fermentation chamber - looking for idea(s)

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mwill07

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so it's almost summer time here in SC, and starting to get hot. I've never had any sort of fermentation temp control previously, it's time to tighten up that part of my brewing.

I'm looking for ideas on how to make a fermentation chamber. I'm looking for cheap, but accurate, reliable, and controlled - i.e. no swamp cooler or swapping out ice-packs.

I have a wine cooler similar to this right now that does not work at all. It's a thermo-electric piezo heat pump type of deal, no compressor or anything. It powers up, but no cooling. It fits a 6.5 gallon carboy perfectly and would make a great chamber, just needs cooling somehow.

I'm not married to this though. I'm open to other concepts, including buying a full sized fridge off of craigslist and fixing up the ole STC-1000.

I remember seeing a concept several years ago where someone put a 1 or 2 gallon vessel of anti-freeze in the freezer of a garage fridge, ran that thru a 12V pump into a radiator (PC heat sink, maybe?) in an insulated chamber, and returned back to the vessel in the freezer. The STC1000 powered the pump and a fan as needed - this seems like a great option because this fridge could serve double duty - drinks/overflow fridge in my garage as well as providing cooling for the fermentation chamber. Does anyone recall such a thing?

Thanks!
 
I will eventually be doing this, I have a fridge just like this (white) at work I new to bring home.. Except I won't be putting a spigot on it.. Want to to be strictly to be for fermenting.
ImageUploadedByHome Brew1400977278.368405.jpg


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whitesheperd said:
I will eventually be doing this, I have a fridge just like this (white) at work I new to bring home.. Except I won't be putting a spigot on it.. Want to to be strictly to be for fermenting.
View attachment 201536


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Click to expand...

maybe what I can do is start out with a fridge like this, and later on, if desired, I can add the radiator scheme, allowing the fridge to be used as a typical garage fridge - i.e. drinks/overflow.
 
this is the radiator based chamber I was referring to earlier. for my own reference, I'm not going to pursue this - not right away anyhow. Looks folks had issues with cooling capacity - glycol not chilling enough in freezer fast enough to keep up with cooling demand because the glycol is not actively chilled. Not a big deal for ales, but could be an issue with lagers and not possible to cold crash.

I may come back to this idea later if my wife demands access to the garage fridge.

anyways, break down of parts:
pump - $8.99
radiator - $15.39

plus off the shelf anti-freeze, hoses, hose clamps, 12V fan, in addition to the STC1000.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dont overthink it with glycol chilling and all this other nonsense.

If you just need a single chamber a cheap 5cuFt chest freezer and a $40 STC1000 setup will be exactly what you need.

People usually only mess with Glycol chilling or giant AC rooms if they are using giant 20+ gallon conicals that fit nowhere else.
 
FuzzeWuzze said:
Dont overthink it with glycol chilling and all this other nonsense.

If you just need a single chamber a cheap 5cuFt chest freezer and a $40 STC1000 setup will be exactly what you need.

People usually only mess with Glycol chilling or giant AC rooms if they are using giant 20+ gallon conicals that fit nowhere else.
Click to expand...

oh come on now. Half the fun of DIY is overthinking things.

good call on the chest freezer though. Those seem more available on CL and cheaper too.
 
+1 on a cheap chest freezer + temp controller. That's what I use, and my brews have improved drastically since I started controlling my ferm temps this way. Simple, easy, cheap. Takes 1 minute to set up.
 
Lol I know all about the DIY syndrome this forums full of my DIY crap lol....there's other things to DIY when it comes to a Ferm chamber, BrewPi/STC1000+ etc, i wouldnt spend much time recreating a DIY fridge/freezer when you can just get one for so cheap..and they are so small a 5cuFt freezer is usually only 2x2 feet and like 3 feet tall, you can fit them anywhere.
 
I want to build one of these
Take the door off a mini fridge build and insulated box around it, not sure how many fermenters one fridge could cool, I have not done the math yet but I have seen them with three fermenters, which is enough for me.

ferm.jpg
 
Clarke said:
I want to build one of these
Take the door off a mini fridge build and insulated box around it, not sure how many fermenters one fridge could cool, I have not done the math yet but I have seen them with three fermenters, which is enough for me.
Click to expand...


