. For a 6gal carboy, you cut a bigger hole on the bottom of the lid and smaller on the top n some of the carboy sticks out. Fill said lid with insulation spray foam. I cover the exposed carboy with a towel to keep light out.

Fill the cooler with the carboy inside up to the beer level in the carboy so it won't float. Place a digital thermometer probe in there, check it daily. Keep cool with 3/4 full bottled water which you can freeze. Even during active fermentation, I keep my tub within 2*F (i.e. 64-66*F at all times) and change my bottle (one bottle only usually) once a day AT MOST. After 5 days or so, I do a bottle maybe once every other day. After 8 days or so, I don't worry about it anymore, primary fermentation and yeast growth has been over. You measure the water temp since water transfers heat much better than air, you can be certain the temp difference between the beer and water is negligible.

To heat the beer, instead of frozen bottles, use your aquarium heater. Same method, less hassle.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...LA_018787028&gclid=CJm7oJbvxLwCFeRi7Aodi3EAPg

 

[mister704]

^^6 Just saw this on another thread. What about this technique for lagers? Will this stay at a respectful 45-50 degrees?

 

[mister704]

For the price of that insulated sleeve with freight ($65), he could spend just a few more dollars and have a used Craigslist fermenter freezer or fridge with an STC-1000 controller and be able to precisely control temps (even for lagers).

I think this is what I am going to do. So it can just be one and done.

 

[Skep18]

^^6 Just saw this on another thread. What about this technique for lagers? Will this stay at a respectful 45-50 degrees?

I've not tried it yet, but I don't see why not. The unit holds temp quite well, however, with the bigger temp difference, you'll just go through more frozen bottles.

I think this is what I am going to do. So it can just be one and done.

And that way is obviously the most widely accepted on here given you have the resources. However, your mobility may be a little more limited and you're forced to keep it plugged in, pulling power (read $$$, although not much), etc. With the cooler, I can throw it in a closet when not using it (I don't have a dedicated beer room yet) and use it anywhere in the house. And my cooler can't crap out on me and break.

But if you're looking to frequently lager, this probably would be the least hassle and most reliable method, unless of course you stay home all day for 10 days of fermentation, lol.

 

[mister704]

Thanks. The mobility is key for me so I might just do that. I am on the secondary and it is roughly 46F in the garage which is just not low enough so I am going to see if i can pick this up today.

What about ice cubes and water like if you were actually putting beers in a cooler. I know that always is cooler.

 

[Skep18]

Thanks. The mobility is key for me so I might just do that. I am on the secondary and it is roughly 46F in the garage which is just not low enough so I am going to see if i can pick this up today.

What about ice cubes and water like if you were actually putting beers in a cooler. I know that always is cooler.

The bottle actually helps regulate a bit the speed at which the ice melts, which is a good thing as I see it. You don't want dramatic temperature swings if you can help it. You'll notice if you toss in ice cubes, they melt pretty quick. If you throw in a frozen bottle, you'll see the melted water in the bottle sort of buffers the temp difference between the ice in the bottle and the cooler. By no means is this way better or anything than ice cubes, but you can see the difference.

And nice thing about bottles is you learn how much a difference adding one bottle makes. For me, its usually 1-2*F. So if I want to go from 68 to 66, I add one bottle.

Also, bottles can be refrozen. I keep about 6-8 bottles in the freezer (I have 2 of these chambers) so its not like its a continuous cost to use this method.

Having said all that, ice cubes directly thrown in will definitely get the desired result of lowering the temperature should you not want to freeze bottles and/or you have to do this tonight as it sounds and don't have the luxury of having time to freeze water bottles.

I did notice you're in secondary. Are you lagering or doing an ale? If its an ale, fermentation is over by secondary and I wouldn't sweat temperature control. Sitting at anything reasonably close to room temperature, in my experience, I don't get any undesirable flavors in my ales. Off flavors develop primarily during the early and active stages of fermentation. After 8 or 10 days fermentation is usually over or slowing and precise temp has little effect on flavor in my experience.

