controlling refrigerator temps, probe or no probe?

[happyinsonoma]

I was trying to decide whether to use my ranco tempstat in the actual liquid w/ the stopper attatched or just leave the probe dangling mid fridge level. I was a bit worried with the temp swing of about 7 degrees its having from day to night it would mess with it a bit. I'm not going to add it this round but the next round I was thinking I might since the temp in the liquid would change much slower.

What do you guys do?

 

[djsethall]

I would put in liquid. Thats me though and I'm sure someone will disagree.

 

[wildwest450]

Why control ambient air temp or a glass of water? Control the temp of the beer or fermenter.

Tape it to the side of either, it's just that simple.


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[JuanMoore]

Why control ambient air temp or a glass of water? Control the temp of the beer or fermenter.

Tape it to the side of either, it's just that simple.


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+1
And if you really want to get crazy tape a folded up paper towel or rag over the probe to insulate it.

 

[GatorDad]

Because beer is mostly water? Or maybe because there's more than one carboy in the fermenter and yanking down the temps to get the new carboy to temps is going to shock the other carboys already in there and at temp?

Stick it in a bottle of water that has a permanent home - it's more simpler and ultimately a more smooth temp curve for your fermentables.

Why control ambient air temp or a glass of water? Control the temp of the beer or fermenter.

Tape it to the side of either, it's just that simple.


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[JuanMoore]

Because beer is mostly water? Or maybe because there's more than one carboy in the fermenter and yanking down the temps to get the new carboy to temps is going to shock the other carboys already in there and at temp?

Stick it in a bottle of water that has a permanent home - it's more simpler and ultimately a more smooth temp curve for your fermentables.

I'm still a fan of taping to the fermenter. I tried the bottle of water, and the active fermenter was often 4-5F hotter than the bottle. I tape to the most recent batch since temp is no longer that important for the previous ones in the ferm chamber. Not saying it's the "right" way to do it, just how I do it. I'm also careful to get close to the ferm temp before pitching the yeast and putting it in the ferm chamber though.

 

[djsethall]

If you wanted to get all crazy and stuff you could get a thermowell and a double holed stopper for the ultimate in accuracy. I think thats what the guy at this site does. He has some youtube videos that are rather informative.

 

[DeafSmith]

I attach a gel pack (to keep yeast cool in shipping) to the side of my carboy with some insulation over it (an old folded up T-shirt at the moment). I secure these with a bungee cord around the carboy, then stick the probe under the gel pack; i.e., between the gel pack and the carboy. Kind of simulates having the probe in a thermo-well inside the carboy. Set my controller for a 1º F differential. I just recently started doing this, but it seems to be working well.

 

[wildwest450]

Because beer is mostly water? Or maybe because there's more than one carboy in the fermenter and yanking down the temps to get the new carboy to temps is going to shock the other carboys already in there and at temp?

Stick it in a bottle of water that has a permanent home - it's more simpler and ultimately a more smooth temp curve for your fermentables.

Good thinking. I'll control the fermentation temp of 5-6 gallons beer by putting the probe in a 8oz glass of water. That glass of water will surely account for ramping fermentation temps. Makes perfect sense.


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[EllisTX]

The probe on my Johnson controller says it's not able to be submerged in water. Is there another substance it could be placed in? Petroleum jelly maybe?

 

[wildwest450]

The probe on my Johnson controller says it's not able to be submerged in water. Is there another substance it could be placed in? Petroleum jelly maybe?

Why, are you checking the temp of the jelly? You're sick btw.


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[EllisTX]

Why, are you checking the temp of the jelly? You're sick btw.


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Hey,us brewers have to pay attention to every detail.

 

[GatorDad]

It's often hard to let go of your own dogma, so I'm proud of you.

Those 5/6 gallons of beer couldn't possibly effect the temperature of that measly 8oz of water... I mean all those gallons of beer are only 80 to 96 times the mass of that water. Why on earth would I want to place my temp probe in a environment that buffers some pretty crazy temp changes?

No, wait, let me instead place my probe at some arbitrary place on a fermenter, ignore internal temps, and then mix that temp reading with ambient air temp and call that accurate instead. Sure, whatever.

Bottom line: you have a rather wide variance in the fermenting temp range with most yeasts. Make an effort, using any method you wish, and odds are your beer will turn out great.

Good thinking. I'll control the fermentation temp of 5-6 gallons beer by putting the probe in a 8oz glass of water. That glass of water will surely account for ramping fermentation temps. Makes perfect sense.


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