need advice on fermentation chamber

[Mobrew1]

Hello everyone, I have been reading the forum for about six months and I finally bought a deluxe kit from northern brewer. I also purchased a wort chiller and a Johnson temp controller. I am going to go to Lowes this weekend and either buy a fridge or a chest freezer to turn into a fermentation chamber. I am not sure witch one would be better, all advice welcome. THANKS

 

[khallene]

You can get chest freezers pretty cheap. The thing with the fridge, if you are looking at the mini fridges, is that one that will fit a fermenting bucket in it will probably be just as much as a freezer. If you are planning on going with a full size fridge, you'll be into some pretty good coin. The freezer has the potential to hold kore than one fermenter at one time.

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[Nightstrife]

My advice is to not buy a "new" fridge/freezer. I would check Craigslist or the local newspapers as I have seen lots good used freezers/fridges for cheep

 

[dobe12]

My advice is to not buy a "new" fridge/freezer. I would check Craigslist or the local newspapers as I have seen lots good used freezers/fridges for cheep

+1 to this. I bought a minifridge from a college student on craigslist for $50. You have to remove the molding inside the door, but it's easy. Just a bunch of screws. I went with a minifridge due to space issues. If you have the room and can swing it, get the chest freezer. I often have to do some pretty tricky planning to optimize brew days, the fridge, lagering, etc.

Also, keep an eye on local Home Depots and Lowes. They will often have some pretty great deals on chest freezers. You can even negotiate a cheaper price on a floor model. The guy who runs one of the LHBS in my area got one for something like 1/2 price.

 

[Mobrew1]

Thanks for the advice , it seems like the freezer is the better option. I will check out craiglist. I wish I had a LHBS near me but the nearest one is an hour and a half away.

 

[dobe12]

Thanks for the advice , it seems like the freezer is the better option. I will check out craiglist. I wish I had a LHBS near me but the nearest one is an hour and a half away.

That sucks. I'm blessed with 3 within 15min of my house and another 2 under an hour away. I pass one on the way to and from work every day. The other is 10min the opposite direction. And 2 of these 3 LHBS's owners are members of my brew club so there are discounts The one I prefer to go to sells base malt for $1/lb and specialty grains for $2/lb. And it's almost impossible to go in his shop and NOT have a beer.

 

[pennyloaf]

I got a large chest freezer and it is working out fine, like 14+ ft3?

I got 3 - 5gal, 1 - 6gal (carboys), and 1 - 8 gal (bucket)

I will say if you go chest freezer, buy the carboy straps (works out to maybe $5 per carboy) to lift them in and out. I only have 3 straps and wish I had ordered more (did not anticipate buying a couple more carboys).

With a batch of mead and wine fermenting and probably going to sit there for ~9 months, it pays to have more space so I can brew some beer while I wait (especially with the stuck fermentation that I had so I just let it sit for a while)