Glycol Chiller vs refrigerator/fermentation chamber

[JerryMc]

I've seen lots of videos on glycol chillers and lots on using fridges with seed blankets and inkbird control. But none comparing the pros and cons of each. Seems to me the fridge option works well with by few modifications and is the method I use. Which method do you use and why? TIA

 

[sibelman]

Why I use the fridge:

• I already had the fridge (super reliable and now about 34 years old) before moving from glass to steel fermenter.
• A glycol chiller and coil for my single fermenter would cost considerable money and add complexity without saving substantial space.
• The freezer compartment is a handy storage space for ingredients (except yeast and base malt).
• Stories of coolant leaks... nasty.
• Cleaning the coil adds work.

The balance would shift with two or more fermenters.

Happy brewing!

 

[Dland]

Why I use a glycol chiller:

My conical fermentor does not fit in standard depth home 'fridge. Large commercial 'fridges are not cheap, at least not usually.
Glycol chiller was low cost since DYI made from a AC unit that was surplus to my needs.
Coolant leaks and cleaning not a factor in my case as I use exterior coil made of discharge hose.
Can use with both my fermentors at once, (though admittedly I seldom do.)

That said, a refrigerator is less trouble than cooler if your fermentor fits. I bought my conicals before I considered this, and I like brewing bigger batches. Refrigerator is also more temperature stable and will likely have to cycle less often.

I seem not to have bullet points available on my keyboard, alas, just one of many clerical/digital shortcomings. [;

 

[sibelman]

exterior coil

Cool. DIY can save big bucks.

Do you CIP? If not, how do the external coils affect cleaning the fermenter?

 

[Dland]

No CIP until I finish plumbing the shop cellar, get to that soon I hope. The coil is easily removed.

Picture of fermentor on its table w chiller under it & keg getting purged w fermentation CO2.

 

[sbro]

Cool use of lay flat hose. Does that drop the glycol volume in the chiller or is it tight enough to not swell up?

 

[Dland]

Cool use of lay flat hose. Does that drop the glycol volume in the chiller or is it tight enough to not swell up?

Here is picture with chiller pump on:

 

[JAReeves]

I had an insulated plywood box where a mini-fridge was one end. Worked great for 4 kegs if I needed them all at the same temp, but was a PITA for moving bucket fermenters or carboys in and out of. The top-loading keezer replaced that for kegs (way more efficient), but left me without a good cooling system for fermentation. I built an AC-based Glycol Chiller so I could control temp on 3 fermenters without moving, shifting, or lifting 50-60# of liquid around the brewery. Note: my return hoses are no longer in the same insulation as the cooling ones, that was me being a dumba$$ when I first put it together. The AC was $150, the cooling systems were $100 each, the glycol was $20 a gallon (I think), the cooler was free. Since I don't have room for a fridge, this works great.

 

[sibelman]

Nice surgery on that AC unit, @JAReeves

 

[redrocker652002]

Cool setups on the Glycol side. I use an old mini fridge that my brother left when he moved to Oregon. My bucket fits in it tight, but works. In the future, I am thinking of putting together a DIY chamber that I have seen here that basically uses plywood, sheet insulation. But for now, the fridge was free and it works out pretty well. I have not tried it for cold crashing or lagering yet, that is on the list.

 

[Yesfan]

Why I use the fridge:

• I already had the fridge (super reliable and now about 34 years old) before moving from glass to steel fermenter.
• A glycol chiller and coil for my single fermenter would cost considerable money and add complexity without saving substantial space.
• The freezer compartment is a handy storage space for ingredients (except yeast and base malt).
• Stories of coolant leaks... nasty.
• Cleaning the coil adds work.

The balance would shift with two or more fermenters.

Happy brewing!

