New Product! Cool Brewing Fermentation Cooler

[CoolBrewing]

So to clarify, a Fermwrap can be safely attached directly to the inside of the cooler? My thought is if you can cram multiple fermenters in there and put your temp controller's probe in a thermowell in one of them, and have the Fermwrap attached to the wall of the cooler, as close to the middle of the fermenters as possible, it should regulate the temps of both beers pretty well. Yeah I know the temp of the beer without the probe will not be dialed in 100%, but it would be better than leaving it a swinging room-temp out of the cooler. I am about to place my order of either one or two of these. I'm very excited to stop putting carboys in the bath rub. I'm also not interested in building a fermentation chamber, and this one is portable! Awesome.

Thanks! That is a great idea!

In our testing we did not have any issues with the 40 Watt Fermwrap directly touching the cooler.

I am excited to hear how it works for you with multiple fermenters!

I should add however we have not tested with a brewbelt or heating pad yet so I would not recommend using a brew belt or heating pad yet. I will be sure share once we complete testing with other heating elements.


Cheers,

 

[jkingery79]

Just ordered one. Looking forward to e day it arrives so I can brew up my DIPA.

 

[Nikobrew]

Just ordered two

 

[asidrane]

Thanks! That is a great idea!

In our testing we did not have any issues with the 40 Watt Fermwrap directly touching the cooler.

I am excited to hear how it works for you with multiple fermenters!

I should add however we have not tested with a brewbelt or heating pad yet so I would not recommend using a brew belt or heating pad yet. I will be sure share once we complete testing with other heating elements.

Cheers,

I put a drugstore heating pad on between a carboy and a brew hauler inside a fermentation chamber for two weeks while fermenting a Saison and it worked without issue.

 

[Bradinator]

Love this thing so far.

This weekend I brewed up a Schwarzbeir which I am attempting to pull off a lager with in my Cool Brewing bag. On day two and my wort is still around 50F and the ambient is about 52F. Fermentation is only just starting to take hold now so I am thinking I may need to swap out the ice more frequently to keep its temperature stable.

 

[BrewhahaO_o]

I just ordered one. Excited to brew my amber.

 

[Bradinator]

The lagering is done and went well, though I think if I had used more ice bottles it would have kept the temperature closer to where I wanted it. The ambient outside temperatures is 65F and I was able to keep the ambient in the bag to 52-54F by switching 4x 500ml bottles out every 12 hours. I think if I made it 6 bottles I could have had it at 50F like I wanted. All-in-all it wasn't hard to do, though during summertime I would probably need 8+ bottles of frozen water to keep it that low.

My major gripe about this bag is, like many others have stated, that the lid caves down on top of the airbung knocking it over. Not a huge deal and easily remedied with a bit of effort. I am going to build a mesh frame next time to put into the bag to keep it more stable.

 

[alestateyall]

The lagering is done and went well, though I think if I had used more ice bottles it would have kept the temperature closer to where I wanted it. The ambient outside temperatures is 65F and I was able to keep the ambient in the bag to 52-54F by switching 4x 500ml bottles out every 12 hours. I think if I made it 6 bottles I could have had it at 50F like I wanted. All-in-all it wasn't hard to do, though during summertime I would probably need 8+ bottles of frozen water to keep it that low.

My major gripe about this bag is, like many others have stated, that the lid caves down on top of the airbung knocking it over. Not a huge deal and easily remedied with a bit of effort. I am going to build a mesh frame next time to put into the bag to keep it more stable.

I switched from the s-type bubbler to a 3 piece air lock. The 3 piece type are much sturdier. No need for anything to hold up the bag anymore. The airlock easily handles the load.

 

[dm1217]

For those of us more interested in smaller batch brewing, maybe you can consider adding a smaller version. I don't need/want anything that's big enough to fit two 5-gallon carboys.

 

[CoolBrewing]

For those of us more interested in smaller batch brewing, maybe you can consider adding a smaller version. I don't need/want anything that's big enough to fit two 5-gallon carboys.

Hi,

We are working on a size just right for 1 and 3 gallon brewers! I will be sure to let you know once we have them ready.

Cheers,

 

[BeerKillLogic]

I've been brewing with these for several months now and I love them.

Haven't yet figured how to keep the lid weight off the airlock when using a glass carboy. In a bucket I just stick something taller than the airlock on top to prop up the lid.

I can usually easily achieve 7-8 degrees below ambient temp. With a little care and effort I can achieve 10-11 degrees below.

I've learned to predict temp swings and add/remove frozen water bottles as need. My last beer I managed to keep a constant temperature of 67 degrees F for a solid 14 days. One time it went down to 66, and up to 68, but for no longer than an hour or two.

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

Just ordered one, i cant wait to use this. Im really tired of my swamp coolers and i think the gf is too since it takes up the guest bathroom. With this i can actually brew a lager too.

 

[UJMRYDER]

As far as keeping the top off of the airlock, I used a tomato cage around a carboy. I did have to twist it but I got it exactly the height I needed. I was planning on building a circular cpvc frame but that project is on hold. Great product. Love mine

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

It showed up! Awesome looking product, can't wait to put it to use.

 

[dm1217]

I read through the entire thread, trying to decide if this would be handy for lagering. My basement stays around 60F. This bag is the perfect solution for ales, but would I be able to achieve 35-40F temps for lagers? I'm assuming a fermentor in water (considering it's fully insulated) will more easily maintain lagering temps than an insulated bag and ice. Can anyone share their experiences?

