i am fermenting my second batch of homebrew ever and i curious what is the best way to maintain and monitor fermentation temperature cheaply? at the moment i just have my 6 gallon garboy sitting in a dark bedroom with a think blanket wrapped around it no direct sunlight in the room, the thermostat of my house is set at 68 degress, but i am not certain of the temperature of my brew. please help!?!?
maintaining and monitoring fermentation?
- Thread starter wab1022
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water bath (water in a plastic tote will work with carboy in it and put a thing of ice (1 liter, or 2 liter, depending on how much colder you want the water). Some put a wet tshirt over the carboy as well.
I've never done this way but I've read a lot of people who have. Seems like a super cheap way to me. Just have to check on it probably 1-2 times a day to determine when you need to add more ice... Then maybe towards the end of fermentation take out of the water bath so that it will rise a bit in temp and finish out strong.
I've never done this way but I've read a lot of people who have. Seems like a super cheap way to me. Just have to check on it probably 1-2 times a day to determine when you need to add more ice... Then maybe towards the end of fermentation take out of the water bath so that it will rise a bit in temp and finish out strong.
Get one of those cheap($1) stickon Fermometer strips. That will give you a better idea of what your beer container is sitting at.
Then look up 'swampcooler'. I use a large rope/manure bucket filled with water that I set my bucket in. The mass affect of the water will help keep your fermenting beer temps. steady. You can take the temp. of the water in the bucket and know that you'll be within a degree or two of the beer temp. Then add ice bottles if necessary.
68* environmental temp. without some way of cooling, means that your beer temp might be somewhere in the mid-high 70's. Too high unless you are doing a Belgian.
Then look up 'swampcooler'. I use a large rope/manure bucket filled with water that I set my bucket in. The mass affect of the water will help keep your fermenting beer temps. steady. You can take the temp. of the water in the bucket and know that you'll be within a degree or two of the beer temp. Then add ice bottles if necessary.
68* environmental temp. without some way of cooling, means that your beer temp might be somewhere in the mid-high 70's. Too high unless you are doing a Belgian.
craigslist firdge,
stc-1000
ceramic reptile heat bulb
is the cheapest way to get really accurate results. for the water batch way you can also put a fish tank heater in the water if the beer is too cool. Automation with the fridge and stc is really the way to go though if you can spare 60$
stc-1000
ceramic reptile heat bulb
is the cheapest way to get really accurate results. for the water batch way you can also put a fish tank heater in the water if the beer is too cool. Automation with the fridge and stc is really the way to go though if you can spare 60$
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