Why I use a glycol chiller:

My conical fermentor does not fit in standard depth home 'fridge. Large commercial 'fridges are not cheap, at least not usually.
Glycol chiller was low cost since DYI made from a AC unit that was surplus to my needs.
Coolant leaks and cleaning not a factor in my case as I use exterior coil made of discharge hose.
Can use with both my fermentors at once, (though admittedly I seldom do.)

That said, a refrigerator is less trouble than cooler if your fermentor fits. I bought my conicals before I considered this, and I like brewing bigger batches. Refrigerator is also more temperature stable and will likely have to cycle less often.

I seem not to have bullet points available on my keyboard, alas, just one of many clerical/digital shortcomings. [;

Why I "brew with the seasons" :

No expensive glycol chiller to buy or fab
No fridge taking up space
My basement stays in mid to high 60s year around.
I'm cheap af
I'm poor af


In all seriousness, I think a fridge is the simpliest and most cost effect approach if you have the fermenters that allow it. Those glycol setups, built or bought, are sexy af though. There's a channel on YT called Just Brew It. The brewer built a pretty slick looking glycol chiller, but recently bought a couple of small chest freezers/temp controllers and compares the two.

 

[JAReeves]

Why I "brew with the seasons" :

No expensive glycol chiller to buy or fab
No fridge taking up space
My basement stays in mid to high 60s year around.
I'm cheap af
I'm poor af


In all seriousness, I think a fridge is the simpliest and most cost effect approach if you have the fermenters that allow it. Those glycol setups, built or bought, are sexy af though. There's a channel on YT called Just Brew It. The brewer built a pretty slick looking glycol chiller, but recently bought a couple of small chest freezers/temp controllers and compares the two.

Brewing with the seasons in Los Angeles means no lagers ever and ales only for about 3 months of the year. I'd never get anything to drink!

 

[sibelman]

My basement stays in mid to high 60s

I had this at my previous place, but decided that the spare fridge (so, not poor af) should become a fermentation chamber and give me temperature control. I think my beer improved. The cool room made a nice wine and bottled beer cellar. I miss that.

My new place is one level, so... The best I can do when the fermentation chamber is full is to put a "secondary" keg in a closet, where the temperature stays between 60 and 70.

 

[shoengine]

I think it really comes down to cost vs convenience. I started out using whatever the season would give me, used a freezer, then built a fermentation chamber out of a four post server rack and an AC unit, and eventually ended up with a purpose built glycol chiller and a jacketed fermentor.

The freezer and inkbird were darn cheap and worked quite well in warmer temps, but I only had room for one batch at a time and picking up and lowering it was difficult. It was also difficult to keep clean.

Temp control with my current setup requires almost zero effort. I definitely paid for the privilege though.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I use an upright freezer with SS Brewbuckets since you can stack them.

 

[fuzzybee]

I ferment in 6-gallon Torpedo kegs. I have two of them, and each of them fits easily in one of two Danby "dorm" fridges. As a bonus, I have countertop on top of the fridges for my workspace. This is all in my garage brewery. I was going to go with glycol for the conical I have since sold, but I realized it wasn't an efficient use of my space, and I didn't want to have to deal with the "sweat" when it got warm.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

My basement stays in mid to high 60s year around.

I had something similar...well my lower level was ~65F during the winter months and ~68F during the summer due to how the cool air settles down there. I figured that dedicated fermentation temperature control would be a minor upgrade...I did not realize how massive of an improvement it would be for quality, consistency and convenience.

I started with a $25 used freezer, a $25 Inkbird controller and a $10 heater. I can keep an ale at 64F, without fears of temps spiking to 76F. I can bump up the heat as fermentation starts to slow to get faster and most consistent fermentation. I can use the chamber to ferment a lager at 50F, a Kolsch at 60F, and ale at 66F, a Belgian at 76F or a Kveik at 85F. Cold crashing to drop out dry hops is a big help.

