My Brew Stand and Fermentation Chamber Build

[Gremlyn]

Awesome thread. I'm just getting into brewing and the frame itself doesn't look like it was too expensive, but will obviously be helpful in many ways. What do you think the materials for the frame alone cost you?

The plywood I used was $12-ish/sheet and I used 7 of them (8 including the one I miscut), and I went for 2x3 for the framing lumber figuring I would leave myself more room for insulation, which has a much higher R value than wood. The 2x3 are holding up fine, I could have likely gone with 2x2 and been fine. I bought I think 8 2x3s are $2-ish each. I picked up the mini-fridge for $40 or $50 on CL, and then the sheets of foam I'm going to get will probably be about $20 all said and done. So no... really not too expensive. And this chamber is bigger than most would need since I built it to hold 2 sankes and then some.

 

[Gremlyn]

Got the frame done and the top on the chamber. I'm going to get the insulation tomorrow, and then I just have to finish the door. I'm hoping to have the chamber finished tomorrow!!!

 

[Gremlyn]

So close to finishing up the ferm chamber, hoping to be ready to try it out tonight or early tomorrow. I'm planning to brew on Sunday (FINALLY!!!) and already have my starter going, so fingers crossed!

 

[Gremlyn]

Added a new pic of the fermentation chamber filled with ferment(ing/ed) goodness! The two corny kegs contain my porter, one with oaked bourbon added, the better bottle is an English hard cider, and the sanke is my dunkelweizen which is going to be kegged this weekend (smells like banana deliciousness!).

I couldn't be happier with the ferm chamber. I haven't technically finished it yet, still need to add the heatsink and fans to the cooling plate, and the doors are quite fully sealed. But even still, it doesn't kick on that often, even set to +/-1F. I basically sits at whatever temp I set it to and occasionally rises 1F higher, kicks on, cools down and sits for a while again. The thermowell is simply a must have for fermentation temp control...

 

[Coldies]

I just built a SOAFC as well, perfect timing as my garage is getting way to high for ferm temps. What part of SD are you from?

 

[Gremlyn]

I just built a SOAFC as well, perfect timing as my garage is getting way to high for ferm temps. What part of SD are you from?

I'm in College Area right on the La Mesa border. Depsite our fairly temperate climate here, I've always had trouble controlling fermentation temps... so happy I can finally do so!

 

[Coldies]

I'm in College Area right on the La Mesa border. Depsite our fairly temperate climate here, I've always had trouble controlling fermentation temps... so happy I can finally do so!

Yeah I hear ya on that one. I have about 2 brews that have gone in and out of my ferm chamber since its been built and I have been really pleased by the results. With just ice bottles I can keep steady temps of 63-64 with just 2 small computer fans wired together.

I noticed the CHUG link in your sig line. How often do you guys group brew? and where at?

 

[Gremlyn]

Yeah I hear ya on that one. I have about 2 brews that have gone in and out of my ferm chamber since its been built and I have been really pleased by the results. With just ice bottles I can keep steady temps of 63-64 with just 2 small computer fans wired together.

I noticed the CHUG link in your sig line. How often do you guys group brew? and where at?

We haven't ever actually group brewed. We have hung out at people's places when they were brewing a few times though. We mostly just get together and drink and talk shop

 

[Coldies]

We haven't ever actually group brewed. We have hung out at people's places when they were brewing a few times though. We mostly just get together and drink and talk shop

Sounds cool. Let me know if you guys are ever in the north county area, we'll get a beer.

 

[dunnright00]

What happened to the pics?

 

[Gremlyn]

What happened to the pics?

You are right, I need to put a few more up... I'll try to get to that soon.

 

[SHOOK]

looks good man...

hope your ferm chamber is built... these temps are SUCKING right now!

 

[Coldies]

these temps are SUCKING right now!

F'ing A right! Came home last night and my 2.5 gallon batch of RIS was in the 72-74 degree danger zone. Even in my swamp cooler. My fermentation chamber only holds 2 6.5 gallon carboys so I have to swamp cooler my half batches.

 

[dunnright00]

... these temps are SUCKING right now!

Seriously!! So glad these bad boys are are in their little fridge...

