How to keep stainless fermenters at 70F?

[dillonm]

I ferment my 10gal batches in two separate 7.5 gallon sanke kegs separated by a keg spacer for the airlock. With the temperature about to drop to about 60F in the area of my house that I keep the fermentation, what is the best way to keep these in the area closer to 72F?

I've considered two brew belts (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREW-BELT-HEATER-P2999C100.aspx) but not sure that it'll fit around a sanke keg - anyone have experience? Also hate to see dropping $60.

I've also considered using a heating pad (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREW-HEATER-PAD-P2398C100.aspx) and trying to get away with only one, but not how to properly use one or two for 2 sanke kegs.

Any other options that I'm missing?

 

[dillonm]

*bump*

 

[eastoak]

can't you just heat that area with a small space heater?

 

[dillonm]

Our place is small. So it's in the corner of a large room. I'm leaning toward those brew belts. Not sure how to regulate temperature though.

 

[cwheel]

Not ideal, but I keep my two conical fermenters warm by the old light bulb in a metal pain can technique. Maybe you could put one inside a pint paint can (like I did) in between the two kegs?? You'd be heating the bottom of one and the top of the other, but maybe it would work since the yeast will keep circulating the fluid inside?

 

[tagz]

If you want to go cheap you can use a sleeping bag and add growlers filled with hot water.

 

[Jipper]

I've never done it before, but have thought about using a heat lamp (for reptile terrariums) on a ranco controller before. Could probably get away without the controller even, and I'm not sure how expensive those are, but might be worth looking into.

 

[HeyNoPie]

I'm not really sure you need to do anything. 60 degrees ambient means low/mid 60s fermentation which sounds fine to me.

 

[Brewsncrabs]

Build a foam insulation "house" around them and put a light bulb and temp control safely inside the house somehow.

 

[stpug]

Call me cheap but I simply use a blanket wrapped around my fermenter to help hold in some heat; I can keep a saison at 85F in 72F ambient with a blanket wrapped all around it. 60 ambient is about 64-68 internal which means a blanket about halfway or fullway up the fermenter should hold it closer to 70.

 

[dillonm]

Interesting, I hadn't thought I could just trap the heat of the fermentation by using a blanket.

Cheers stpug and others.

 

[PVH]

Another option is immersing the fermenter in a large cooler or tub and using an aquarium heater to maintain warmer temps. Most have their own thermostat that goes down to 68 or 70F. You can get pretty stable and precise control.

 

[slarkin712]

You could use an electric heat wrap like fermwrap. They are the same thing that is used to heat reptile aquariums. There is a company online that sells them any size you want. This might be where I got it:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/12-heat-tape

I have three of them of varying sizes, with one of them big enough to wrap around a keg. I works perfectly with a temperature controller. I use an stc-1000 temp control that is wire up in a project box with an outlet for heating and cooling.

 

[austinb]

Keep in mind that fermentation produces heat so just insulating them with old sleeping bags might keep them at an appropriate temperature. Honestly 70F is a little warm, it may be fine but unless you have some reason to rush the beer and some esters are ok with you I would shoot more for 65-68 for a cleaner fermentation. If you can keep it above 60 the beer will ferment but it will just take a little longer in the low 60s (but will be cleaner in taste).

I use the flexwatt heat tape from reptile basics that was already mentioned because my basement is 54 degrees in the winter. I just wired it directly to the stc-1000 temp controller I got from a Hong Kong eBay shop. If you get 4 ft and set the two kegs next to each other you can probably snake it between the kegs in an S shape. It will cost you about $30 for the whole setup, it's great because you can set it and forget about it. Basically order the flexwatt tape and wiring kit with a plug from reptile basics. Order the stc-1000 from eBay. I actually think I got one with a brand name of wilco which looks the same but may not be labeled as the stc-1000 and it was a little cheaper, about $16 shipped, basically look for "aquarium thermostat" on eBay and get the cheapest of the gray and orange ones you can find. If you need help wiring it as I did initially let me know and I can give you instructions on how to wire it. You will also need a little bit of wire for a jumper but you can probably cut it off of he power cord too.