Cheap wine cooler as a fermenter?

[ryno1ryno]

Anyone use a cheap wine cooler fridge as a fermenter? Of course, it has to be temp controlled at least.

I was searching google, came across Wal Mart's cheap wine fridges... and I am curious of what is 'good enough' and 'cheap enough' fridge?

One that can hold a carboy or a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[erikpete18]

I don't know that I've ever seen one big enough to fit a carboy into, but there's no reason it wouldn't work for ale temps. I'd be surprised if they could get cold enough for lagering in them, but I could be wrong. Personally, I went with a cheap, taller mini-fridge off of craigslist and built a small collar for it so my 6.5gal carboy would fit. Still don't know if the insulation would be good enough to hold it at lagering temps, but I can get cool enough for crashing without worrying about leaking too much cold air. Might be something to think about if you can find any good Christmas deals on mini-fridges. You'd also have to get a temp controller, but the ability to use a thermowell and sink the probe into the wort rather than just measure the ambient air made that cost sting a little less.

 

[eastoak]

i use a wine cooler as a fermentation chamber, have a lager in it right now since it's the cooler time of yr here and it will get into the low 40's.