I did not realize how much time I spent trying to manage fermentation using ambient temps. I would normally ferment in a lower level bath room with a tile floor set on the concrete pad. I would mess around with opening/closing vents and the bathroom door. I could tweak the temps a few degrees if the fermenter was directly on the floor or elevated. Now I just push a button and walk away. I can go on a week long vacation and not have to heat or cool my entire house just to try and keep temps consistent.

When not in use, I can store an empty fermenter or kegs in the chest freezer, so it really does not take up much space.

As far as Glycol vs Chamber...I could see the convenience of Glycol if you wanted to control several fermenters. Glycol also looks like the best option if you have large fermenters or heavy conical fermenters. I cannot justify the money for a glycol system and the pumps and chilling coils needed (or for conical fermenters). I brew a mix of 1 gallon, 2.5 gallon, and 5 gallon baches, and I can use my chest freezer for any of my fermenters. My 5 cu ft chest freezer does limit my pipeline capacity a bit.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

A recent video on the topic:

 

[Yesfan]

I had something similar...well my lower level was ~65F during the winter months and ~68F during the summer due to how the cool air settles down there. I figured that dedicated fermentation temperature control would be a minor upgrade...I did not realize how massive of an improvement it would be for quality, consistency and convenience.

I started with a $25 used freezer, a $25 Inkbird controller and a $10 heater. I can keep an ale at 64F, without fears of temps spiking to 76F. I can bump up the heat as fermentation starts to slow to get faster and most consistent fermentation. I can use the chamber to ferment a lager at 50F, a Kolsch at 60F, and ale at 66F, a Belgian at 76F or a Kveik at 85F. Cold crashing to drop out dry hops is a big help.

I did not realize how much time I spent trying to manage fermentation using ambient temps. I would normally ferment in a lower level bath room with a tile floor set on the concrete pad. I would mess around with opening/closing vents and the bathroom door. I could tweak the temps a few degrees if the fermenter was directly on the floor or elevated. Now I just push a button and walk away. I can go on a week long vacation and not have to heat or cool my entire house just to try and keep temps consistent.

When not in use, I can store an empty fermenter or kegs in the chest freezer, so it really does not take up much space.

As far as Glycol vs Chamber...I could see the convenience of Glycol if you wanted to control several fermenters. Glycol also looks like the best option if you have large fermenters or heavy conical fermenters. I cannot justify the money for a glycol system and the pumps and chilling coils needed (or for conical fermenters). I brew a mix of 1 gallon, 2.5 gallon, and 5 gallon baches, and I can use my chest freezer for any of my fermenters. My 5 cu ft chest freezer does limit my pipeline capacity a bit.

No argument here for temp control. I get that. I may go back at one point. Right now I just don't have the space (or willing to give up that space) for another chest freezer. I may look for something smaller like the Danby fridges that @fuzzybee has.

 

[fuzzybee]

No argument here for temp control. I get that. I may go back at one point. Right now I just don't have the space (or willing to give up that space) for another chest freezer. I may look for something smaller like the Danby fridges that @fuzzybee has.

I found mine for $100 each on Craigslist/ Facebook marketplace. The Danbys are nice because they don't have a freezer section.

 

[Chris Cardona]

No CIP until I finish plumbing the shop cellar, get to that soon I hope. The coil is easily removed.

Picture of fermentor on its table w chiller under it & keg getting purged w fermentation CO2.View attachment 834122

I like the table? Where did you find that one?

 

[Dland]

I like the table? Where did you find that one?

I bought most of my stainless tables and rolling shelf racks from; https://www.webstaurantstore.com/

The one with the fermentor on happens to be a "machine stand" rather than a table technically. It is of heavier build and shorter legs. A less expensive table w shortened legs would work just as well, but this was leftover from a previous enterprise.

 

[AmarikinBrew]

The Ferminator No.9 owns you.

 

[Yesfan]

The Ferminator No.9 owns you.

I've got a friend of mine that has something similar, and I told him if he ever decided to get rid of it, I'd like to have it.