Fermenting an Ale and a Lager together?

[HDIr0n]

So I am wondering how others ferment lagers and ales in the same chest freezer? I have been looking at the fermwrap from morebeer, but I think that would mean I have to buy another temp controller to control the fermwrap. Also I am not sure if it will even work on buckets. I am just curious as to what y'all have setup.

Thanks,
-G

 

[jd3]

WHy not just ferment the ale OUT of the chest, if your temp is stable.

I guess here we have basements, so I can keep it at 65 in my storage room 80% of the year. In the winter I can actually get it to about 45 in the basement storage room under our garage.

 

[HDIr0n]

I can't because it is summer in Texas, and even in the house there are too high of swings and too hot during the day without blasting the AC.

 

[BigRob]

Assuming you set keezer temp to the lager fermentation temp, and use a brew belt or heating pad on the ale with a diff temp controller?

 

[HDIr0n]

Assuming you set keezer temp to the lager fermentation temp, and use a brew belt or heating pad on the ale with a diff temp controller?

Yeah that is the route I am leaning towards. I am just wondering if anybody has done this with buckets, or another setup.

-G

 

[BigRob]

If you've got the space for 2 fermentors, if you wedge a slab of insulation board between the ale and lager, and keep the thermostat for the keezer control unit in with the lager you'll be able to minimize wear and tear on the compressor. The brew belts should work fine with plastic, I've actually seen someone boil water in plastic before it all melted out, but you'd never get near those temps.

 

[mlyday]

Depending on the yeast you use they could both be at close to the same temp. Nottingham will ferement down into the mid to low 50's.

For a lager during the primary ferment that should be fine too.

 

[Hang Glider]

For this batch, you could skip the chamber for the ale and just use the tub 'o water, frozen-water-bottle method...

 

[HDIr0n]

Depending on the yeast you use they could both be at close to the same temp. Nottingham will ferement down into the mid to low 50's.

For a lager during the primary ferment that should be fine too.

I am using Pac-Man yeas for all my ales, I know it will ferment low (55) I am just not sure with the lager yeast if that will throw too many off flavors out. I am fermenting my lagers at 50, then raise to 55, then lager at 40 or so.

I think I am going to get another controller and a ferm-wrap, Northern Brewer state on their site that it is fine with buckets. Now I got to figure out what controller to get.


Thanks,
-G

 

[ekjohns]

check out the cheap ans easy ebay temp controller. $40-50 and it works both for hot and cold

 

[HDIr0n]

So I got 2 of the ebay aquarium temp controller for $50 shipped, I also ordered a fermentation wrap heater from morebeer. I now have to figure out how to insulate my bucket. I think I am going to try to find the insulated bubble wrap stuff people have put on their HLT/MLT. I am wondering if I need to use a thermowell, or should I just tape it on the side of the fermenter?

 

[ekjohns]

just tape it. Some people say that a thermowell give you a more accurate reading but by the time the wort is warm enough to turn on the fridge it may creep a little higher untill the fridge has ran long enough to cool it back down. Taping it cause it to warm up a litte faster so it turns on and runs a light bit before the beer warms up. (more sensitive to changes in air temp)