Ice bath for fermenter

[B-rad]

ok so I needed to make my fermentor cooler tonight. So I put the pale in a rubermaid full of water and ice.... I think I will probably do this from the start from now on.. Any chance that this method will ever make it to cool?.

 

[McKBrew]

ok so I needed to make my fermentor cooler tonight. So I put the pale in a rubermaid full of water and ice.... I think I will probably do this from the start from now on.. Any chance that this method will ever make it to cool?.

It could. How warm is your beer right now and how warm is your house? Any reason why you needed to do this (pitched too warm?)

 

[B-rad]

The beer was about 75... the apartment is really warm.. 4 floors up.. have no control.. dont even have heat on yet..

 

[McKBrew]

Just keep an eye on it then. If it seems like it is fermenting fine then leave it. If it doesn't start or seems slow, then maybe just use the blocks of ice with a heavy box or blanket over the top of everything. It's better to start too cool than ferment too warm anyway.

 

[Yooper]

I use an igloo ice cube cooler for mine- I just made a new lid out of styrofoam layers, so that the airlock pokes out. I like it because it has wheels, so it's easy to fill with water and bottles of ice, and move where I want it.

With the water and ice method, you can definitely get the beer down to in the mid 60s.

 

[B-rad]

cool idea Yooper... ever have any fear of getting it to cool?

 

[Yooper]

cool idea Yooper... ever have any fear of getting it to cool?

Oh, yes, but I add one bottle at a time, and keep a floating thermometer in the water around it and don't expect it to change quickly. It takes a long time to change the temperature of the combo of 5 gallons of water and 5 gallons of beer!

 

[B-rad]

floating thermometer... I think that may be the answer I have been looking for.. cause I only have that thermometer that is stuck to the bucket.. so Im wondering how accurate it us when I may have a different temperature inside the bucket then outside.. plus it is hard to see it when it is in the rubbermaid..

 

[WBC]

Even an outdoor/indoor thermometer will work in the chilling water bath.

 

[Blender]

Those fermometer temperature strips seem pretty good to my mind. Don't get them wet because it screws them up. I use them for monitoring the temp on my carboys.

 

[FishinDave07]

Ive had an ice bath get down to 45*F, a little TOO cool

 

[MikeG]

Ive had an ice bath get down to 45*F, a little TOO cool

Heh, time to start lagering! :rockin:

 

[jts15]

I did the same thing due to lack of funds. My basement is low 70's in summer and I was able to keep my beers around 65 according to stick on thermometer. I change out 2 frozen juice bottles (64 oz) at morning and night. It's on the basement floor which helps too.