optimized use of ferm chamber?

[Anders9962]

Hi,

I was wondering how people go about brewing every 2 weeks, 3 week primary then cold crashing with only one fermentation chamber?

Is there a obvious cycle that Im missing?

Cheers,

Anders

 

[chessking]

Probably not what you are looking for, and this is just me, but I cold crash after its kegged, freeing up the fermentation chamber. I have a basement that remains about 65 degrees all the time, so I use the chamber for lagers and ferment ales at room temp.

You could ferment two weeks in the chamber and then remove to room temps to put a second brew in. After the majority of fermentation is complete. Warming the beer to cellar temp wont effect it noticeably. If you don't keg, then cold condition in the bottle.

Or you could acquire another fridge. SWMBO has informed me I have my limit.

I understand that some like to cold crash to get the yeast to drop, but I leave the fermenter alone for 3 to four weeks, and by that time most of the yeast has already dropped.

Sorry if this don't make sense. I been samplin'.

 

[Anders9962]

Thanks chessking,

What you just said is the only solution I can come up with as well.
I've just started doing 3 week primary, so maybe I dont have to cold crash anyway.

We'll see =)

 

[RM-MN]

http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

The above article suggest that you only need to be controlling the fermentation temperature for the first 3 to 4 days. After that the yeast will do better at room temp. Cold crashing is only a way to speed up the settling of the yeast. Time in the fermenter does the same thing.

If you only control the ferment temperature for 4 days and only have room for one batch in the fermenter, you could be brewing every 4 days until you run out of fermenters. You can let you beer sit in the primary longer than 3 weeks too if you need to. Longer time means more yeast settle out leaving less in the bottom of your bottles.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I have 2 temperature controlled freezers and one dedicated fermentation chamber, ferment in the chamber, cold crash in one freezer then serve in the other with 4 taps, seems excessive but keeps everything flowing nicely without running out

 

[jfk69]

I worry about the first 4-7 days of fermentation in my ferment chamber. After that point, the vast majority of fermentation is done, and I move the fermenter into my office in the house at anywhere from 70-75 degrees, depending on the time of the year, and let it finish there. In theory, I can do a brew a week, but life gets in the way most times. I did every ten days this spring and summer, but with fall here I slow down, and winter I'll be lucky to brew once a month, simply because I brew in my unheated garage, and freezing my arse off while I brew isn't my favorite.