So I'm dead chuffed with my new set-up for keeping my bottles at the right temperature for secondary and I thought I'd share that and see what others do.
I bought an Inkbird ITC-308 temperature controller which worked brilliantly with a brew-belt on the bin but wasn't sure how to use it with the bottles. So I got a massive tub and put about four inches of water in the bottom and dropped my old immersion heater in it (one of those smll ones designed for homebrewing). Over that I put an up-turned plastic crate with perforated sides to allow the air to circulate. Then I put the bottles on the base of the crate - suspended above the water. The Inkbird temp probe went in the centre of the bottles. And over all that, a blanket. The temp in there is bang-on. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results - it's a Festival Golden Stag kit - at bottling it smelled *fantastic*.
The immersion heaters are only supposed to be used vertical but it seems to be working just fine horizontal for the purposes I'm using it for - I'm not relying on its internal thermostat but the Inkbird. Also, it can melt the plastic the tub is made of so I sit it on top of two metal rods just to keep it away from the plastic.
Does everyone do something similar or am I missing a trick?
I was surprised to find that the secondary produced so much heat in the first two days that I nearly had to remove the blanket. I had the same thing happen at the start of the initial fermentation.
Oh, also, no, I'm not connected with Inkbird in any way, in case anyone's wondering!! I am just really impressed with it as a product.
I bought an Inkbird ITC-308 temperature controller which worked brilliantly with a brew-belt on the bin but wasn't sure how to use it with the bottles. So I got a massive tub and put about four inches of water in the bottom and dropped my old immersion heater in it (one of those smll ones designed for homebrewing). Over that I put an up-turned plastic crate with perforated sides to allow the air to circulate. Then I put the bottles on the base of the crate - suspended above the water. The Inkbird temp probe went in the centre of the bottles. And over all that, a blanket. The temp in there is bang-on. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results - it's a Festival Golden Stag kit - at bottling it smelled *fantastic*.
The immersion heaters are only supposed to be used vertical but it seems to be working just fine horizontal for the purposes I'm using it for - I'm not relying on its internal thermostat but the Inkbird. Also, it can melt the plastic the tub is made of so I sit it on top of two metal rods just to keep it away from the plastic.
Does everyone do something similar or am I missing a trick?
I was surprised to find that the secondary produced so much heat in the first two days that I nearly had to remove the blanket. I had the same thing happen at the start of the initial fermentation.
Oh, also, no, I'm not connected with Inkbird in any way, in case anyone's wondering!! I am just really impressed with it as a product.
