Berk
Active Member
Started this in a new thread dedicated to the review of the: SS Chronical 7 Gallon Conical with FTSS Temperature Control.
Brewed my first lager, an Oktoberfest, on 2/7. SG 1.050. Oxygenated the wort for 60 seconds. Had a Wyeast 2633 starter on the stirplate for 21 hours prior @ 67 degrees. Pitched full starter at 65 degrees (not decanted). The FTSS took the temp down to 50 in less than an hour after pitching. Fermentation was evident by the next morning.
Ambient temp in my garage fluctuates from 45 to 65 daily. I do have the FTSS holding the temp between 50 and 53 as the highest, according to the thermowell. The chill water is in a 5 gallon corny keg filled with water, in my 35 degree keezer.
I dumped trub after the first 4 days, there was hardly any trub. It probably was not necessary.
On Day 7, I dropped the set point to 49 degrees. Fermentation has been steady and evident through day 12. Gravity is 1.025. I tasted the wort when I took the gravity reading, there is a strong sulfur smell but is tasted great. Seems to be a good amount of carbonation in the wort.
Pushed set temp to 52 degrees, starting to head towards the rest period. Was thinking 2 degrees every day for the next 4 days. Let it stay at .060 for 3 days and then rack to a keg for lagering at 35 degrees.
Couple of things that impress me about the Chronical and FTSS combo:
Taking samples for gravity readings is super easy and I feel I have much less risk of infection over buckets.
The temperature stabilization system really works! I put a second thermometer in the middle thermowell and it is exact with the lid's thermowell reading.
So far, so good!
Brewed my first lager, an Oktoberfest, on 2/7. SG 1.050. Oxygenated the wort for 60 seconds. Had a Wyeast 2633 starter on the stirplate for 21 hours prior @ 67 degrees. Pitched full starter at 65 degrees (not decanted). The FTSS took the temp down to 50 in less than an hour after pitching. Fermentation was evident by the next morning.
Ambient temp in my garage fluctuates from 45 to 65 daily. I do have the FTSS holding the temp between 50 and 53 as the highest, according to the thermowell. The chill water is in a 5 gallon corny keg filled with water, in my 35 degree keezer.
I dumped trub after the first 4 days, there was hardly any trub. It probably was not necessary.
On Day 7, I dropped the set point to 49 degrees. Fermentation has been steady and evident through day 12. Gravity is 1.025. I tasted the wort when I took the gravity reading, there is a strong sulfur smell but is tasted great. Seems to be a good amount of carbonation in the wort.
Pushed set temp to 52 degrees, starting to head towards the rest period. Was thinking 2 degrees every day for the next 4 days. Let it stay at .060 for 3 days and then rack to a keg for lagering at 35 degrees.
Couple of things that impress me about the Chronical and FTSS combo:
Taking samples for gravity readings is super easy and I feel I have much less risk of infection over buckets.
The temperature stabilization system really works! I put a second thermometer in the middle thermowell and it is exact with the lid's thermowell reading.
So far, so good!
