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[Denny G]

Hello all I'm new to Homebrew and need some help and not sure where to ask my question.
I was searching on the web to find out how to make the adjustment to the thermostat on my Nostaigia KRS2100. As it has been running for 4 days with a 1/4 keg and the temperature only gets in the low 40's High 30's 39 to be exact. I was guided to this group as there was to be something in the DIY forum but for the life of me can't find it. I need to know how to make this adjustment. Thank You in advance and I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Holiday.

 

[kh54s10]

I don't know about adjusting the thermostat. But that is too cold for the beer so I would leave it alone and get an Inkbird controller to set your desired temperature. The ITC-308 is popular and easy. If there is a knob on the thermostat on the kegerator, set it to the lowest position, plug the kegerator into the Inkbird and the Inkbird into the electrical outlet. Set the Inkbird to hold your desired temperature.

 

[IslandLizard]

What he said ^

I'm not familiar with that kegerator.

But, for serving, why would you want it any colder?
Is it running constantly or does it turn off from time to time.

 

[mongoose33]

I don't know about adjusting the thermostat. But that is too cold for the beer so I would leave it alone and get an Inkbird controller to set your desired temperature. The ITC-308 is popular and easy. If there is a knob on the thermostat on the kegerator, set it to the lowest position, plug the kegerator into the Inkbird and the Inkbird into the electrical outlet. Set the Inkbird to hold your desired temperature.

Whoa, whoa--39 is too cold for the beer?

Maybe, depending on your taste. But the belief that 39 is too cold is not a universally-held opinion, not by a long shot. It depends in part on the style of the beer, but even more so on the likes of the person drinking the beer.

I agree about the Inkbird; it's what I use to control my keezer.

 

[McKnuckle]

A little clarity would be useful. 39°F is perfect for serving. My keezer is set to 40.

Some people may think you’re fermenting, hence they state that 39 is too cold. I assume you are serving.

 

[Dland]

I think 39F is a bit warm for serving, but I'm a lager guy.

If the unit draws too many amps for an Inkbird, a Johnson controls external thermostat (manual type). Works well for me.

 

[BrewInspector]

If you are trying to get it cooler, for whatever reason, it is not the temp controller. If it is running constantly and not getting colder, that is because it is reaching it's maximum cooling ability. Setting the temp goal any lower will not make it any cooler.

To be running constantly and not getting cooler it would appear the set temp is lower than what is achieved. It continues to run in an attempt to lower the temp to the goal set by the thermostat.

 

[kh54s10]

A little clarity would be useful. 39°F is perfect for serving. My keezer is set to 40.

Some people may think you’re fermenting, hence they state that 39 is too cold. I assume you are serving.

I have a guide written by Allie Smallwood. I don't know anything about the author, but it is titled: Malt Truths: Your beer is probably TOO COLD.

It lists 38 styles of beer and only Hefeweizen, Berliner Weisse, Wheat beers, and American lagers are listed at 40 or lower.
YMMV.

 

[mongoose33]

I have a guide written by Allie Smallwood. I don't know anything about the author, but it is titled: Malt Truths: Your beer is probably TOO COLD.

It lists 38 styles of beer and only Hefeweizen, Berliner Weisse, Wheat beers, and American lagers are listed at 40 or lower.
YMMV.

One guy's opinion. At what temps do you like to drink your beers?

There's a local guy here who cannot, it seems, evaluate a beer unless it's against some sort of published style guidelines. I'd give him one of my beers looking for some kind of feedback (it's good, has an off-flavor, whatever), and rather than assessing it based on whether he thought it was good, he had to know the style and then determine how closely he felt I'd come to that style.

If you're in a competition where matching some published style characteristics is the criterion, well, ok. But for me, that's mostly bushwah. My local guy often criticizes the carbonation; he can't seem to wrap his mind around the idea that I might like it differently carbonated than what the styles suggest.

I've taken some recipes and tweaked them to what I like better. And why not? I brew beer for me, not for some guy who wants to evaluate them against some style.

As such, I don't know that many of my beers can fit a style. I have a dark lager, sort of like a Schwarzbier, but man, it's good. Does it fit the style? Who cares?

I do a Rye ale that defies putting it in a style box. It's not a Rye IPA (I've never understood that beer--either go for Rye, or go for the IPA, but to have the two compete in the same beer), it's an ale that's got a nice punch of Rye flavor. If I were to enter it in a comp, God knows what style I'd call it. All I know is A) I like it, and B) others think it's terrific, and they have repeated pours or bottles of it.

I'm working on a Mexican Lager that has more flavor than a Corona or similar; not there yet in terms of what I'm trying for, but my wife thinks it's the best beer I've ever brewed. Go figure.

*****

If I ever have a chance to sample your beers, I hope they're beers you like and that you're not simply a slave to style guidelines. Or temp guidelines. I want to see what you can do; I suspect they're pretty good.

But if you match a style, so what? I can get that stuff in the store.

 

[McKnuckle]

I basically agree, and I’ve had cask ale in the UK so I appreciate the benefits of warmer serving. But I have Pilsner and stout in the same keezer (as an example). So I need a good compromise temp. Also, they warm up quickly in the glass so I’d rather start a little colder and end up at an ideal temp, versus being overly warm at the end of the glass.