Why? You'd spend as much in lumber, insulation, fasteners as you would buying a similarly sized chest freezer off of CL.
 
I personally wouldn't build anything that's not already built and cheap if I'm not making much beer.. I actually would probably buy a cupola fridges. After two then I may have to make something my self to make room.. But yeah I agree with most people here, don't fix something that's not broken.. :)


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josterhues said:
Find fridge on Craigslist $20-50
Stc-1000 $20
Miscellaneous stuff to build controller $15
Click to expand...

this is exactly what i did but fridge came from a friend of a friend ($40) for an older under mount fridge. I have a second fridge (free from coworker) for chilling bottled beer.
 
josterhues said:
Find fridge on Craigslist $20-50
Stc-1000 $20
Miscellaneous stuff to build controller $15
Click to expand...

This. But if you plan on doing lagers, consider a small freezer instead of fridge, because a freezer will cool your wort down to pitching temp much quicker.
 
whitesheperd said:
I personally wouldn't build anything that's not already built and cheap if I'm not making much beer.. I actually would probably buy a cupola fridges. After two then I may have to make something my self to make room.. But yeah I agree with most people here, don't fix something that's not broken.. :)


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Click to expand...

Why brew beer if you can buy from the store?

I personally like to build and create things.

Why? You'd spend as much in lumber, insulation, fasteners as you would buying a similarly sized chest freezer off of CL
Click to expand...

Yes, maybe, I can find stuff when needed.
but I can make this as cool as I choose, not the stereo typical freezer chest.

This is a hobby, diverse a little...
 
Clarke said:
I want to build one of these

Take the door off a mini fridge build and insulated box around it, not sure how many fermenters one fridge could cool, I have not done the math yet but I have seen them with three fermenters, which is enough for me.
Click to expand...


Good luck man! I wasn't meaning any offense when I said that..


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Here is mine. I took a section of shelves in my basement & insulated it with 2" foam & made a door.

Fement chamber.jpg


ferment chamber.jpg
 
Clarke said:
Why brew beer if you can buy from the store?

I personally like to build and create things.



Yes, maybe, I can find stuff when needed.
but I can make this as cool as I choose, not the stereo typical freezer chest.

This is a hobby, diverse a little...
Click to expand...

So to take this argument one step further, do you build all of your brewing equipment by hand? Did you weld up your own brew pot? Forge a cast-iron burner instead of buy a turkey fryer? Of course not.

The reality is that everyone draws the line at buy vs. DIY. I think fermentation chambers fall into that gray area.

All I'm doing here is sharing my experience. My do PLENTY of DIY (counterflow chiller, wire temp controllers, drill keggles, etc), but you simply cannot beat buying the cast off CL fridge/freezer and buying/DIY a temp controller in terms of cost, simplicity and convenience. You could have temp control in the time it takes you to go pick up the freezer, wheel it into your house and plug it in.

Want to increase capacity? Buy another one off of CL or sell your first one and buy a bigger one. Try increasing capacity with your hand-built unit....again, nothing against DIY but to me the WORST thing is to take the time to build soemthing only to have to rip it apart and reconfigure down the road....

Again, feel free to DIY to your heart's content...but the OP was looking for ideas and wants to be somewhat practical....you want to buy this tool instead of make it, in my opinion.
 
broadbill said:
So to take this argument one step further, do you build all of your brewing equipment by hand? Did you weld up your own brew pot? Forge a cast-iron burner instead of buy a turkey fryer? Of course not.

The reality is that everyone draws the line at buy vs. DIY. I think fermentation chambers fall into that gray area.

All I'm doing here is sharing my experience. My do PLENTY of DIY (counterflow chiller, wire temp controllers, drill keggles, etc), but you simply cannot beat buying the cast off CL fridge/freezer and buying/DIY a temp controller in terms of cost, simplicity and convenience. You could have temp control in the time it takes you to go pick up the freezer, wheel it into your house and plug it in.

