Question- Fridge vs Freezer

[Steampunk]

Want to make something to give tight temp control during fermentation.

Whats the better place to start, fridge or freezer?

 

[MedicMike]

It would depend on what's available to you and the available room to store it. I use a 17.5 cu ft deep freezer chest that was given to me. It works perfect for my set up. It's nice to have the temp stay right where I want it.

Here's a link to my original set-up and questions I had as well. Hope this helps.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/fermentation-chamber-set-up-questions-289991/

 

[KaSaBiS]

I would go with the freezer. I built a fridge as a kegorator and freezer both with collars and the fridge is not as efficient, I can't really cold crash in it. So if u ever wanted it as a dual purpose device your pretty much locked in to ferm chamber only with a fridge. If u have a keg setup already, or bottle, and only brew 5 gal batches then go with the fridge. I brew 10g batches and had to add a 17 in collar to my fridge for it to hold two carboys.

 

[Hammy71]

I use an old frdge I got out of the paper for cheap. If your brewing in buckets, than a freezer should work fine. But if your using carboys, all I can say is: How's your back?

 

[geniz]

I use both. I started with a fridge. Added a ranco controller Great for holding ferm temps. You can also cold crash in it, but you are cold crashing everything in the fridge.

Then I got a cheap chest freezer with a analog Johnson controller. I set that at 38 to cold crash and age/store beer in cornets. I use the fridge to ferment only.

So my advice is to start with a fridge and as you go on look for a cheap freezer.

 

[Patirck]

I use chest freezers mostly because they (and I) are cheap). It's easy to add a collar to one to accomodate kegs if you want to ferment or age in cornies.

I have three ranco single stage controllers. I found that with my keezers/fermenters in the garage, if I want to keep it at say 65, it would drop below that at night and have a hard time comming back up to temp so I changed out the single stage ranco with a control products 2 stage controller and added a tiny ceramic space heater. Now the fermentation stays at the exact temp I want 24 hours a day.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057APR3I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I love the Ranco controllers but for the $$$, the Control products are a much better deal.

 

[l3asturd]

Freezers typically have more insulation, which I why I chose an upright freezer for fermenting. I chose a chest freezer to serve in to keep the cold air from flowing out when opened.

 

[phoenixs4r]

Whatever is free on Craigslist.