im looking at getting something for fermenting beer since i live in florida and getting anything down to 70 is dam near impossible without help. i was wondering if a chest freezer with temp control is a good idea or if a reg refridge with temp control would suffice
should i invest in chest freezer
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Kaz
Well-Known Member
A regular fridge with a temp control can do it. It will also save you from having to lift 5 gallons of wort up out of a chest freezer. I took an old mini-fridge and built an insulated box around it and have been able to fit 4 fermenters in it at a time.
Nateo
Well-Known Member
I recently bought a chest freezer. It was $179 at Lowes. That plus a controller was about $240, which is less than most fridges. Also, I can (barely) fit two buckets in it. It'd be hard to fit two buckets in a standard fridge.
If you're using a temp controller on a fridge, the temp controller will make the freezer basically unusable, so that's something to keep in mind if you go with a fridge.
If you're using a temp controller on a fridge, the temp controller will make the freezer basically unusable, so that's something to keep in mind if you go with a fridge.
Either one works, but keep in mind it needs to fit a fermentor. Chest freezers can often hold the same size fermentor with significantly less cubic feet (unless you can find a big enough thermoelectric fridge that doesn't have a compressor hump), and can also be found much more easily and (usually) more cheaply on craigslist and similar sites.
But either works, as long as it fits.
But either works, as long as it fits.
I use the second bathroom in my apt. 6" water, ice from my ice maker every afternoon and a shirt over the carboy keep me around 68 ish.
Nateo
Well-Known Member
I've found the high 60's to be too high for ales, at least to my taste. I try to ferment everything in the high 50's/low 60's. I make a lot of Belgians and Saisons that way and I like how they turn out. YMMV and so forth.
Either will do but I would recommend a chest freezer with controller. I don't know this for certain, but from observing my converted keezer and upstairs fridge, my keezer only turns on a few times a day, leading me to believe that it is using much less energy than my fridge. This may not actually be the case, but I know my electricty bill only increased by $20 last year since getting my keezer.
Having dealt with both uprights and chests, I prefer the chest. You have to be able to lift your fermenter in and out is the big thing.
YOu can even just run a fridge without temp controller if you really want. You may have to adjust the thermostat (pull it out and turn a screw) in order to get it in the general temp range you want. They are normally set to run cooler, and may not be able to stay up in the low 60s.
YOu can even just run a fridge without temp controller if you really want. You may have to adjust the thermostat (pull it out and turn a screw) in order to get it in the general temp range you want. They are normally set to run cooler, and may not be able to stay up in the low 60s.
