Want to lager, not sure if I want to spend $$$s on Glycol...suggestions?

[jdauria]

I use a mini-dorm fridge to pump cold water (with some glycol mixed in to keep water from freezing) to a cooling jacket around the carboy. I can hold in low 50's to ferment, but really can't use to cold crash or hold at lager temps.

 

[mannye]

I use a mini-dorm fridge to pump cold water (with some glycol mixed in to keep water from freezing) to a cooling jacket around the carboy. I can hold in low 50's to ferment, but really can't use to cold crash or hold at lager temps.

That’s the beauty of the chest freezer. Assuming you have the room, of course. Many people just don’t have space for a big freezer.

But if you do, it can be used to lager, ferment when it’s too hot, serve as a Keezer, you name it. I think the OPsaid he has a garage this can go into but his wife isn’t enamored of the idea of adding more stuff.

the other alternative is to cool the room itself but that is way more expensive.

 

[Jayjay1976]

View attachment 683379
I use two GE freezers hooked into a Johnson Controls A419 temp controller. Literally 5 minutes to set up. Each freezer holds 3 Corny sized kegs (I use Sanke kegs) or one corny and one half as in this one.
View attachment 683380
If you go with a freezer, make sure you also include a fan (mine is kinda just sitting on the water and gas lines. One of these days I’ll mount it) otherwise the temps will vary A LOT from top to bottom. As much as 50 degrees on top and 30 at the bottom. Don’t ask me how I know.
View attachment 683382
this is a close up of the controller. I have it set up for serving temp right now but it can be set to anything from 70F to -30 or something like that. Way colder than you would ever need. Here in Tropical Miami Beach, beer and mead making would be nearly impossible most of the year without a setup like this. A second hand freezer is cheap as chips and the controller costs around 60 bucks I think.

How are you managing the second freezer with just one temp controller? Also, does the fan run only when the compressor kicks on? I know what you mean about the temp variation, looking into adding a fan myself.

 

[SmallScaleOperator]

This may be going in a different direction than you want, but how about fermenting under 15psi with a spunding valve and fining with gelatin upon packaging? I have done a couple lagers now using this method and they have really turned out great. You can build a Spunding valve for like $30 especially if your planning on going the conical fermenter route.

 

[mannye]

How are you managing the second freezer with just one temp controller? Also, does the fan run only when the compressor kicks on? I know what you mean about the temp variation, looking into adding a fan myself.

I don’t . I have a controller on each freezer. The fan runs 24/7. Actually. I think it wouldn’t be as effective if it only kicked in with the compressor.

 

[stealthfixr]

I didn't want to spend the $$$ on a glycol, but after turning over the options for a few weeks, I just pre-ordered the MoreBeer Icemaster 2. While expensive, I am sure it's going to do the job. I may run with the Fermzilla conical instead of a Spike CF-5, as the Fermzilla has a all-covering insultation bag as an option, so better to drop to and hold lagering temps.

 

[Thorrak]

I didn't want to spend the $$$ on a glycol, but after turning over the options for a few weeks, I just pre-ordered the MoreBeer Icemaster 2. While expensive, I am sure it's going to do the job. I may run with the Fermzilla conical instead of a Spike CF-5, as the Fermzilla has a all-covering insultation bag as an option, so better to drop to and hold lagering temps.

When you get it, shoot me a PM - I'd love to get you to pull a noise level off of it.

 

[AJinJacksonville]

As others have said, if $ is a factor (and it usually is for most of us), a chest freezer or fridge with temp control is the most viable option. That being said, the pandemic has put a run on both new and used chest freezers and fridges. I have been keeping on CL for a buddy for chest freezers, and there are way fewer postings than pre-pandemic. Also, most of the big box stores started selling out of freezers when the quarantine happened. I'm serious about brewing, but big bucks on a chiller is not on my horizon...until my chest freezer breaks perhaps...haha.

 

[mannye]

I didn't want to spend the $$$ on a glycol, but after turning over the options for a few weeks, I just pre-ordered the MoreBeer Icemaster 2. While expensive, I am sure it's going to do the job. I may run with the Fermzilla conical instead of a Spike CF-5, as the Fermzilla has a all-covering insultation bag as an option, so better to drop to and hold lagering temps.

you can’t go wrong with that I enjoy DIY as much as the next guy but sometimes a nice compact commercial solution lets us get back to brewing and away from fiddling with equipment.

