Retiring Mother of fermentation chamber

[Stocktonbrew]

It was fun to put together and served its purpose, but if I would have known how easy a chest freezer and controller keep temps in check, I would have gone this route to start with. Only thing I noticed was that the chest freezer seems to cool faster than the ice chamber and it created a negative pressure in my carboy. It sucked some sanitizer in from my blowoff bucket. Any ideas on how to remedy this?

 

[Twins_Dad]

Simple solution, try a longer blow off tube. I ferment in a chest freezer as well and use a 6 foot section of tube and have never had a problem. Just make a loop in the tube between the carboy and sanitizer bucker.
Or you could use an empty container in between the carboy and bucket of sanitizer (think Corny keg but smaller, like a mason jar or something.) Then you can cold crash in the carboy without sucking tons of sanitizer back from the blowoff bucket and you will still have a CO2 buffer.

Sorry if this is not clear, it is early and I have a cold.......

 

[redawg]

I use vodka in my air locks in case this happens.

 

[Twins_Dad]

Scratch my idea, I like redawg's better!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I opted, instead, to ditch the blow off bucket. I used a bus bin and bucket fermenters. Set the fermenter inside that, laid the lid loosely on top, and let the krausen overflow if need be. Which was rare.

 

[Stocktonbrew]

I will use vodka in the air lock, but it would take a lot for the blow off bucket. I will try the loop in the hose idea. Thanks!

 

[wysiwyg]

Stocktonbrew, I'd love to have a temp controlled freezer but just don't have the space, so I've been looking for time to build a 'mother'. What were your likes/dislikes with it? Did you only use it for the first couple days of ale fermentation or for the duration? Did you ever use it to lager or cold crash?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I appreciate any information you can provide!

 

[Doed]

@stocktonbrew - for your cooling/negative pressure, just put sanitized tin foil over the carboy until your wort reaches pitching temps, then pitch, and put your airlock mechanism in place. Or use a one piece "S" airlock with vodka. The suck back will just pass right through the one piece airlock.

 

[b-boy]

Are you putting the carboy into the chamber warm? I generally cool to pitching temps before I put it into the freezer.

Otherwise, I use a blow-off for the first few days, then switch to an airlock.

 

[Stocktonbrew]

B-boy, I did put it in warm (70F). Thank you, I will follow your advise. Aside from that minor hiccup, it is awesome. I came home today and it was 65 degrees. no worrying about ice, just the sound of the blowoff tube pounding away.

 

[AkTom]

^^^ that is a wonderful sound.