Help. It's going to be cold tonight!

[Kiknjville]

Just brewed a Munich Dunkel today. 2.75 gallons, fermenting at 50 degrees. It's supposed to be in the upper 30's tonight. I have a temp controlled refrigerator in my garage but I don't have anything to control the warmth (I live in Florida.)

I'm wondering if I could put a lamp in the refrigerator and keep the refrigerator set at 50. Anyone do this before and if so, what wattage bulb would you recommend? My search found a few short comments about this but wanted to clarify my particular situation. Another option is I could wrap the carboy with a sleeping bag (the sensor is attached to the carboy.) Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[billl]

A sleeping bag inside a fridge isn't going to make a difference, but the lamp will. Pretty much any bulb is going to be able to make up the 10-15 degrees you are talking about. (obviously not a cfl though)

You might want to set the fridge controller a degree or 2 higher. The fridge will overshoot the down side slightly and the bulb is going to do a much better job maintaining temp than really raising the temp.

 

[RM-MN]

First off lets get this straight. 30 degrees isn't cold. I have -25 right now. That's considered mildly cold here as we often get much colder.
If the temperature outside your garage is 30, the inside of the unheated garage will be between 35 and 40 if you keep the doors closed all night. The refrigerator has insulation in the sides so it won't get as cold in there as it will in the garage. Unless you expect the temperature to stay in the 30's for several days I wouldn't worry much about adding heat in your situation.

 

[DPveritasGold]

I know this won't help you tonight, but order one of these ASAP for your fermenter. I've been using this in my fermenting freezer this winter and it's worked great. Note that you MUST have this regulated by a temperature controller or it will get way too hot.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Kiknjville]

Just to let anyone know who is interested. I put a lamp in the fridge with a 50 watt bulb and it seemed to work. I woke up to find the fridge running and it was 51 degrees. Some nice thick krausen and a bubbling blow off tube! And for the guy in MN, 30 degrees is cold, -25 is just absolutely ridiculous!

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKJtUJhPGI[/ame]

 

[Dirt_McGirt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKJtUJhPGI

Look out, Al Roker. You've got competition.

 

[slym2none]

IDC where you are or how acclimated you are to it - below freezing is cold.

 

[johngault007]

Yeah, those acclimated to the South don't do well in near/sub freezing temps. I moved back down to the panhandle 2 years ago from Baltimore, and the first summer almost killed me. Now the "cold" winters are a nuisance.

 

[iijakii]

Frankie! Dude's money.

 

[EthanH]

Looks like you solved your problem, but I was about to suggest the low-tech solution of bringing the fermenter inside.

 

[alha]

Lol too funny! And yeah, it's cold, and it sucks. But, on the bright side, it kills the mosquitoes...