Want to increase capacity? Buy another one off of CL or sell your first one and buy a bigger one. Try increasing capacity with your hand-built unit....again, nothing against DIY but to me the WORST thing is to take the time to build soemthing only to have to rip it apart and reconfigure down the road....

Again, feel free to DIY to your heart's content...but the OP was looking for ideas and wants to be somewhat practical....you want to buy this tool instead of make it, in my opinion.
Click to expand...



Seriously? I am giving a realistic option to the OP for a fermentation chamber as asked and they can be inexpensive to make. Nothing falls into a grey area only personal preference. This is my preference and you have yours. Go tell the other forum members not to build a kegerator because they can be bought too… Each to their own, the OP sounds like they are not against “fixing it up” or a little crafty work. I don’t want to take this “argument” any step further, this stupid…
 
Haha yeah I guess you could just put a AC unit in the window and try to keep it down in the low 60s.. How low can a widow AC unit go?:O I use my spare room for my brewing and wouldn't mind making the whole room into a fermenting chamber.. Of course I am sure I would have to seal the room to make sure to cool air stays IN the room..


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WileECoyote said:
Hello, I was going to build a fermentation chamber too, we did something way better !

If you have the room you might want to consider turning a room into a fermentation chamber, it cost about the same as a chest freezer one dose !

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/Temp-controlled-Brew-Room-Vs-a-5-cubic-foot-fermentation-chamber.html

Cheers :mug:
Click to expand...

awesome, now that is what I am talking about, I have an Architect buddy and he took me to a job site where I was able to salvage a couple of window mount air conditioners, I have been wanting to install them in my back yard shed for a fermentation/cellar room.... Ahhh, dreams... This won't happen of course but someday I will put those AC units to good use...
 
whitesheperd said:
Haha yeah I guess you could just put a AC unit in the window and try to keep it down in the low 60s.. How low can a widow AC unit go?:O I use my spare room for my brewing and wouldn't mind making the whole room into a fermenting chamber.. Of course I am sure I would have to seal the room to make sure to cool air stays IN the room..


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Click to expand...

Hello, we have a 6000btu A/C Unit and I can keep that room at 64 deg when its 120 deg out.

I insulated over the window, worked great !

yep it gets a bit warm here where I live lol

Cheers :mug:
 
Daaamn $180 for that AC unit lol. Well my parents have an AC unit I use last year that I can have.. I may give that a try first


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Clarke said:
awesome, now that is what I am talking about, I have an Architect buddy and he took me to a job site where I was able to salvage a couple of window mount air conditioners, I have been wanting to install them in my back yard shed for a fermentation/cellar room.... Ahhh, dreams... This won't happen of course but someday I will put those AC units to good use...
Click to expand...

Hello and Thanks, I say do it ! I set my room A/C at 70 for age/conditioning, and for the winter time there is a little heater set at 67 deg so I don't have to do anything, the room just stays between those temps all year.

This room has made taking care of my beers super easy !

Cheers :mug:
 
whitesheperd said:
Daaamn $180 for that AC unit lol. Well my parents have an AC unit I use last year that I can have.. I may give that a try first


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Click to expand...

Lol, yep $180 and that was a deal for a new one, you can't find a working used one where we live, for much less than a new one cost !

Cheers :mug:
 
WileECoyote said:
Hello, I was going to build a fermentation chamber too, we did something way better !

If you have the room you might want to consider turning a room into a fermentation chamber, it cost about the same as a chest freezer one dose !

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/Temp-controlled-Brew-Room-Vs-a-5-cubic-foot-fermentation-chamber.html

Cheers :mug:
Click to expand...

Lol if i had an extra room....for some reason i dont think SWMBO would buy that we need to move so i have a room to turn into a giant fridge.
 
Yes of course , basically saying how people can create something productive with just 2 x 4s and ply wood and other stuff.. It's amazing (;


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so an old side-by-side fridge just became available thru the local HB club for $50. it's probably 25 years old and looks to be pretty dirty. I'm thinking I could spend some time cleaning it up and using this as my inspiration, hook up two STC1000's. That would give me the ability to have two independent fermentation chambers so in theory I could lager on one side, and ale-ferment on the other.
 

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