Cold Weather Brewing

[Djgibson202]

It's starting to cool off and I wanted some advice on how to continue brewing through the next couple of months. I currently have a deep freezer that is hooked up to a Johnson Control A419ABG-3C. I purchased a Carboy heater from AIH last winter and was wondering if anyone has used this with the Johnson control during the cooler months and if so, how would you recommend setting it up?


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[JR_Brewer]

Did you get the brew belt, the heating pad (blue one), or something else?

 

[andrewmaixner]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/gtsear...homebrewtalk.com/forum.php&ss=3364j1281370j12

Search link for "cold weather"

 

[Djgibson202]

JR_brewer, this is the one I have: http://www.homebrewing.org/Carboy-Heater_p_1732.html



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[JR_Brewer]

Ok, great, I've got that one too, but didn't see it on the AIH at first. I use electric tape to secure it to the outside of a glass carboy. I read somewhere they aren't supposed to be attached to plastic, but I've heard plenty of people say it's ok to do. Your call if you have plastic.

Then the trick is how to place the temperature probe. My opinion, the best option is to get a thermal well like this one. I've heard of people just taping the probe to the outside of the carboy, but I can't imagine that's very accurate. I've also heard of people just dropping the probe into the beer, but I haven't tried, and didn't want the mess.

FYI, I use a completely different setup when I ferment in my 3 gallon better bottles (much narrower and plastic). I put the better bottle inside a plastic fermenter bucket and fill the space between the 2 with water. I drop an aquarium heater in the water and hook it up to the controller and put the probe in the water.

Hope this helps!

 

[Djgibson202]

I ordered one tonight from AIH. Thanks for the advice. I will let you know how the beer turns out.


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