How do you hold and keep temps at all stages?

[Link45]

Hi all, just wondering about the methods members use to keep their brews at temperatures they want them at, from primary fermentation to bottling.

Where i am, we are 4 seasons, and it can get very hot and dry to very cold (not snow) and windy etc. If im going to brew all year round, it would be great to have an arsenal of ideas in how to keep the primary and bottles at temps im happy with until they land in the fridge.

I have heard something about keeping an old fridge that doesnt run anymore? Does an old fridge keep a good temp inside when not running, is that what is meant?

I also have a heat band which i havent used yet, should i get a thermostat for this to ensure it keeps temps in the cold?

I also want to know what temps people like to keep their primary bucket brew on at its stages and why. Thanks again.

 

[Hammy71]

I use an old fridge (that works). I have it plugged in to a dual temperature thermostat. Also, the thermostat controls a carboy heating belt that is tywrapped across the back of the fridge. This keeps the ambient temperature in the fermentation chamber as warm as I want it. Something like this: http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...perature-control/electric-fermentation-heater This way I can use the refrigerator to keep temps down, and the heat blanket to keep temps up.
The fermentation temperature really depends on the yeast and the beer. However, for most ales I use SA-05 and I like to ferment at around 65 degrees. Once primary fermentation is finished, the temperature really isn't as important.

How that makes sense.

 

[Hammy71]

Like this...

 

[theseeker4]

Hi all, just wondering about the methods members use to keep their brews at temperatures they want them at, from primary fermentation to bottling.

Where i am, we are 4 seasons, and it can get very hot and dry to very cold (not snow) and windy etc. If im going to brew all year round, it would be great to have an arsenal of ideas in how to keep the primary and bottles at temps im happy with until they land in the fridge.

I have heard something about keeping an old fridge that doesnt run anymore? Does an old fridge keep a good temp inside when not running, is that what is meant?

I also have a heat band which i havent used yet, should i get a thermostat for this to ensure it keeps temps in the cold?

I also want to know what temps people like to keep their primary bucket brew on at its stages and why. Thanks again.

The BEST way is a deep freezer or refrigerator that does still run, a heat band or heat pad, and a dual stage temperature controller to cycle the heat and cooling on and off. This can be pricey though.

I have a 15 gallon plastic tub that my 5 gallon bucket goes in, and I fill it part of the way with water. If I need to cool it, I add frozen water bottles periodically. If I need to heat it, I add an old fish tank heater to the water surrounding the fermentor. Seems to work pretty well for me, though I am sure my control would be a lot tighter with a fermentation chamber like I described above.

 

[lhommedieu]

I've used temperature controllers (STC-1000) in combination with a reptile warmer and a freezer. It worked great but I got worried about busting the compressor, though, so now I just brew in the colder months with a Ranco controller and a fermwrap. The temperature probe is against the carboy covered in bubble wrap, and the fermwrap is covered in a layer of bubble wrap and a black garbage bag. It's currently 32 F in my garage and the hard cider that I'm fermenting is bubbling away at 59 F.

Next week I'm brewing beer and fermenting in a Blichmann 14 Gallon Conical Fermenter. It remains to be seen if a fermwrap system like the one that I've described above will be adequate for 13 gallons of beer. We'll see how it goes...

 

[DurtyChemist]

Mini fridge here. An lodge will keep temp but it would probably be about as good as a closet.