Control fermentation temp.

[Moose_MI]

How do you maintain steady temp with this method? I’m assuming you would have to use a thermowell for this?

The goal in my brewery is just good beer. My fermentation temps need to be steady enough to not produce off flavors. In my brewery that means I only need to keep my ale yeast from spiking above 66ish for the first few days when fermentation is most active. My ambient is ~69F so the first few days is really the only time I need to worry about it. After the first few days, ambient of 68-72F is not a concern in my brewery.
So, a water bath with an ice pack dropped in once or twice a day for the first 3 days is plenty of cooling power to not let my fermentation temp get to a point it’s going to be harmful....at least in my brewery.

To each their own...I think ferm chambers are awesome and if OP gets one and it makes a difference then he should keep it. If it turns out his ambient just needs a little help with a water bath then maybe his ferm chamber can become. Keezer helped the beer in my brewery a lot more then the ferm chamber.

Just my 2 cents...brew on!

 

[3 Dawg Night]

My ambient is ~69F so the first few days is really the only time I need to worry about it.

So, there's the rub. Ambient in my Alabama garage in July is roughly 8-gajillion degrees. I tried a swamp cooler/ice bath on my first couple of brews, but it just didn't cut it. The fermentation chamber is some of the best money I've ever spent.

 

[Moose_MI]

So, there's the rub. Ambient in my Alabama garage in July is roughly 8-gajillion degrees. I tried a swamp cooler/ice bath on my first couple of brews, but it just didn't cut it. The fermentation chamber is some of the best money I've ever spent.

Absolutely...no doubt..you nailed it. As OP is saying that he’s going to put the ferm chamber in his condo I am assuming his ambient is reasonable and he may not require the same level of control that you bama fellers do in the garage.

brew on!

 

[Fewk]

So, there's the rub. Ambient in my Alabama garage in July is roughly 8-gajillion degrees. I tried a swamp cooler/ice bath on my first couple of brews, but it just didn't cut it. The fermentation chamber is some of the best money I've ever spent.

my garage in NC is a bit cooler, 3-4 gajillion degrees, and out temp in house is 77°F so a ferm chamber is definitely warranted.

I was going to add, the mini fridge as a ferm chamber can be repurposed / dual-purposed as a kegerator.

 

[Moose_MI]

my garage in NC is a bit cooler, 3-4 gajillion degrees, and out temp in house is 77°F so a ferm chamber is definitely warranted.

I was going to add, the mini fridge as a ferm chamber can be repurposed / dual-purposed as a kegerator.

If my house temp was 77F I’d be sitting in my ferm chamber.

 

[DVCNick]

I'd probably give up my kegerator before my ferm chamber.
Just kidding, but not really.
Once you've experienced the ease of setting a temp with a controller and theoretically being able to walk away for three weeks, you are never going back to an ice bath.

Re humidity: I've never done anything to actively dehumidify it, but mine is inside in the AC'd air so it is sitting in relatively low humidity which I'm sure helps. Also I just leave it open to dry completely if and when I'm not using it.
Maybe more of a problem if you are going to keep it in an non AC'd garage.

 

[ChiknNutz]

my garage in NC is a bit cooler, 3-4 gajillion degrees, and out temp in house is 77°F so a ferm chamber is definitely warranted.

I was going to add, the mini fridge as a ferm chamber can be repurposed / dual-purposed as a kegerator.

I am also in NC, moved last year from western WA state where its obviously much cooler on average. What is it about the garage that it's so f'n hot all the time?! I thought it was just mine for some reason. I also keep my house at 76-77 for the most part, guess it's about being acclimated.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

I am also in NC, moved last year from western WA state where its obviously much cooler on average. What is it about the garage that it's so f'n hot all the time?! I thought it was just mine for some reason. I also keep my house at 76-77 for the most part, guess it's about being acclimated.

My garage is on the west side of my house, so it get's the FULL afternoon sun.

 

[Fewk]

If my house temp was 77F I’d be sitting in my ferm chamber.

lol I’m mostly used to it but will break a sweat running the vacuum.

I am also in NC, moved last year from western WA state where its obviously much cooler on average. What is it about the garage that it's so f'n hot all the time?! I thought it was just mine for some reason. I also keep my house at 76-77 for the most part, guess it's about being acclimated.

