Temperature

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freddypne

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Hi all, home brew noob here. Could I ask a question? How do you recommend keeping a stable temperature when brewing.

I have seen various products such as trays and heaters. What would be the best way to do this
 
First question is do you really need temp control? Your house temp may well be ok without any help.

I just keep my fv in the under the stairs cupboard where it's generally 18-20 so perfect for ales. I have a small oil/electric radiator I use if it gets too chilly outside. Haven't had any issues, but then I typically use yeast that's not too temp concerned.

Obvs if you're doing lagers you'll need some way of keeping the temp down.
 
hi there.i'm a newbie myself(only done 2 brews).from what I've read on here most recommend putting your fv into bucket of water with a aquarium heater to get temps up or take heater out and put a towel around fv but hanging in water to get temps down.if I'm wrong someone will put you right
 
Aquarium heaters are difficult to sanitise so putting it directly in the beer is a bit of a Russian roulette thing I reckon.
 
We're just about to enter the danger period, when the winter can cause larger swings in temp resulting in them dipping too low and causing stuck brews. Houses still have a bit of residual heat but from Nov-Mar I've had stuck brews, especially after Xmas.

As pointed out above, put the FV in a large garden trub with a fish tank heater in the water. It'll act like a Bain Marie, indirectly heating the FV so you won't get any hot spots. Works a treat, I've just bought both for less that £15 (Homebase for the trub, eBay for a 50W heater) and done a ferment at a nice steady 19C.
 
We're just about to enter the danger period, when the winter can cause larger swings in temp resulting in them dipping too low and causing stuck brews. Houses still have a bit of residual heat but from Nov-Mar I've had stuck brews, especially after Xmas.

Opposite way round for me - I brew in the airing cupboard. In winter the tank is heated from our wood burner so it stays at a pretty good and even temperature. in summer it's heated by the immersion heater which we only switch on when we need hot water so the temperature in there fluctuates quite a lot. the plan is to make a solar water panel and heat the water with that during the summer - but I've been thinking of that for at least 15 years and never got round to it yet.:lol:
 
I use a water bath method with an aquarium heater and lcd underwater thermometer (both fleebay specials!). Seems to be doing the job.
 
I use a electric blanket with a temperature controller works like a dream. I brew in my cellar so always need heat.
Another good way is a brew fridge, basically a fridge with a heater in controlled by a temp controller. Perfect if brewing in a garage.
 
I have used many methods at first a simple body warmer over the fermenter. I use a demo under floor heating tile to warm where required. I have been looking for a second and the reptile warming mats seem about right but not tried one yet.

The problem is going over the limit and getting a bitter brew as a result. Reading through the methods builders tub with an aquarium heater in water in tub with fermentor sitting in that water is likely the cheapest and easiest method. Heat transfer liquid to liquid is better than air to liquid so for heating likely better than using a fridge unless you press the sensor direct onto fermentor so measuring fermentor temperature not fridge air. Clearly with some insulation over the sensor I use a simple sponge.

I use an old fridge as I have one. But would not go out of my way to buy one unless doing lager. Temperature controllers I must admit do improve the pint my beer is so much better now it is kept at 19.5 degrees C. But my fridge air is around 1.5 degrees cooler than the fermentor even without any insulation. In hind sight I realise using a simple body warmer would have done the same job. In garage temperature does drop to couple of degrees in winter but the 18W heater under the fermentor is ample to maintain heat.

Before the fridge and temperature controller I brewed in kitchen. Brews started OK but near the end were a tad too cool in Winter and in Summer a little too warm. I found summer brews were not as good as winter brews so stopped summer brewing.

With what I know now I would use the water bath with aquarium heater likely with sanitiser in the water. However now I have a fridge with heater I will continue.
 
I use a water bath method with an aquarium heater and lcd underwater thermometer (both fleebay specials!). Seems to be doing the job.
I use a water bath comprising trug container from Wilko (http://www.wilko.com/laundry-baskets+truggs/wilko-laundry-trug-purple-40l/invt/0267567 ) and an aquarium heater, and cover it all with an old towel. Heater set to 20*C. I use about 2 galls water in the bath. No need to sanitize the water in the bath, since it will not come into contact with your brew (assuming your FV is not fitted with a drain valve, in which case a water bath may not be a good idea) .
This way I can seal the FV, and avoid slightly cooking the brew on the heater surface.

P.S.You will need to set up the aquarium heater to ensure the bath temperature is correct. Don't rely on the settings on the heater. I filled an FV with about 22 litres of water at roughly 20*C , 2 galls water in the outer bath at about 20*C, and then adjusted the heater control over a few hours to make sure it controlled the water in the bath at the required temperature.
 
Hi lads, I've been successfully brewing some beers using the Bain Marie method to maintain temperature. However I filled some bottles that tasted great and had some natural fizziness, but the rest of the brew I did in the fv and it is flag as anything and really not great to taste. Anyone know why this is and what I can do with the 'dishwater' I have in my fv?
 
Hi lads, I've been successfully brewing some beers using the Bain Marie method to maintain temperature. However I filled some bottles that tasted great and had some natural fizziness, but the rest of the brew I did in the fv and it is flag as anything and really not great to taste. Anyone know why this is and what I can do with the 'dishwater' I have in my fv?

"but the rest of the brew I did in the fv and it is flag as anything and really not great to taste. Anyone know why this is and what I can do with the 'dishwater' I have in my fv?"

By fv do you mean fermentation vessel?
If you do and you kept a finished brew in there that would be the cause of your problem. A fermentation vessel is no use for storing beer, beer should be stored in air tight containers that can stand the added pressure of CO2 gas, bottles and kegs are the norm for storage
 
Cheers bud. Yes, I realise that now (silly me). Any suggestions as to what to do with flat beer?
 
Add half tea spoon of sugar to each bottle. I use pop bottles 2 litre as quick to fill you can test pressure without opening and once open you can replace the cap so drink over a few days.
 

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