It’s a lot like audio. It’s easy to get bogged down by tweaking your setup when the whole point is to listen to music.

Of course, convenience comes at a cost. But when all you have to do is click and a few days later you’re making beer or mead or wine it’s all worth it!

 

[bkboiler]

I picked up a side by side on craigslist for $1 and converted it with an inkbird, old johnson controller, 110ac fan, and gravity 4" dryer damper to do lagers, ales and even hot stuff (like saisons and kveiks) with a heating mat...total cost $101 approximately since i bought all the other stuff new...
I can fit my stir plate, 4L flask and 8 gal kegmenter on one side...and maybe even a 3 gal carboy too and a few glasses in the door..
And the cold side holds my serving (3-4 kegs eventually, just 2 right now), previously a freezer.
My energy bills are pretty affordable (since a side by side is more efficient than running two separate compressors, and lifting things into it is easier too...

 

[mannye]

I picked up a side by side on craigslist for $1 and converted it with an inkbird, old johnson controller, 110ac fan, and gravity 4" dryer damper to do lagers, ales and even hot stuff (like saisons and kveiks) with a heating mat...total cost $101 approximately since i bought all the other stuff new...
I can fit my stir plate, 4L flask and 8 gal kegmenter on one side...and maybe even a 3 gal carboy too and a few glasses in the door..
And the cold side holds my serving (3-4 kegs eventually, just 2 right now), previously a freezer.
My energy bills are pretty affordable (since a side by side is more efficient than running two separate compressors, and lifting things into it is easier too...

pretty cool! Can you put a picture up? I would love to check it out. I’m about to move some stuff around and I hope to make enough space for a full sized fridge.

 

[bkboiler]

I can try to get a pic tonight
...second keg is added but i havent mounted the 2nd tap yet...have blackboard paint as well, planning to let my kids "decorate" it with their sidewalk chalk...
I use the top of the fridge for storage, but need to elevate the bins somehow so i do not impact the efficiency...
I havent had time to brew so i am just slowly upgrading things in my downtime...
Added a gas line to my brewery last weekend and did about 1/4 of the H2O plumbing work last night...

 

[deuc224]

I didn't want to spend the $$$ on a glycol, but after turning over the options for a few weeks, I just pre-ordered the MoreBeer Icemaster 2. While expensive, I am sure it's going to do the job. I may run with the Fermzilla conical instead of a Spike CF-5, as the Fermzilla has a all-covering insultation bag as an option, so better to drop to and hold lagering temps.

God choice man, its why i just said F$^$ it and got the max4, might as well just get it over with.

 

[bkboiler]

Fridge pictures as promised...
left side kept at 41F by johnson controller single stage (plug fridge into it).
Right side kept at ferm temp by inkbird dual stage...aluminum taped heating mat to back wall (plugs into hot side of inkbird). The cold side of the ferm chamber side is plugged into an ac 110V 120mm hobby fan which screws onto that 4" dryer "damper"....i just cut away the "paasive damper" that resided in that location previously..
Works beautifully and didnt cost much $ upfront or to run it either...

 

[jdauria]

That’s the beauty of the chest freezer. Assuming you have the room, of course. Many people just don’t have space for a big freezer.

But if you do, it can be used to lager, ferment when it’s too hot, serve as a Keezer, you name it. I think the OPsaid he has a garage this can go into but his wife isn’t enamored of the idea of adding more stuff.

the other alternative is to cool the room itself but that is way more expensive.

Yeah, chest freezers are nice, but it's a struggle for me to lift kegs up and over one, especially after getting hit by a car and breaking vertebrates in my back. Beside the small mini-fridge and cooling jacket that I use for fermenting ales and some lagers, I also have a stand up freezer that I converted to a kegerator, plus a fridge that I use to cold crash in and can lager in that also when needed...especially now where summer is here and I need to chill the wort overnight to get it down to lager temps before pitching yeast the next morning.