One last thing, being it's cold, I had issues back in November when I bought mine, getting these coolers in stores. I ordered site-to-store at Walmart.

 

[mister704]

I am lagering. Which is why I am trying to get it down. Its sitting roughly 46f in my garage until my wife pulls her car in then it goes up. If I can get into one of these types of coolers, I could bring it inside and still maintain the temp.

and you are right....I cannot find that cooler anywhere right now so I might have to do the same thing. Order site-to-store

 

[Skep18]

I am lagering. Which is why I am trying to get it down. Its sitting roughly 46f in my garage until my wife pulls her car in then it goes up. If I can get into one of these types of coolers, I could bring it inside and still maintain the temp.

and you are right....I cannot find that cooler anywhere right now so I might have to do the same thing. Order site-to-store

Yea, if your ambient temp is ~46*F, to get it down to lager temp will be as easy as I get my ales to stay at 64*F when my ambient temp is ~72*F, room temp. Its about differences in temp, so you'll be fine. I'd suspect you'll add very few frozen bottles throughout the day.

 

[strangr419]

What's the consensus on the 60 quart cooler method? I want a better system than what I have now, which is basically my closet and keeping the a/cat 71. I'm thinking about buying the 60q for my next brew.


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[mister704]

What's the consensus on the 60 quart cooler method? I want a better system than what I have now, which is basically my closet and keeping the a/cat 71. I'm thinking about buying the 60q for my next brew.


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If you have the ability to do so, I would just opt for a fridge on Craigslist. I found a old one for $40 and then spent $20 on supplies to build a collar onto the do so now I can ensure everything is correct.

Basically my setup now is.

And I purchased a Flexwatt Heat Tape 2feet X 11 inch for $15 shipped which I wrapped around my ferm bucket/carboy

And connected it all to a STC-1000 temp controller so I can get each temp I need when I need it.

 

[strangr419]

Nice setup! I wish I had the room for that type of system. My garage already has a large freezer (food, no beer :/) and my kegerator. Not sure I can fit another fridge in there. Thanks for the reply.
Skep18 can you post some photos of your ice cube cooler. Does a 6 gallon bucket fit in there or carboys only. I've never fermented in the carboy. I typically use the bucket then transfer to carboy after a couple weeks.
Thank you everyone!

 

[Skep18]

Nice setup! I wish I had the room for that type of system. My garage already has a large freezer (food, no beer :/) and my kegerator. Not sure I can fit another fridge in there. Thanks for the reply.
Skep18 can you post some photos of your ice cube cooler. Does a 6 gallon bucket fit in there or carboys only. I've never fermented in the carboy. I typically use the bucket then transfer to carboy after a couple weeks.
Thank you everyone!

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of my setup right now and I'm not at home. While I have no qualms against the ferm chamber, to say, "just go out and spend $40 on CL, $20 on supplies, $15 on heater, $20 on STC and build something with quite a bit of time invested and spend money continuously on the energy bill of an ancient minifridge, etc" just doesn't cut it for me. But to each their own.

If you have the ability to check the temp once or max twice a day, this method is easier to build, easier to maintain, maybe a push on initial cost/maybe a bit cheaper, and very mobile (i.e. when I'm done fermenting, the coolers go in a closet stacked for storage, out of the way.)

I would imagine a bucket would fit with the regular lid and a cutout for a blowoff/air lock, but if it doesn't you have 2 options:

1) Build a "custom" lid using insulation foam board from your local big box store (Lowes, HD, etc.) and cut out and stack layers to increase the height needed to accommodate the extra height.

2) Get the larger 70qt cube (link) which may be taller for your needs.

To note, both coolers have dimensions listed on the igloo site. I think the 60qt only has exterior dimensions, but nonetheless, just check and see if you bucket diameter and height is any different than a 6gal carboy. All in all, you should be able to make it work.

