Picking Out a Chest Freezer

[Grim_Ale]

Hi guys, my computer at home died the other day so I'm using my phone and the search function isn't helping me out, nor did google.

I'm looking into getting a chest freezer for the summer so I can keep brewing.

What size should I look for for 2 6.5 gal carboys? I read a few threads where people had problems with height.

Thinking instead of buying a bunch of all-grain equipment I need to create a steady ferm temperature first.

Using aquarium heaters in Rubbermaid containers ATM and they aren't sticking good to the rubber with the suction cups.

 

[Skep18]

Chest freezer is always a good option but I've grown to like my Igloo 60qt Cube Coolers with a hole cut in the lid and filled with foam. I just rotate frozen water bottles. During early fermentation, I have to rotate a couple times a day, but after a few days its only once a day or every other day. They hold their temp very well surprisingly.

I realize this is not your question though, lol. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Given my statement above, I have no experience with freezer fermentation chambers.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'm looking into getting a chest freezer for the summer so I can keep brewing.

What size should I look for for 2 6.5 gal carboys? I read a few threads where people had problems with height.

If you're browsing Craigslist, try to find an upright freezer. A fridge would work fine too (even for lagering and cold crashing). Not having to heft a fermenter bucket in & out to take a gravity sample is a nice feature.

For chest freezers, you'll want to be looking at 7cf minimum. Much depends on the compressor hump. A bucket won't fit on top of that. Of course, you could always add a 2x8 wooden collar like those of us who have keezers.

Thinking instead of buying a bunch of all-grain equipment I need to create a steady ferm temperature first.

Good call. IMO, you have your priorities straight.

 

[mkeckjr]

I have a couple of chest freezers, one for fermentation and one for serving. My fermentation chest freezer is this model: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-7-0-c...-White-FCM7SUWW/203547578?N=c3nr#.UrJNlPRDsVQ

The issue is that it only fits a 6.5 G and a 6 G carboy at the same time, so I think just a little bit bigger than this should work for you. The most recent one I bought from Home Depot, the dude opened the thing up for me so that I could measure inside (that's the serving freezer). I would say head over to HD or Lowe's or wherever, and try measuring the insides to see if you can fit what you need. My first instinct, however, is that an 8.8 cu ft (or along those lines) will work for you, but since I don't have one that size, I can't be sure.

 

[Grim_Ale]

Thanks for the replies, one more question.

I take it most of you turn these on their sides. If I remember correctly does the compressor need to be readjusted? I know I have to buy a thermostat but does anything else need modding when turning it on its side.

 

[passedpawn]

Have a look at the following thread. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/chest-freezer-specs-layouts-377518/

I have a 14.8 cu.ft. that holds 6 6-gallon Better Bottles. I also have a 7 cu.ft. that holds 2 better bottles, but a collar is required.

 

[passedpawn]

Regarding a controller, there are two common temp controllers that require no effort on your part: The A19 (or A419) and the Ranco. With these, you just plug your freezer into them, then plug them into the wall, then set your temperature. There is also a DIY option that requires some time and building, but might save you a few bucks - search STC-1000 on this forum.

 

[Grim_Ale]

What about a refrigerator? My grandparents have one they aren't using I can get for free n take the shelves out. Would I still need to mod it?

 

[Skep18]

Thanks for the replies, one more question.

I take it most of you turn these on their sides. If I remember correctly does the compressor need to be readjusted? I know I have to buy a thermostat but does anything else need modding when turning it on its side.

You cannot turn a chest freezer (or any other compressor coolant system) on its side. On the box, they don't even recommend you transport the unit on it's side. I may be misunderstanding you, but if not, no, DO NOT damage you're new unit doing so.

I may also be out of the loop, but if you're asking if people remove/readjust/relocate the compressor, I'm going to say no, not typically also. The lines are sealed and filled with R-134a coolant. If you kinked a line messing around with it, you just cost yourself a lot of money. I've seen some people do crazy things like make furniture into a fermentation chamber using the cooling system, but that's far from the standard DIY. R-134a is toxic and illegal to vent, so needless to say, you don't want to "oops" and vent the stuff in your face. (No, it probably won't kill you, but nonetheless, this is not standard. Also, the lines are burried in the chest freezer so you don't have a lot of play to mess with the compressor.)

Per the posters above, just get a cooler big enough (both cubic foot-wise, and floor area-wise) to fit your (2?) carboys and use the temp controller. That's going the be the most economical way for you to do what you want going this route.

