Fermentation chamber and Keezer build

[MadHomebrewer]

Just picked up the below chest freezer yesterday! I've been brewing one gallon batches and want to get into 5 gallon batches and kegging. My plan is to ferment and then use it as a keezer between fermentations. Now I need to order a ITC-1000F off of amazon to build a temp controller! I live in FL so I don't see myself using the heat side of the controller.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1434629525.165120.jpg

 

[DrunkleJon]

Sounds like a plan, that the 5 cu foot one? The biggest problem with your plan is that you will have to wait between kegs for the next one to ferment/carbonate. Ways to possibly help that would be to brew/ferment larger or just two batches at a time and bottle one batch and keg the rest so you have bottles to rely on while your keezer is being occupied as a ferm chamber. Just a thought because I have been seeing people trying this sort of thing a lot recently and I wouldnt know what to do without being able to pull a HB when waiting on fermentation.

You going with a coffin or collar style keezer? Regardless be sure to go with some sort of humidity control in there or it will be mouldy and gross quicker than you realize.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Sounds like a plan, that the 5 cu foot one? The biggest problem with your plan is that you will have to wait between kegs for the next one to ferment/carbonate. Ways to possibly help that would be to brew/ferment larger or just two batches at a time and bottle one batch and keg the rest so you have bottles to rely on while your keezer is being occupied as a ferm chamber. Just a thought because I have been seeing people trying this sort of thing a lot recently and I wouldnt know what to do without being able to pull a HB when waiting on fermentation.

You going with a coffin or collar style keezer? Regardless be sure to go with some sort of humidity control in there or it will be mouldy and gross quicker than you realize.

Yes it is the 5 cu one. The seller on Craigslist said it was 7cu, but the price was good so I went ahead and picked it up.

I do have a cool brewing bag that I ferment in now, so I can use it while the keezer is occupied.

Once I get my keg for the short time i will use the picnic tap. Long term I plan on building a collar for it. And for humidity I figured I'd pick up one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H0XFCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[DrunkleJon]

EVADrys are a great thing. Just recharge them after a ferment.
Be very careful with the picnic taps. They can leak if pressure is too high and they can fall in such a way that you come back to an empty keg and a keezer full of beer and a empty CO2 tank which will make you cry. Either disconnect them or coil them cleanly and be very cautious.
Looks like you have it planned out. Enjoy.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

EVADrys are a great thing. Just recharge them after a ferment.
Be very careful with the picnic taps. They can leak if pressure is too high and they can fall in such a way that you come back to an empty keg and a keezer full of beer and a empty CO2 tank which will make you cry. Either disconnect them or coil them cleanly and be very cautious.
Looks like you have it planned out. Enjoy.

Thanks for the heads up on the picnic tap! Had not thought of that.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Just built this with the sct1000 and $21 fountain pump from home depot. On it's maiden voyage. Work great so far. From scratch it would be $150 or so, but we all usually have most these item already. And yes I have the sct1000 controlling my kegorator with no issues, about 10 months now.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Just built this with the sct1000. On it's maiden voyage. Work great so far. From scratch it would be $150 or so, but we all usually have most these item already. And yes I have the sct1000 controlling my kegorator with no issues, about 10 months now.

Pretty cool setup! Those little controllers seem pretty amazing for the price!

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

For $20, can't beat that price for those sct1000. This has me thinking about using the set-up for cooling wort as now its just an ice bath. Humm..

Edit:Wow! Dig the upgrade to itc1000 and $16! Ordering now, thanks Mad for the heads up!

 

[DrunkleJon]

Thanks for the heads up on the picnic tap! Had not thought of that.

Someone really needs to take my idea and run with it. A cap that goes over the picnic tap (preferably from the side) to keep it from getting accidentally depressed. If I had the time, patience, etc and a 3d printer I would make some prototypes. It could make 10's of dollars if sold.

Just built this with the sct1000 and $21 fountain pump from home depot. On it's maiden voyage. Work great so far. From scratch it would be $150 or so, but we all usually have most these item already. And yes I have the sct1000 controlling my kegorator with no issues, about 10 months now.

I just may have a new use for my old IC to give me room for a few more fermenters that wont fit in my current chamber.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

For $20, can't beat that price for those sct1000. This has me thinking about using the set-up for cooling wort as now its just an ice bath. Humm..

Edit:Wow! Dig the upgrade to itc1000 and $16! Ordering now, thanks Mad for the heads up!

They also have the ITC-2000 with an alarm if the temp falls out of your set range.

 

[MattyIce]

I suspect it may not be long before you decide to get a second unit for keg duty instead of going back and forth.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

I suspect it may not be long before you decide to get a second unit for keg duty instead of going back and forth.

Pretty sure my wife had no idea what she was getting into by buying me that Mr. Beer kit last year![emoji1]