Keeping cool

[new2brew1221]

Ok, I'm new to this, and hoping to get started brewing real soon. One thing that I keep seeing in the process steps is to keep the beer between 65° and 75°. Any suggestions on the best way to do that without turning the whole house thermostat to 70°?

 

[Canadabrew]

There are lots of ways to achieve this but one of the basic ways is a swamp cooler - check out this post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/nordeastbrewer77/swamp-coolers-temperature-control-1342/

 

[Hopelesst]

Find the coolest part of your house. If you have a basement (sorry, lowland and swamp dwellers) just stick it down there. You'll save several degrees over the rest if the house. Wrap it up in blankets our jackets our whatever so that temp swings have a lessened effect in the beer. Without adding any level of technology to the mix that's about all you can do.

Beyond that you can search this forum for "bucket in a bucket" or "swamp cooler" threads that'll show you the low tech temp control systems people have made by sitting their fermenter in a large bucket with sanitizer solution and rotating ice packs to drop the temp.

Really a stable temp is more important than hitting a certain temp range. You can find a yeast that will work well in almost any climate and a recipe that will fit that yeast. A lot of brewing is about making what fits your set up the best, and your climate has a big impact on it.

Hope this helps.

Edit: ninja'd

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Give one of these a try.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

+1 for a swamp cooler its worked well for me. Its currently 91 deg F outside today, my house has no insulation, and a metal roof baking the heat in... my carboy in my swamp cooler is at a cool 64-66. Im sure fermentation chambers are great but for $20 this has worked great for me.

 

[new2brew1221]

Will definately have to think about using this method. Thanks

 

[new2brew1221]

Thanks, I will definately have to think of this method once brewing starts.

 

[Beer-lord]

I just purchased a large tub that I'm going to fill with cold water and keep refreezable ice paks in rotation twice daily. A pain in the ass but it's all I can do.
For the most part during the summer, I use the Mr. Beer little keg and make 2.5 gallon batches. It fits in my ice chest and with those same ice paks I can keep it at 65 or a little below.
Again, a pain but it works and I get to drink some beer.

 

[bleme]

I use Nords swamp cooler but also put an old t-shirt around my fermentor with a small fan blowing on it. The water wicks up the cloth and evaporation cools the vessel. Even without ice it stays about 6 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.