Forgive me if I have misunderstood anything above, but I'm just trying to help you avoid some major angst and heartache.

 

[Skep18]

What about a refrigerator? My grandparents have one they aren't using I can get for free n take the shelves out. Would I still need to mod it?

For ales, probably definitely yes.

I want to reiterate my advise on the Igloo Cube Coolers. Others will probably hate on me for this, but...

#1, I'm an engineer. Water-to-water heat conductivity is more efficient than air-to-water. So you can monitor your "bath water" temps and be confident that your carboy temps are, for all intents and purposes, the exact same. In an air-to-water situation, your internal carboy temps can be up to 10*F (some people on here claim) different. More realistically, it can be 3-5*F different at high fermentation, but again, with water-to-water, that's no longer valid. This means no guessing what you're fermenting at, this low-tech way is more precise.

#2, no need for electrician knowledge or fear of whatever crazy imagination dangers you can come up with involving wiring your own stuff together. Also, you can store anywhere, not just near an outlet.

#3, I ONLY MAINTAIN EXACT FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE FOR ROUGHLY A WEEK TO 2 WEEKS MAX FOR EACH BREW. That's the time when yeasties are reproducing and creating the majority of your off flavors. In fact,you'll find literature on here stating its OK/preferred/ideal to bring temps up a bit after most of the fermentation is finished to allow yeast to really clean up things.

#4, It's WAY cheaper and easier to maintain. Coolers don't consume electricity when not using them (frozen bottles use a freezer, but aside from that, which you already have running) and coolers do not break down over time. Also, did i mention portable?

#5, when using this method, in the first few days, it does admittedly take a bit more monitoring and attention. But once you've used this method a few times, temperature fluctuation (and frozen water bottle additions) are VERY VERY predictable. For me, once fermentation is crazy active, the first day I add a frozen water bottle 2-3 times, then 2 times a day for a couple days, then once a day until 1 week in, then once every other day or so. I maintain a tight spread of 66-68*F. And that's internal, carboy temps due to cooling in a water bath.

#6, Buying new stuff, the digital thermometer is $12 @ Walmart (if you don't have one), the cooler is $28 @ Walmart and the spray foam is $3 @ Lowes. If you have a thermometer, that's $31 for, IMO, more precise and flexibile temp control. It maybe a little more labor intensive than set it and forget it, but physics says water-to-water is more efficient/effective than air-to-water coolers.

All in all, try not to get too carried away spending all sorts of time and resources rearranging your living situation for beer. If you live in a house with plenty of square feet and you're VERY DIY capable, a chest freezer is a great fermentation solution, don;t get me wrong. With money, you can use a thermowell and control the internal temps within the billionth of a degree. However, if you're restricted on space and cash, a monitored cooler is a very capable, budget minded way of doing things.

 

[BigFloyd]

What about a refrigerator? My grandparents have one they aren't using I can get for free n take the shelves out. Would I still need to mod it?

My fermenter fridge (with top freezer, not a side-by-side) will fit two buckets no problem. I doubt that you'd need to mod it beyond removing the shelves.

With a controller box, you simply plug the fridge into it, set the fridge's thermostat to it's lowest setting and let the controller handle keeping the temp where you want it by turning the power on and off.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'd go with the freebie.

 

[Skep18]

My fermenter fridge (with top freezer, not a side-by-side) will fit two buckets no problem. I doubt that you'd need to mod it beyond removing the shelves.

With a controller box, you simply plug the fridge into it, set the fridge's thermostat to it's lowest setting and let the controller handle keeping the temp where you want it by turning the power on and off.

I'd go with the freebie.

Implying external temp controller? Not sure refrigerators get to 62*F but I maybe wrong?

 

[Maineiac]

Chest freezer is always a good option but I've grown to like my Igloo 60qt Cube Coolers with a hole cut in the lid and filled with foam. I just rotate frozen water bottles. During early fermentation, I have to rotate a couple times a day, but after a few days its only once a day or every other day. They hold their temp very well surprisingly.

I realize this is not your question though, lol. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Given my statement above, I have no experience with freezer fermentation chambers.

In the process you describe are you working on ales or lagers. Whats your ambient temp. Im going to try the same next week. Just wondering what to expect. Room temp is 68 year round, my summer h20 temp is 48 and Ill be fermenting with ale yeast. Thanks for any opinions. I do have all the parts to make a glycol chiller , just don't have the time right now.