 

[mistercameron]

looks good man...

hope your ferm chamber is built... these temps are SUCKING right now!

For what it's worth, I bought a mini fridge off CL... thank goodness! I don't have a temp controller built yet, but I've done well enough by putting the fridge on an automatic timer - like for your lights. Cycling it on for half an hour every hour and a half to two or three hours seems to do the trick this week.

 

[SHOOK]

Seriously!! So glad these bad boys are are in their little fridge...

How many Gallons is that Monster on the left?

 

[SHOOK]

For what it's worth, I bought a mini fridge off CL... thank goodness! I don't have a temp controller built yet, but I've done well enough by putting the fridge on an automatic timer - like for your lights. Cycling it on for half an hour every hour and a half to two or three hours seems to do the trick this week.

sweet!

i suggest the Ebay Temp Controller.. it was easy to build and fairly cheap to build for what it does. ( 2 stage temp control)

i got a chest freezer i use for my ferm.

 

[rekoob]

Looks like a 6.5 gal carboy to me.

you might want to look into the thread about gross adjustments with the built in temp controller. have no idea how to post links here but its been a pretty popular thread lately. If you don't have an external temp controller you might be able to take the temp controller apart and adjust the set screw for the gross adjustemnt in order to get you to the temp zone you want. worth looking into anyway.

 

[SHOOK]

Looks like a 6.5 gal carboy to me.

really?

is the one on the right just small?

 

[Gremlyn]

My chamber is indeed functioning, though I haven't got any brews fermenting at the moment, but I have bottles and kegs conditioning/aging in it at the moment. These temps have been fairly brutal this week

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Mini Fridge Tear Down

Sanke Fermentor with Brewers Hardware Conversion Cap:

Hey brother looks good....I have a question:

Why go through all the trouble of cutting, demo'ing, fabricating etc instead of just gettting a chest freezer, rigging up a two stage controller and using it that way?

Seems like a boat load of work to me, but looks great.

 

[mistercameron]

@ILOVEBEER,

I'm going to guess it's for the flexibility. You can only do so much with a chest freezer, but making your own compartments allows for cold storage, cellar, and fermenting - potentially from one mini fridge.

 

[Gremlyn]

ILOVEBEER, have you ever tried lifting 10 gal of beer in a Sanke keg 32+ inches vertically and setting it down gently into a chest freezer? If not, give it a shot and you'll answer your own question

 

[Bsquared]

ILOVEBEER, have you ever tried lifting 10 gal of beer in a Sanke keg 32+ inches vertically and setting it down gently into a chest freezer? If not, give it a shot and you'll answer your own question

Holly crap yes, I did that a couple times, nearly killed my self. I'm using my secondary kegereator now, but I bet you can use a larger mini fridge or a full size fridge too.

 

[Gremlyn]

I also had the self-imposed requirement of need to fit TWO Sanke kegs at the same time...

 

[thedude00]

Love the stand i been thinking about building one like this anyway you can give me the measurements of the basic frame.

 

[Gremlyn]

Love the stand i been thinking about building one like this anyway you can give me the measurements of the basic frame.

This is where I got all my info: http://www.aleiens.com/profiles/blogs/wallace-the-weldless-brew

 

[thedude00]

Thanks you the link bro.

 

[soadtool]

The Fermentation Chamber:
and bought a computer power supply to run the fans to draw air over a heatsink bonded to the the cooling tray.
The Chamber Build

I'm planning on using a mini-fridge I have sitting around to build a custom-sized kegerator. Two questions:
1) What is the heat sink bonded to the cooling tray for and can you provide a bitter picture of what exactly that looks like?
2) Do you think mini-fridge components are powerful enough to cool this box down to 38F?

Thanks!

 

[Gremlyn]

I'm planning on using a mini-fridge I have sitting around to build a custom-sized kegerator. Two questions:
1) What is the heat sink bonded to the cooling tray for and can you provide a bitter picture of what exactly that looks like?
2) Do you think mini-fridge components are powerful enough to cool this box down to 38F?

Thanks!

I never actually installed the heatsink, doesn't seem like it will need it. I am still planning to put the fans in at some point. I DO NOT, however, think this box would cool down to 38F effectively/efficiently. Haven't tried it, but it is a big space for that small of a cooler.