Will a ferm wrap or brew belt help me with kviek temps

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olotti

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I wanna use either the voss or hornidal strain and I loved the brew I made with it during the summer but the temps were mid 90’s in my garage when I fermented that neipa. So cooler weather has moved in and I’ll ferment in my finished basement now where it’s 70-72 deg. Will either the ferm wrap or brew belt help keep the temps up in the 80’s if not higher to use either kviek strain. I’ve been reading that These strains really don’t hit their potential unless fermented really warm and I have no other way of getting the temps up. If not I’ll just use 1318 or something along those lines.
 
Yes, both will work. However for cheap money you could build a Estufa of sorts. This would help hold in the heat.
 
They are typically used to make Madeira wine where the temp is held high for an extended period of time. In your case, if you are concerned about holding temps in your preferred fermentation range one could be built out of a sheet of insulation foam and duct tape. It would basically be an insulated box that goes over your fermenter to help retain the heat that is generated by your heat source.

Do you have a way to control the heat source or is your plan to just turn on the heat pad and forget it?
 
They are typically used to make Madeira wine where the temp is held high for an extended period of time. In your case, if you are concerned about holding temps in your preferred fermentation range one could be built out of a sheet of insulation foam and duct tape. It would basically be an insulated box that goes over your fermenter to help retain the heat that is generated by your heat source.

Do you have a way to control the heat source or is your plan to just turn on the heat pad and forget it?
Ok gotcha. With the kviek it’s just to chill to 90’s, pitch yeast and then I just need something to hold it at that temp, so yeah turn on heat source and let it go.
 
I used brew belts at one point, but didn't like the thinness of the warming area. I've since bought a few 10x20 seedling heat mats to wrap around my fermonster/bmb and have had better luck. It'll keep your fermentation warm, especially if you pitch the yeast on the warmer end. Fermentation itself will create a fair amount of heat and the mat will help hold it there.
 
You will need some way to keep the temp in a desired range, like an Inkbird controller.

Some insulation would really help too so you aren't trying to heat your whole basement. I use a mini fridge, but you can build your own from foam board, or just wrap with reflectix.

I think most regular heat pads shut themselves off after so many hours. I use a seed mat.
 
You will need some way to keep the temp in a desired range, like an Inkbird controller.

Some insulation would really help too so you aren't trying to heat your whole basement. I use a mini fridge, but you can build your own from foam board, or just wrap with reflectix.

I think most regular heat pads shut themselves off after so many hours. I use a seed mat.
And the seed mats stay on indefinitely??? The ferm wraps look like their somewhat insulated, do u know do they stay on indefinitely or do they to shut off after awhile
 
And the seed mats stay on indefinitely??? The ferm wraps look like their somewhat insulated, do u know do they stay on indefinitely or do they to shut off after awhile
Seed mats and ferm wraps both stay on until whatever controller you plug them in turns them off. Fermwrap doesn't have any insulation itself, but recommends using a neoprene sleeve with it.
 
Seed mats and ferm wraps both stay on until whatever controller you plug them in turns them off. Fermwrap doesn't have any insulation itself, but recommends using a neoprene sleeve with it.
If I just left it on how how much heat will it add, if that can even be calculated. Like 20-30 deg to the ferm temp? With kviek I have no problem if it climbs into the 105 deg range.

where would I find a seed mat? Grow store?
 
I use reptile heat tape with a Inkbird ITC-308 to add heat to my Fermzillas.
Reptile Heat Tape
Measure the diameter of your fermenter and choose the heat tape height that will cover the most amount of your fermenter.

For the Fermzilla, it was 24" X 4". Pangea will terminate the tape for you with an AC cord. Then just plug it into the Inkbird and set the temp you want it to maintain. You will need to attach the temp probe to you fermenter, You may want to look into a thermo well that will fit inside your fermenter for most accurate temp readings.

I found the heat tape to work better than Fermwrap, for me.
 
If I just left it on how how much heat will it add, if that can even be calculated. Like 20-30 deg to the ferm temp? With kviek I have no problem if it climbs into the 105 deg range.

where would I find a seed mat? Grow store?
The seed mat says that it will increase temp 10-20F over ambient for a seed tray. It's going to be less than that for a 5 gallon fermentor without insulation. In my mini fridge, it increases 20F easily. I got mine from Amazon. At just $13, I think it is hard to beat and they come in 45W and 100W sizes also. They also have a combo of pad and controller for $35, which is a good deal if you don't think you will ever upgrade to add cooling also.

Fermwrap uses 40 watts (about twice the watts of the 10x20 pad) and claims 5-20F over ambient without insulation.
 
The seed mat says that it will increase temp 10-20F over ambient for a seed tray. It's going to be less than that for a 5 gallon fermentor without insulation. In my mini fridge, it increases 20F easily. I got mine from Amazon. At just $13, I think it is hard to beat and they come in 45W and 100W sizes also. They also have a combo of pad and controller for $35, which is a good deal if you don't think you will ever upgrade to add cooling also.

Fermwrap uses 40 watts (about twice the watts of the 10x20 pad) and claims 5-20F over ambient without insulation.
Cool. Think I’ll look into those. I’m guessing the 45W should be just fine. What should I use to insulate it?? Like those foil looking carboy shields or can I simpler than that.
 
Cool. Think I’ll look into those. I’m guessing the 45W should be just fine. What should I use to insulate it?? Like those foil looking carboy shields or can I simpler than that.
Before I picked up my mini-fridge at a yard sale, I used a sleeping bag.
 
Before I picked up my mini-fridge at a yard sale, I used a sleeping bag.
I just ordered the vivosun brand off amazon for 13.77. itll be here Sunday which is brew day so my voss kviek will be happy.
 
I use a fermenter wrap taped to the carboy and a Ranco temp controller. I have a double hole stopper and a stainless steel spear (closed lower end) that the Ranco temp probe fits into. So the temp controller measures the beer at the center of the carboy. I put the carboy on a piece of wood or other insulating material in my garage and wrap it with a couple old towels. Works great I can maintain 85-90F with no problem. I'm in california, and my garage temps drop to 65-70F most summer nights and into the 50s in fall.

The carboy heater wrap is 40W so that's 0.3A at 120 Vac. You could use a cheaper temperature controller -Inkbird, but you might have to tape the temp sensor to the carboy opposite the heater wrap.
 
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I have used a home heating pad for back aches and such. Set the Fermonster on a folded towel, held the pad in place as I wrapped another towel (folded length wise) around the FV and then another towel. held them in place with a tie down strap sort of thing around every thing to hold it all together. Kept a nice steady 95/97* F on "Med" setting with the thermometer on the opposite side from the heat pad. I have no idea what wattage the pad is. Worked A-OK for me. YMMV.
Cheers, :mug:
Joel B.
 
Here's a picture of my latest batch using Voss kveik. I was sceptical if my 40W heating belt would be enough to keep it at high fermentation temperature, but wrapping the fermzilla in a couple of layers of blankets does wonders. Room temp is roughly the same as OP's basemement, and the surface temp of the fermzilla has not been below 32.2C (90F).
 

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