What size freezer for fermenation

[remuS]

Hello,

I'm looking into getting a chest freezer to be a fermentation chamber. Summers in MT are HOT and I would also like to get into some lagers. I'm wondering what size of freezer people generally use for holding 2 - 3 6 gallon better bottles? I mainly plan on using it for ales unless I get into lagers (have not brewed one yet). Or would a refrigerator be a better choice?

Which is the preferred method?

--Brandon

 

[codyjp]

Same question I had!

 

[khugs21]

I use the ge 14.8 Cft one from home depot. It holds 3+ buckets plus a lot more room for other stuff like starters, cornys and other little stuff. I got it on slae for $350 a while back now its at $400ish Link for it is below.
http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[greatschmaltez]

I use a 7.2 cu. foot from GE. It barely fits to 6.5 gallon glass carboys. I Sid the geometry before buying it and calculated I had .5 inches to spare... That's a lot smaller than you think because they barely fit. Anyways, a little geometry to pick the right freezer is all you need. Remember, "soh cah toa".

 

[Irrenarzt]

I use the ge 14.8 Cft one from home depot. It holds 3+ buckets plus a lot more room for other stuff like starters, cornys and other little stuff.

I recently got the 14.8 ft^3 one and it's nice. I can easily fit 3 carboys fermenting at the same time or two of the 7.9 gallon buckets, along with a bunch of other stuff. As for cornies, it probably fits 6 or so but I haven't tried as I have a 14 ft^3 one in the garage that I use for carbonating/conditioning/cold crashing. I also have two 9 ft^3 one that each has 4 taps and a collar that I use for serving as well as some bottle storage on the humps of each.

Admittedly, my setup is beyond what most people consider to be sane. But that's just how I roll. If you brew a lot, get the 14.8 for fermenting.

 

[EdWort]

14 cu. ft. here.

It holds three 6.5 buckets easy.

 

[goofiefoot]

Gotta love craigslist. I found an 18cuft freezer for $50. Hooked an old temperature controller my dad had laying around and it works like a charm. It's not the prettiest thing, but it was $50.

It holds 4 6.5 gallon carboys with plenty of room for bottles, blowoff containers, etc.

 

[osagedr]

Chest freezer is the right choice instead of a fridge IMO unless you don't think you can lift primaries, carboys, cornies, etc. in and out of the freezer.

Mine is something like 15cf. Right now it has my 20 lb CO2 tank, dual regulator, three cornies and a carboy in it (about as much as it wants to hold). Bought the freezer used a couple of years ago and it's working great. Some people think they have to have new stuff, and I have no problem with that, but often for dirt cheap you can pick up a freezer from the 50s or 60s (back when stuff like that was made to last) that will work for the rest of your life.

 

[Gnater]

I've got 2 chest freezers for lagering/fermenting/storage. One is a Danby 3.6 cu footer that holds a 6 gallon bucket with no problems. I use that for the lagers, otherwise its just an extra fridge for beer/soda/etc. The other one is 7+ cu feet and holds 4 corny's plus a small CO2 tank. Got one at HHGregg, the other at Lowes. Take a cardboard cutout of your keg or bucket with you when you shop to check for fitment.

Use a Johnson Controls digital temperature controller and you can dial in whatever temp you want. I use the small one to keep ales at the right temp during the summer too. If its winter, you can plug a lamp into the controller and it will keep the beer warm enough to ferment if you live up Nort'.

Very efficient, very flexible, and don't take too much space. You can easily add a tap collar made out of plastic gutters if you don't like using the picnic tap.

 

[JCBrew1]

I was going to purchase this one (SEE BELOW) after looking at all the Appliance stores today, it's an online price, but it's free shipping and a good manufacturer (Whirlpool makes Maytag now).
I purchased a Fridgedaire 14.8 cuft at Lowes just today, scratch and dent $339 & they threw in an extended waranty full coverage for 3 years, I could not pass it up. and you have to look hard to find the dent. I looked at 7cuft, 8.8cuft, 14.8cuft, etc... It all depends on your personal needs. I plan to have a couple 13 gallon Vittle Vaults (fermenters) in there at a time and maybe another 8 gallon bucket (large diameter). The 8.8cuft would have worked for me except I did not want to live my brewing around space in my freezer, and my fermenters are just a bit larger than normal.


HOME DEPOT

Maytag 14.8 cu. ft. Chest Freezer in White
Model # MQC1552TEW
Internet # 202867507

$359.10 /EA-Each

Free Shipping
Online Special Valid: 07/14/2011 - 07/20/2011

10% of Energy Star Products over $397 Learn More
This item cannot be shipped to the following state(s): AK,HI

 

[Seven]

I was going to purchase this one (SEE BELOW) after looking at all the Appliance stores today, it's an online price, but it's free shipping and a good manufacturer (Whirlpool makes Maytag now).
I purchased a Fridgedaire 14.8 cuft at Lowes just today, scratch and dent $339 & they threw in an extended waranty full coverage for 3 years, I could not pass it up. and you have to look hard to find the dent. I looked at 7cuft, 8.8cuft, 14.8cuft, etc... It all depends on your personal needs. I plan to have a couple 13 gallon Vittle Vaults (fermenters) in there at a time and maybe another 8 gallon bucket (large diameter). The 8.8cuft would have worked for me except I did not want to live my brewing around space in my freezer, and my fermenters are just a bit larger than normal.


HOME DEPOT

Maytag 14.8 cu. ft. Chest Freezer in White
Model # MQC1552TEW
Internet # 202867507

$359.10 /EA-Each

Free Shipping
Online Special Valid: 07/14/2011 - 07/20/2011

10% of Energy Star Products over $397 Learn More
This item cannot be shipped to the following state(s): AK,HI

Thanks for this info. I may order one of these to be used as a fermentation chamber.

Did you see this item in person and do you know if it will hold 3 carboys or 3 six-gallon plastic buckets?

 

[JCBrew1]

No, I did not see it in person, it's a web only price on that one. I did however se several others (14.8cuft) at Sears, Best Buy, ABC Warehouse, Lowes, & Home Depot. They were all the same except one Whirlpool, it had the compressor in the corner instead of the whole end. It is quite large, once you see them in person it helps. The best thing to do would be to go to Lowes or Home Depot with a lid (usually the larger diameter of the bucket) and place it inside and see how many you can fit on the floor, there is usuable room on the compressor hump also. I am just guessing, gut I think you could probably fit 4 6-7 gallon fermentor buckets on the floor. You might get 2 in the 8.8cuft models, but I would recommend the test with the lids and keep in mind, if you ever use glass carboy's, you might not want them shoe-horned in, it does not take a lot to shatter one of them.

 

[FlaBuck]

I just picked up a 7.2 cubic ft chest freezer from Lowes. I can fit two six gallon better bottle carboys in it with no problem.

 

[mmonacel]

I got the Maytag 14.8 referenced above. I unfortunately missed out on that great price, ($399 now), but I ordered a Lowe's 10% off coupon off eBay and used that to help bring it down to about $385 including tax. It fits 9 ball locks on the floor comfortably and a 5# bottle on the corner hump. I'm not sure how many ale pails or carboys can fit since I'm using it as a keezer for now, but I'm more than happy to provide any additional details. I only have 2-3 buckets and 2 5 gal better bottles at my disposal. If interested, I can take pics for you to help determine the capacity.

 

[makomachine]

I have a 24.9 being delivered Sunday to replace my 15 that died this past week! Going to serve triple duty for fermentation, lagering, and cold storage for the PIPELINE! No idea on what will fit but I went big as the three I've had have always come up short on space eventually.