temperature control

[Hophead138]

does anyone have any advise on a more precise way to control the tempretures of my brews once there in the fermentor? ive been fine tuning my process and i plan to go to start brewing all grain batches within the next month or so. But id hate to see all that extra work go to waste due to unstable fermentation temps.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If you want to do it the cheap way, get a bucket or tub large enough to hold your fermenter, put your fermenter in it and fill with water. You can use frozen water bottles to bring the temp down, or an aquarium heater to raise it up. If you want to spend a little money, get a cheap freezer off of craigslist, and a temp controller.

 

[Hophead138]

i have the thermostat it came with some stuff i bought earlier this year. but i havent gotten a fridge yet. I was gunna try and get a cheap one for lagering. But i was curious will the fridge hole ale temps as well. or is there another way that i can ferment ales with more precise control.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If the ambient temp is higher than the temp you want to ferment at, then yes. If the ambient temp drops below that, then you'll need a way to bring the temp up. I use a 100W light bulb (until I can't get them anymore), and a computer fan to circulate the heat. You'll want to protect your fermenter from the light though.

 

[Hophead138]

if you subscribe to byo magazine i wonder if you have the january february issueof this year. they have a project in the back of the issue to build a fermentor tempreture control. if anyone has seen this, or even built it itd be awesome to know how well it works i was thinking of building it myself.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I have that issue around here somewhere, but I didn't read that particular article since I already have an upright freezer with a Ranco temp controller. I'll have to find the issue and read the article.

 

[summerblaze]

Okay, I have a cabin in the mountains....no power source in winter at which time the snow prevents access. I do have a cellar, and I want to brew a Lager. I was wondering if anyone had an idea about how to keep the temp at a constant 50 degrees without gadgets or if using gadgets which ones should I buy?

 

[IFMracin]

Okay, I have a cabin in the mountains....no power source in winter at which time the snow prevents access. I do have a cellar, and I want to brew a Lager. I was wondering if anyone had an idea about how to keep the temp at a constant 50 degrees without gadgets or if using gadgets which ones should I buy?

I would buy a solar panel.