freezer or fridge

[beermeplz]

Hello all, this is my 3rd batch and i'm hooked!! I live in Arizona where it is over 100 degrees and around 80 in my house. I am looking at buying a chest freezer or a mini fridge so i can control my fermentation temp. So the question is witch one is better. I do plan on using a Johnson digital thermostat controller.

 

[Subdivisions]

A chest freezer could hold more fermenters depending on size. The mini fridge would be easier to get the fermenter in and out and have a smaller footprint. There's really no 'better', it's up to what fits your situation best.

EDIT: Just noticed this currently ongoing thread that may answer some questions for you

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=529965

 

[Bulls Beers]

Chest freezers work for me. I only lager and keg, so a chest freezer is great to lager multiply kegs. I have two freezers, one to ferment and one to lager.

 

[jbb3]

Not sure how much of a DIY'er you are? But a third option would be to build a chamber.

Click on my Fermentation Chamber: build to check it out.

Welcome to the obsession!

 

[J-Drew]

If you are that serious already and willing to spend a little money, +1 to the fermentation chamber. What you spend in money and time to build it, you will save yourself in time and aggravation later.

 

[bergy]

I live in Tucson and I built a fermentation chamber (do a search for Mother of Fermentation Chamber) that works quite well. It's not going to get you to lagering temperatures and changing out the ice during the summer can get to be annoying but it gives you the satisfaction of building something with your own two hands.

 

[beermeplz]

Thanks for the info, I am leaning towards a freezer at this point just because it's one less thing to maintain. I can set it and walk away sort of speak. I build things for a living so i'm good on that aspect of things.

 

[jbb3]

That's why I built my chamber and set it up with a 2-stage temp controller. I can set the STC-1000+ to the desired fermentation temperature and walk away. It will maintain that temperature to within 1 degree.

Good luck to you.

Cheers!