Fermentation Chamber: Off The Shelf?

[nbrack]

So I have been looking at upgrading my home brewery and feel that controlling my fermentation temps will help me make better beer. I see a lot of people making chambers using various methods and also old fridges/freezers. I guess I have a couple different questions.

1) Does anyone make fermentation chambers and sell them? It seems that if this is as important as it is, some company would have developed something for the homebrewer by now.

2) How does one go about controlling fermentation for multiple items? For example. I have a batch bottle conditioning that I would like to keep at 70 for 3 more weeks, I have an ale and a stout that are sitting in primary for a few weeks and I would like those to be around 63. Then I would like to get a couple batches of different lagers going soon. I guess my question is how do I do all of this in a way that doesn't make my house look like a surplus auction store? (For lack of better words at this moment )

 

[broadbill]

1) Does anyone make fermentation chambers and sell them? It seems that if this is as important as it is, some company would have developed something for the homebrewer by now.

Yep, a bunch of companies: Whirlpool, Kenmore, KitchenAid, etc.:cross:

2) How does one go about controlling fermentation for multiple items? For example. I have a batch bottle conditioning that I would like to keep at 70 for 3 more weeks, I have an ale and a stout that are sitting in primary for a few weeks and I would like those to be around 63. Then I would like to get a couple batches of different lagers going soon. I guess my question is how do I do all of this in a way that doesn't make my house look like a surplus auction store? (For lack of better words at this moment )

Do your bottle conditioning at room temp, and plan your brews to do either all ales or all lager at the same time. If you do need to have an ale and a lager going at the same time you will need a dual stage temp controller for each fermenter. Keep the fridge at the lager temp and use a heating belt to warm the ale to ale temp. Wasteful but that avoids having to have a second chamber.

 

[nbrack]

Do your bottle conditioning at room temp.

My house is usually 62-66 degrees in the winter. Will it just take longer for my bottles at this temp?

 

[mrkrausen]

Yeah the colder the temp you condition at the longer it will take. You might try and use a closet or a room that stays a little warmer.

 

[nbrack]

I have read here om the forums that the actual temps of fermentation is several degrees higher than the ambient air temp. Does anyone know if this is also true in the bottles?

 

[F250]

My house is usually 62-66 degrees in the winter. Will it just take longer for my bottles at this temp?

I bottle conditioned a bitter in our coal room and it runs from 60 to 62 degrees this time of year. After 3 weeks it is nicely carbonated. Just sayin...

Rick

 

[broadbill]

I have read here om the forums that the actual temps of fermentation is several degrees higher than the ambient air temp. Does anyone know if this is also true in the bottles?

Fermentation does produce heat, but its not an appreciable amount during bottle conditioning. Furthermore you have to take into account volume and container effects:

Bottle conditioning: small amount of fermentation with a large relative surface area contatiner = no heat.

Primary fermentation: large amount of fermentation, in a vessel with a smaller relative surface area = heat.

 

[broadbill]

I have read here om the forums that the actual temps of fermentation is several degrees higher than the ambient air temp. Does anyone know if this is also true in the bottles?

Fermentation does produce heat, but its not an appreciable amount during bottle conditioning. Furthermore you have to take into account volume and container effects:

Bottle conditioning: small amount of fermentation with a large relative surface area container = no heat.

Primary fermentation: large amount of fermentation, in a vessel with a smaller relative surface area = heat.