Fermentation Question

[quixand]

So I have a dedicated full size refrigerator with taps that is currently not being used for tapped kegs.

My question is, generally speaking, is it best to ferment in a fridge?
My house is a furnace due to the sun beating on it all day, and the basement is generally always humid, and not very cool.

I don't want to have to guess and watch ice baths, figured a constant temp in the fridge would be better. Though even on the warmest setting, I don't think I could keep it any warmer than 50 degrees.

 

[mbird]

If you can't get it warmer than 50f. you should re-think the ice bath idea. 50f. is at the bottom end for lagers and ale yeast would not perform at all at those low temps. I am currently fermenting a couple of ales that we brewed at the Brewing Class I am teaching and both needed to be in ice baths. It took little ice and water to get the temps to 65f.
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[Couevas]

Yes, a fridge could serve as a very good fermentation cellar.

The best way to go about it would be to use an external controllable thermostat to dial in the exact temperature you need.

Do a search for thermostat or temperature controller on this site. You will find hundreds of threads on where to buy and how to do it. As long as you are not trying to keep a warmer temperature than ambient, it will work perfectly (and there is a way to fix this problem as well).

 

[quixand]

Excellent...as soon as I clicked post, I remembered the Johnson Control box they sell at the LHBS. I remember wanting to buy it a couple years back when I was brewing. Thanks!

 

[metaltim]

yeh i use my fridge for ferm.. with a johnson external box. works like a charm.

 

[uechikid]

I use a chest freezer. Same idea.