Making a Lager Fridge

[mi6op]

Hi everyone I've been searching through the forums a little for info on converting a traditional refrigerator into a Lager Fermentor/ cold condition chamber. I'm able to get my hands on 2 refrigerators that work perfectly fine. I want to start brewing some bocks and such but don't have a way to ferment and condition properly.

Has anyone here ever taken the traditional refrigerator and made a lagering fridge out of it? What should I do and what to I need. Your input is greatly appreciated! Secondly am I even going in the right direction for what I"m trying to accomplish.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Clifton]

My fermentation fridge is an old style that doesn't have a seperate freezer. Rather it has one full size external door and inside it has a door for the "ice box." I like this style because I use it to maintain ale temps so I don't have to worry about the freezer section.

 

[JKoravos]

Yes, you are going in the right direction. All you need is a refrigerator and a temperature controller. The popular temp controllers among homebrewers are made by Johnson Control or Love Controls. They are carried by most homebrew shops.

Put the probe in your fridge, plug your fridge into the controller, plug the controller in, set the temperature. Congratulations! You now have a fermentation and lagering fridge!

 

[mi6op]

Put the probe in your fridge, plug your fridge into the controller, plug the controller in, set the temperature. Congratulations! You now have a fermentation and lagering fridge!

I assume this type of controller turns the fridge off and on. Do you think this would be hard on the workings of the refrigerator?

 

[roadymi]

Mechanics of the fridge operation remain unchanged. Controller just gives you more precise temperature control.

 

[mi6op]

Another thing is I hear the temperature range that this unit will need to be in varies from 30F to 45-50F. Is it even possible for refrigerators to go this low/high? Or is that what these aftermarket temp controllers specialize in?

 

[JKoravos]

Another thing is I hear the temperature range that this unit will need to be in varies from 30F to 45-50F. Is it even possible for refrigerators to go this low/high? Or is that what these aftermarket temp controllers specialize in?

A refrigerator is a dumb machine, it just a compressor and some coils. The temperature controller, aka thermostat, tells it what to do. Refrigerators have their own built in thermostat, but they have a pretty small range, maybe from 32F to 40F (and they a have wide dead band). Adding an external temperature control lets you vary that temperature from the lower limit of the refrigerator thermostat (which is probably around 32-34) up to whatever you want. Plus it's much more accurate (which is critical for fermentation). Just make sure the internal thermostat on the fridge is dialed all the way down.

If you want to get more complicated, you can bypass the refrigerator's internal thermostat and then it will go as low as the compressor can handle, which is probably under 10F. That's not very useful unless you want to freeze your beer.

Long story short, it will do whatever you need it to do.

 

[dunnright00]

If you want to go cheap and easy, go here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

I did this and it works great!

If you have a little more money to burn, get a love or Johnson control.

A quick search will give you the info you need.

 

[rasherb]

Ebay Aquarium Temp Controller + 4.6 CuFt Haier fridge off Craig's List does the trick for me.
Pretty inexpensive.

 

[kegtoe]

search fermentation chamber as well if you are looking for more ideas as the priciple is the same, just a lower temp window.

 

[mi6op]

Just an aside. How do you handle the defrost that I would think should happen pretty often. Or is there rarely anytime for ice to get built up in the freezer to melt

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I was thinking of doing the same thing with the fridge I'm about to receive. Sounds like the love control is the best option with the least amount of hassle. Obviously it'll be more expensive, but sounds like it'll get the job done. I'm gonna mainly use mine for fermentation purposes, but I guess I'll try and figure out a schedule so I could possibly lager in it in the summers when the basement is warmer than it is in the winter. That way I can ferment outside of it I suppose.

 

[kegtoe]

i would advise fermenting outside, but thats up to you. Temps in the summer are likely too warm for fermenting as well as the temp is not consistant enough. One of the most crucal times for a beers flavor is during fermentation. You want to keep the temp as constant as possible within the yeasts temp range.

I was thinking of doing the same thing with the fridge I'm about to receive. Sounds like the love control is the best option with the least amount of hassle. Obviously it'll be more expensive, but sounds like it'll get the job done. I'm gonna mainly use mine for fermentation purposes, but I guess I'll try and figure out a schedule so I could possibly lager in it in the summers when the basement is warmer than it is in the winter. That way I can ferment outside of it I suppose.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

i would advise fermenting outside, but thats up to you. Temps in the summer are likely too warm for fermenting as well as the temp is not consistant enough. One of the most crucal times for a beers flavor is during fermentation. You want to keep the temp as constant as possible within the yeasts temp range.

I should've worded that better, I meant I would still ferment inside, but outside the fridge. I would just ferment in my basement in the summer and inside the fridge in the winter. The only reason I would do this is if I was going to lager with the fridge and wouldn't be able to ferment in the fridge due to the colder temps. I need to figure out my temps in the basement first.

 

[MrZ2U]

It gets warm in the summer to say the least here in Austin, hell, it was 74 out today.
My house was a former model so the garage was once an "office" and as a result, it is fully insulated like part of the home. Still I worry it will get too hot in the summer months. I have been collecting gear here and there and bought a box of “stuff” the other day. One of the Johnson controllers was in that box

A while back a fella at AHB told me the digital ones were better cause you can set them to only run the compressor for set periods which would keep them from being on too long. I didn’t see the need to debate it with him but wouldn’t it stand to reason that since one would be getting the fridge or freezer to maintain a much higher temp than it was intended that it would by default run the compressor a lot less and that “run time feature” of the digital one was kinda pointless?

Am I missing something on this?

 

[Nic0]

Yes, you are going in the right direction. All you need is a refrigerator and a temperature controller. The popular temp controllers among homebrewers are made by Johnson Control or Love Controls. They are carried by most homebrew shops.

Put the probe in your fridge, plug your fridge into the controller, plug the controller in, set the temperature. Congratulations! You now have a fermentation and lagering fridge!

I plan to make mine far more complicated than that. That's just the type of person I am.

Is around $50 the going price for a typical temp controller that you just plug the fridge into?

 

[Nic0]

Please disregard this post...

 

[Clifton]

^What does this have to do with a lagering fridge?

 

[Nic0]

^What does this have to do with a lagering fridge?

Uhhh....... I have no idea. Either my browser had a hiccup, the Vbulliten had a hiccup, or I was a lot more tired than I thought... that was intended to be a new thread, not a reply to an existing thread. Sorry.

I guess I can edit that post and remove the content.

 

[BoundForBeer]

I say use the bucket to lager in :cross:

 

[bbriscoe]

So are there any fridges that go up to 50 degrees without a $75 aftermarket thermostat? Or any yeasts that lager well at "normal" fridge temps?

 

[MrZ2U]

So are there any fridges that go up to 50 degrees without a $75 aftermarket thermostat? Or any yeasts that lager well at "normal" fridge temps?

Seems like some wine coolers go up to the 60's or better but you will spend more on those than a "craigslist special" and temp controller.

 

[Flomaster]

So are there any fridges that go up to 50 degrees without a $75 aftermarket thermostat? Or any yeasts that lager well at "normal" fridge temps?

ebay temp controller $25 free shipping
radio shack project box $6
outlet from big box store $2
extension cord on sale because of Xmas sales $6

it doesn't get any cheaper than that.

throw in a free fridge from craigslist and your are lagering for less than $40.

-=jason=-

unless you have extra money for LOVE or JONHNSON go the Ebay temp controller route.