My garage is on the west side of my house, so it get's the FULL afternoon sun.

My garage also faces west and gets full exposure of the afternoon sun. No HVAC nor insulation for the garage itself = crazy heat.

 

[Moose_MI]

lol I’m mostly used to it but will break a sweat running the vacuum.

I’m fat...I’d break a sweat blinking hard

 

[Rick Crane]

Hello,
Do I need to keep my carboy at 64 degrees for 2 weeks? Or can I take it out of the cooler at some point and leave at room temp. When I rack to the secondary do I need to put the carboy back in the cooler at 64 degrees for 2 weeks? Thanks, it's my first beer using my chest freezer for fermenting. I am making an Irish Stout.

 

[IslandLizard]

Hello,
Do I need to keep my carboy at 64 degrees for 2 weeks? Or can I take it out of the cooler at some point and leave at room temp. When I rack to the secondary do I need to put the carboy back in the cooler at 64 degrees for 2 weeks? Thanks, it's my first beer using my chest freezer for fermenting. I am making an Irish Stout.

Keep it coolish/controlled until fermentation has slowed down significantly, but ideally not quite completely. You could turn the temp controller up a little toward the end, say 1 or 2 degrees per day, when things have slowed down, or move it into a warmer area. By doing this, you encourage the yeast to keep fermenting and finish up. It slides into the condition phase, so leave it there for a week to 2 weeks, depending on the beer and other things. It should then be ready to package if gravity is stable and at or near projected FG.

Please, do not rack to a secondary!
They're not needed and may (will) cause trouble while solving nothing. Leave it in the primary. Secondaries are still (tenaciously) mentioned in kit instructions, but for no good reason.

 

[Rick Crane]

Keep it coolish/controlled until fermentation has slowed down significantly, but ideally not quite completely. You could turn the temp controller up a little toward the end, say 1 or 2 degrees per day, when things have slowed down, or move it into a warmer area. By doing this, you encourage the yeast to keep fermenting and finish up. It slides into the condition phase, so leave it there for a week to 2 weeks, depending on the beer and other things. It should then be ready to package if gravity is stable and at or near projected FG.

Please, do not rack to a secondary!
They're not needed and may (will) cause trouble while solving nothing. Leave it in the primary. Secondary's are still (tenaciously) mentioned in kit instructions, but for no good reason.

Thanks for the advice about not using a secondary. I was never too keen on using the secondary, I just thought it was part of the process and went with it. Time to order my next beer kit. Belgian all grain I think.
Erik

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks for the advice about not using a secondary. I was never too keen on using the secondary, I just thought it was part of the process and went with it. Time to order my next beer kit. Belgian all grain I think.
Erik

There is some use for secondaries, for bulk aging past 1-2 months, or mixed fermentation sours.

But for most routine (>99.99%) homebrewed beers there is no advantage or very little if the transfer can be done properly under CO2 into 100% liquid pre-purged secondaries (e.g., kegs).

Also, any air/oxygen ingress when dry hopping will cause oxidation and ruin hop sensation quickly, so even when doing that in the primary, one needs to be diligent.

 

[Beermeister32]

My vote is for a 4.4 cubic foot mini fridge. Holds one carboy or two Corny kegs. Front loading makes for easy work and beer tasks.

 

[Rick Crane]

I like the accessibility you have with the standup fridge. I like to watch the fermentation action sometimes. I can only see the top while in the chest freezer. I have a harness on my carboy to put it in and lift it out of the chest freezer. I bought a humidifier too for the freezer. It works good, no more moisture accumulating and the smell of mold is gone. Mold was growing on the harness for the carboy.
New and Improved Eva-dry E-500 Renewable Mini Dehumidifier

 

[IslandLizard]

My vote is for a 4.4 cubic foot mini fridge. Holds one carboy or two Corny kegs. Front loading makes for easy work and beer tasks.View attachment 704422

You're using aluminum foil instead of regular airlocks? Any advantage other than omitting the needed space on top?

BTW, I noticed pinholes developing in the aluminum foil used for starter "hoods." I now cover those foil hoods with some Starsaned plastic wrap.