One thing to note, there is a hump on the bottom interior of the cooler. My 6gal barely rests on the hump a bit. If your bucket has a bigger diameter, it might not go as deep into the cooler. But unless its outrageously different, you can stack foam layers or build a lid to accommodate whatever height you need.

I'll try and remember to take some photos, but literally, it looks like the Cube cooler with about 2" of carboy neck and the airlock sticking out the middle. Nothing revealing really.

 

[Skep18]

Enough ppl asking, I might make a thread about this. Works so well and easy, I'm surprised no one has made on yet.

 

[mister704]

Well, I was going to do the cooler method but I am a stickler for keeping things regulated.

My fridge cost about $40 a year to run. And that is/if when it is running. I will only have it plugged in when I am using it for fermentation. Else it will be sitting in the garage.

 

[Dolomieu]

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of my setup right now and I'm not at home. While I have no qualms against the ferm chamber, to say, "just go out and spend $40 on CL, $20 on supplies, $15 on heater, $20 on STC and build something with quite a bit of time invested and spend money continuously on the energy bill of an ancient minifridge, etc" just doesn't cut it for me. But to each their own.

If you have the ability to check the temp once or max twice a day, this method is easier to build, easier to maintain, maybe a push on initial cost/maybe a bit cheaper, and very mobile (i.e. when I'm done fermenting, the coolers go in a closet stacked for storage, out of the way.)

I would imagine a bucket would fit with the regular lid and a cutout for a blowoff/air lock, but if it doesn't you have 2 options:

1) Build a "custom" lid using insulation foam board from your local big box store (Lowes, HD, etc.) and cut out and stack layers to increase the height needed to accommodate the extra height.

2) Get the larger 70qt cube (link) which may be taller for your needs.

To note, both coolers have dimensions listed on the igloo site. I think the 60qt only has exterior dimensions, but nonetheless, just check and see if you bucket diameter and height is any different than a 6gal carboy. All in all, you should be able to make it work.

One thing to note, there is a hump on the bottom interior of the cooler. My 6gal barely rests on the hump a bit. If your bucket has a bigger diameter, it might not go as deep into the cooler. But unless its outrageously different, you can stack foam layers or build a lid to accommodate whatever height you need.

I'll try and remember to take some photos, but literally, it looks like the Cube cooler with about 2" of carboy neck and the airlock sticking out the middle. Nothing revealing really.

just doesn't cut it for me

 

[Skep18]

Quick photo. Easy. Cheap. Effective. Physics would prove more effective than air-to-glass cooling even, i.e. ferm chamber. Thanks thermal conductivity of water! But hey, don't take my word for it. Professional breweries ferm chambers are even liquid cooled.

People will try and disagree, but it's the nature of man to try and over complicate things in the name of a hobby.

Note, obviously these are empty at the moment, lol.

 

[strangr419]

I brewed this weekend and wasn't able to drill a hole wide enough. I bought a 4 1/8 circular saw and bit but it didnt fit on my standard drill. So I'm currently fermenting with the lid open and have been able to maintain an average of 62-65*. Here's a pic



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[strangr419]

How long are you all leaving it in the swamp cooler? I assume at some point 7-10 days fermentation has slowed enough to move into room temps. What do you all recommend?


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[Skep18]

I brewed this weekend and wasn't able to drill a hole wide enough. I bought a 4 1/8 circular saw and bit but it didnt fit on my standard drill. So I'm currently fermenting with the lid open and have been able to maintain an average of 62-65*. Here's a pic

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Glad to see its working out for you!

How long are you all leaving it in the swamp cooler? I assume at some point 7-10 days fermentation has slowed enough to move into room temps. What do you all recommend?

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At first, I kept it in there, temp regulated the whole time it was in the carboy (i.e. 2-3 weeks). However, as time went on and I became more familiar with brewing, I play it by ear and just keep it temp regulated while the airlock is showing significant activity. As mentioned above, 7-10 days sounds about right. For the first few days, you have to visit it maybe twice a day. After that, because fermentation has slowed and the beer is putting off less heat, you maybe have to add an ice bottle every other day or less.