 

[BeerKillLogic]

For me if I use two frozen gallon jugs I can lower the temp about 12-14 degrees. So I'd say just using ice bottles alone, you will easily get 10 degrees below ambient temp. So in your case 50 degrees will be easily achieved. It is much more difficult for me to maintain temps lower than 10 degrees, but it can be done with some attention.

Water, PLUS ice bottles will cool it even further, however you will be replacing water bottles more frequently.

 

[MotorcycleMatt]

I read through the entire thread, trying to decide if this would be handy for lagering. My basement stays around 60F. This bag is the perfect solution for ales, but would I be able to achieve 35-40F temps for lagers? I'm assuming a fermentor in water (considering it's fully insulated) will more easily maintain lagering temps than an insulated bag and ice. Can anyone share their experiences?

I have a kegerator that I can lager a beer in, I just don't want to ferment in it, so the bag lets me ferment a lager then in the fridge it goes.

 

[Greels]

I have a kegerator that I can lager a beer in, I just don't want to ferment in it, so the bag lets me ferment a lager then in the fridge it goes.

Do you mean cold crash? Lagering is fermenting, right? Maybe that's what he was asking about though since he said 35-40 degrees which is cold crashing temperatures.

 

[libeerty]

Do you mean cold crash? Lagering is fermenting, right? Maybe that's what he was asking about though since he said 35-40 degrees which is cold crashing temperatures.

No, lagering is after FG is reached, after fermentation. Lagers ferment at a temperature too high to serve beer at, so cannot use a kegerator to serve and ferment, but you can use them to serve and lager.

 

[Pappers_]

Do you mean cold crash? Lagering is fermenting, right? Maybe that's what he was asking about though since he said 35-40 degrees which is cold crashing temperatures.

To expand on the answer above, for lagers you ferment at or around 50F and then lager at a lower temp, no more than 40F, for around a month. This process is part of what gives the beer the characteristic lager smoothness.

 

[Pappers_]

Back on track - I saw this product up close and personal at a competition and it is both a great idea and well made!

 

[BklynCyclone]

I've been brewing with these for several months now and I love them.

Haven't yet figured how to keep the lid weight off the airlock when using a glass carboy. In a bucket I just stick something taller than the airlock on top to prop up the lid.

I can usually easily achieve 7-8 degrees below ambient temp. With a little care and effort I can achieve 10-11 degrees below.

I've learned to predict temp swings and add/remove frozen water bottles as need. My last beer I managed to keep a constant temperature of 67 degrees F for a solid 14 days. One time it went down to 66, and up to 68, but for no longer than an hour or two.

Try a pvc pipe around the neck of the carboy.

 

[Greels]

No, lagering is after FG is reached, after fermentation. Lagers ferment at a temperature too high to serve beer at, so cannot use a kegerator to serve and ferment, but you can use them to serve and lager.

To expand on the answer above, for lagers you ferment at or around 50F and then lager at a lower temp, no more than 40F, for around a month. This process is part of what gives the beer the characteristic lager smoothness.

Thanks for the clarification guys. I guess I didn't quite understand how that worked.

It's nice to read all the great reviews about this product. I am definitely thinking about getting one myself.

 

[teddy4xp]

Any word on the smaller bags for 3 gallon carboy?

 

[libeerty]

Thanks for the clarification guys. I guess I didn't quite understand how that worked.

It's nice to read all the great reviews about this product. I am definitely thinking about getting one myself.

I love it for fermenting lagers. Just fermented a smoky Octoberfest beer. Reached FG in 10 days, and the hydrometer sample tasted so good I almost don't want to wait to the fall to drink it, but I will be patient and lager it in my kegerator.

 

[BeerKillLogic]

Any word on the smaller bags for 3 gallon carboy?

Honestly, you could probably fit three 3 gallon carboys in one cooler. Might not be a need to make them smaller.

 

[CoolBrewing]

Any word on the smaller bags for 3 gallon carboy?

Hi,

Thanks for the request.

We are working on a 3 gallon size with our supplier. Once we get a firm date to be available we will be sure to let you know!

 

[00p]

Ordered one of these over the weekend; it should be delivered today.

I'll be brewing this weekend, and had a question. Should I start cooling as soon as I pitch the yeast, or wait until fermentation has started? This will be my first attempt at controlling fermentation temperature, and I'm nervous about cooling too much, at the wrong time, or inadvertently causing temperature fluctuation. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[mors]

I would start cooling before you even pitch the yeast. Most of the off flavors produced by yeast at the higher temps are at the start of fermentation (the growth phase). So you really want it at or slightly below your desired fermentation temp before pitching and then hold the fermentation temp you desire. I typically pitch about 5F below my desired fermentation temp.

 

[alestateyall]

I would start cooling before you even pitch the yeast. Most of the off flavors produced by yeast at the higher temps are at the start of fermentation (the growth phase). So you really want it at or slightly below your desired fermentation temp before pitching and then hold the fermentation temp you desire. I typically pitch about 5F below my desired fermentation temp.

I cool the wort to pitching temp before transferring to fermenter and before putting the fermenter in the bag. The cool brewing bag does best at keeping the wort cool. It is not as good at cooling the wort from a higher temp. It can be used to cool the wort but it is much slower than a wort chiller or ice bath.