Just scored a 7cu ft chest freezer for cheap!!

[Jsamp]

Im really excited about it. I plan on using it as a fermentation chamber for now perhaps down the road use it for a kegerator. Im ordering a temperature controller and a grain mill this Thursday. If my calculations are correct I will be able to snuggly fit 2 6.5 gallon ale pails in there at a time. Im looking forward to being able to control temperatures and the gf is thrilled at the idea of me getting the tub of water I keep the fermenting bucket out of the living room. I can only get the temps around 68-70 with the water, ice bottle and fan method. Next up will be a wort chiller (no more ice bath) and bigger brew pot.

Anyways thanks for all the help contributing forum members for the information you post even if the research makes my brain hurt sometimes

 

[HOMEBREWZ]

YES i would get a wort chiller! i used to do the ice bath at first but i had to buy ice every time and it added like 8 bucks every time i made a batch so i was like you know what im gunnah spend the 70 bucks on the chiller and it has already paid for itself and i got a 7.5 gallon brew pot for like 70 bucks on midwest supplies

 

[Jsamp]

Definitely getting a wort chiller next equipment purchase. During the hot summer months I will probably do the wort chiller first then finish off with an ice bath to get it down about 10 more degrees. My tap water temp is 80 right now but would like to get down to 70 at least before I pitch yeast. Its also exciting getting a grain mill so I can order base malts and some specialty grains in bulk instead of ordering it by the brew and having them crush my grains. Until I get a bigger pot I still have to do partial but then I will just need to order the dme and yeast that I may need.

 

[HopKeller]

Im really excited about it. I plan on using it as a fermentation chamber for now perhaps down the road use it for a kegerator. Im ordering a temperature controller and a grain mill this Thursday

I've been looking for the same reason. May I ask what kind of temp. controller you're ordering and where you're ordering it from?
We currently have a chest freezer, but my wife won't let me use it for fermentation, she says "all the breast milk I've stored for the baby will spoil!" Is she selfish or what? Women...

 

[Jsamp]

This one. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002EAL58/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20. I thought about making one because it would be a little cheaper but whatever. At least getting this I dont have to worry about making any alterations to the freezer itself so if I want to use it as a freezer I have that option.

 

[mikeysab]

I've been looking for the same reason. May I ask what kind of temp. controller you're ordering and where you're ordering it from?
We currently have a chest freezer, but my wife won't let me use it for fermentation, she says "all the breast milk I've stored for the baby will spoil!" Is she selfish or what? Women...

Make a milk stout and tell her to start pumping and get her own freezer.

 

[Jsamp]

Better yet tell your baby its time to start drinking regular millk out of a sippy cup

 

[HopKeller]

Thanks, Jsamp.
A breast milk stout? I've got a buddy that would lap that up.

 

[Jsamp]

If its a stout and has alcohol in it Id try it.

 

[Zixxer10R]

Definitely getting a wort chiller next equipment purchase. During the hot summer months I will probably do the wort chiller first then finish off with an ice bath to get it down about 10 more degrees. My tap water temp is 80 right now but would like to get down to 70 at least before I pitch yeast. Its also exciting getting a grain mill so I can order base malts and some specialty grains in bulk instead of ordering it by the brew and having them crush my grains. Until I get a bigger pot I still have to do partial but then I will just need to order the dme and yeast that I may need.

You could also try getting a pre-chiller, that's what i use. I have a 50 foot wort chiller that goes in the BK connected to the 25 foot pre-chiller that i stick in the cooler with frozen water bottles and top it off with water at about the 30 min boil left mark. That pre-chiiler is the one accepting the garden hose. That way i get super cold water coursing through the entire setup even though it's over 100 degrees outside. Last brew i made it was 103 outside (we can discuss why i thought it was a good idea to brew in 100 degreee temps later) and i managed to get my wort down to 80 degrees in 20 minutes from boiling. Only real problem i had was that it was so hot outside the vinyl tubing started to expand and let a small amount of water into my BK/wort. No worries, i didn't get an infection and yesterday's hydrometer sample tasted amazing.

Thanks to LexusChris' base recipe. My additions only make his great beer exceptional.