Best (cheapest) way to keep fv at right temp

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DrPips

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Hi all,

I'm planning my first brew this weekend, just on a pack for now. I'm going to do everything in the house for now until I need to bring the temperature down when I'll move it into the garage, but I was wondering if there's an easy and cheap way to keep everything at around 16 degrees for the yeast to do its thing but in the garage?

I'm sure there is, but how do people do it?
 
I paid £20 for a brewbelt and £35 for an inkbird 308 s with a probe that went into the FV....wrapped up the FV with some thermal quilt off cuts from work.....reckon the only thing cheaper than that would be an aquarium heater in a big plastic bucket full of water....not sure how reliable the therm control on those things are though but you could always get an inkbird to regulate if nec
 
The overall "best /cheapest " would be the aquarium heater but the cheapest would be to use temperature tolerant yeast. Something like nottingham in the winter (as it goes down to 14C) and US-05/Mauribrew 514/Mangrove jacks workhorse during the summer as they go up to 25C/32/34C
 
I use a brew belt with a timer and with tweaking where the heat band sits on the FV and the timings you can easily maintain a temp you want. As MQ said the hot weather yeasts for the summer, I used Mauribrew 514 and Mangrove Jacks Workhorse last summer and they were great
 
MyQul said:
The overall "best /cheapest " would be the aquarium heater but the cheapest would be to use temperature tolerant yeast. Something like nottingham in the winter (as it goes down to 14C) and US-05/Mauribrew 514/Mangrove jacks workhorse during the summer as they go up to 25C/32/34C
Click to expand...

It just goes to show how variable our homebrewing situations are: for me it's the other way round. The only place in our house warm enough to brew in is the airing cupboard. the hot water tank is heated from a woodburner so it's pretty warm in there in the winter, but in the summer we have to use the immersion heater to heat the water so except on very sunny days, the airing cupboard is a bit on the cool side.
I've been thinking of setting up a brewfridge with a heat mat inside for brewing in the summer - I've got an old fridge lying around in one of the sheds and I recon one of those heat mats you sit underneath an aquarium/terarium would be just warm enough if left running continuously.
 
Cwrw666 said:
.
I've been thinking of setting up a brewfridge with a heat mat inside for brewing in the summer - I've got an old fridge lying around in one of the sheds and I recon one of those heat mats you sit underneath an aquarium/terarium would be just warm enough if left running continuously.
Click to expand...

What you could do is just put the heat mat in the fridge next to the FV but not use an aqaurium and plug it inton one of those inkbird plug and play do dads to keep the temp constant
 
I built a brew fridge with a tube heater and STC-1000.

But I've since realised i did't really need the fridge, I could have installed
the heater and controller in the cupboard under the stairs. I might have
gone for a 60W (or bigger) here though.


Nial
 
It may not be the cheapest solution if you don't already have it. But I call my set-up "a centrally heated house". The back room is in shade most of the day and is generally between 18 - 22 degrees all year round. Pretty much all of the home-brew yeasts seem to like this sort of temperature range and I've never experienced any off-flavours or other nasties. So maybe I'm fortunate but I've never had to muck about with water baths, aquarium heaters, brew-belts and the like.
 
fourbob said:
It may not be the cheapest solution if you don't already have it. But I call my set-up "a centrally heated house". The back room is in shade most of the day and is generally between 18 - 22 degrees all year round. Pretty much all of the home-brew yeasts seem to like this sort of temperature range and I've never experienced any off-flavours or other nasties. So maybe I'm fortunate but I've never had to muck about with water baths, aquarium heaters, brew-belts and the like.
Click to expand...

Do you know if any online homebrew sites have these, "Centally heated houses" in stock?
 
MyQul said:
Do you know if any online homebrew sites have these, "Centally heated houses" in stock?
Click to expand...

Probably not, but if you're looking to get one of these installed I can recommend a company in the Sheffield area. Brew belt's probably cheaper, tho' :wink:
 
fourbob said:
It may not be the cheapest solution if you don't already have it. But I call my set-up "a centrally heated house". The back room is in shade most of the day and is generally between 18 - 22 degrees all year round. Pretty much all of the home-brew yeasts seem to like this sort of temperature range and I've never experienced any off-flavours or other nasties. So maybe I'm fortunate but I've never had to muck about with water baths, aquarium heaters, brew-belts and the like.
Click to expand...

well not everyone has the space! (or a SWMBO who'll tolerate the smell/potential mess):tongue:
 
I agree with Chuffer, get a brew belt online although I know this may be pushing it now being thurs, unless you have a homebrew place near you that sells one.
I would recommend a timer too as they can generate some real 'unwanted heat' that youl want to avoid. I had myn recently coming on every hour and a half for just fifteen mins keeping a steady 19C, covered with a bath towel and two light Lonsdale jackets to protect the FV from fluctuating room temps and light.
Where are you planning on keeping it?
 
Last edited:
fourbob said:
It may not be the cheapest solution if you don't already have it. But I call my set-up "a centrally heated house". The back room is in shade most of the day and is generally between 18 - 22 degrees all year round. Pretty much all of the home-brew yeasts seem to like this sort of temperature range and I've never experienced any off-flavours or other nasties. So maybe I'm fortunate but I've never had to muck about with water baths, aquarium heaters, brew-belts and the like.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, despite investing heavily in the above solution, SWMBO doesn't believe its primary purpose is for homebrewing. As a result our house is a lovely 15 -16°c, which doesn't fill me with confidence for ales/ stouts needing an extra couple of degrees. :cry:
 
+1 for a brew fridge.

99p for a fridge off eBay, 20 quid special deal for a 308, a tenner for a bar heater and that's the lot.

I can easily brew at any temp I like and it keeps the missus happy as the spare room no longer spells like a brewery.
 
I like the idea of a brew fridge. I'm guessing that as it's in a sealed environment, that once the inital cost is paid for, it would cost less to run. The instructions here look pretty solid.

I think I'll start brewing this weekend, and when the other half gets fed up, she can buy me a fridge!
 
I got a fridge for £15. It's got a freezer box but I took the fv with me and it fits, so I'm guessing it will be ok. Sensor and tube heater on order
 

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