Lager temperature?

[jacob5023]

How do you keep your lager cold during fermentation? I want to try a lager, I am just very confused on how to keep it cold. It is probably very simple, I just don't get it.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[thadass]

Generally, you need a chilled, temperature-controlled fermentation chamber made out of a fridge or chest freezer.

 

[jacob5023]

So just knock up the temperature of an old freezer a couple notches and that'll be good?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[jacob5023]

Or something else?

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

Are you brewing someplace cold? I use my environment. It is cold here in NJ do I just find a cooler spot. Basement is at 40F right now-bit too cold, but I have found that insulating a carboy once at the right temp for lagering (45-55 depending on yeast) it holds the temperature rather well. As long as temp swings are minimal, should be no problem. Remember to bump to 58 or so when it looks like the fermentation is about through. And yes, I have temperature strips on my carboys, and have a thermometer to place near wherever I am fermenting.

I bottle, so when the fermentation is done, I transfer to secondary, let it sit cool for a week or so to settle, then bottle. Once bottle fermentation is complete (have a couple of test-taste bottles handy), all bottles go into the fridge for conditioning. You may not think this works but trust me, it does!

 

[thadass]

You will need an external temperature control unit of some kind. You can purchase these off the shelf at many homebrew stores and websites, as well as Amazon and eBay.
Common brands are Johnson, Ranco, and the STC-1000 (which required some electrical assembly).

Here is one with the STC-1000:

Here is one with a Ranco ETC-111000:

Build details for the above:
http://brewhacks.com/projects-tcfc.php

 

[jacob5023]

I live in SC. I am outside with a tshirt on so I don't believe my environment will help! I have a freezer with nothing in it that I thought about selling, but could I use it?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[thadass]

You could, if you read my previous post . You won't be able to use it for lagering without an additional controller.

 

[BigFloyd]

I live in SC. I am outside with a tshirt on so I don't believe my environment will help! I have a freezer with nothing in it that I thought about selling, but could I use it?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

You can IF you add a temperature controller. If not, no. The freezer's own thermostat won't go up to the temps (48-50*F) at which you'll want to ferment a lager.

If you can do basic household wiring, just snag a $20 STC-1000 from Amazon, make a controller outlet box with it and plug the freezer into it. Otherwise, get one of the prefab kind. With that simple device and your chest freezer, you will be all set to ferment anything you want at the ideal temps. Trust me, it will be the best brew gear money you'll ever spend.

 

[WNCBrewman]

I have built a controller with the STC1000 with the great help of the threads on this site. It does an outstanding job of regulating temperature inside a chest freezer. You also can cut the jumper clip on a standard two prong outlet and introduce a heating source to help with minimizing the flucuation in temps at controlled set points. Also, if the temp outside drops, the heating source will kick in as needed to make up for the swing. An excellent improvement to my brewing set up.
However, it won't automatically allow you to make great beer. You will need to control all other aspects (sanitization, cleaning, yeast control, and all other things). However, if there was one thing I am most happy I purchased - it would be the chest freezer and the fabrication of the STC1000 temp controller that is all over the threads here if you care to search.
Happy Brewin.

 

[BigFloyd]

I replied before from my iPad. Now that I'm at my computer, I could pull this up-

The STC-1000 is a dual temperature controller. You wire it into a standard 2-plug outlet that you mount in some kind of project box (either homemade or bought at Radio Shack). One (cool) outlet is for the freezer/fridge. If your fermenter chamber is placed where it’s cold (like a garage in winter), you plug some kind of small heater into the warm outlet and then put that heater inside the freezer. Otherwise, just use the cold outlet.

Set the target temp (in Celsius) on the STC-1000. Set the tolerance (default is +/-0.5*C). When the temp (as read by the sensor) climbs 0.5*C above the target, it powers up the cool outlet and keeps it energized until the temp drops to the target and then turns it off. Likewise with the warm outlet if it gets 0.5*C too cool. You tape the sensor on the side of the fermenter and place some kind of insulation like bubble wrap over top of it so that it reads the bucket temp and not the air.


http://www.amazon.com/All-purpose-Temperature-Controller-STC-1000-sensor/dp/B00862G3TQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382149071&sr=8-1&keywords=stc-1000


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/stc-1000-setup-beginners-433985/#post5538096

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-fish-tank-controller-build-using-wal-mart-parts-261506/


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/



http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html