best way to keep fermenter at ideal temperature?

[jacobgreen]

Hi

i was wondering what the best way to keep my fermenter at the ideal temp is as the house in which i will be brewing my beer gets quite cold and it is far to expensive to crank up the heating, is it possible to get a fermenter with a water jacket?

thanks

 

[coyspurs]

There are a few ways to keep your FV warm, cheapest probably is to sit it in a tray of warm water with a fish tank heater to maintain temperature, then you have the wrap around brew belt or get an electric blanket and sit / wrap in that or the way I do it now is to have a fermenting freezer. This has a heater tube about (£15ish} inside a chest freezer and an STC1000 temp controller (£16ish) to do as it says. It is only a small freezer but I can get 4 DJs and a FV in no problem. The cooling side allows me to brew lagers a bit better as well

 

[joe1002]

+1 for a fermenting fridge / freezer

 

[rpt]

Fermenting fridge definitely the best if you have space. Fridges regularly come up on Freecycle.

 

[billybacardi]

i have a fishtank heater/thermostat in the fv, with the cable going through the screw on cap, only done one lot of beer this way and it turned out great. But, i have read a few times now that some put the fv in a bowl of water and the heater in this, would be interested to hear if there is a reason for doing it this way.

:

 

[rpt]

Saves having to sanitise the heater.

 

[billybacardi]

oh ok, if thats the only reason thats ok then as it gets sanitised when i do the fv. thx

 

[jacobgreen]

There are a few ways to keep your FV warm, cheapest probably is to sit it in a tray of warm water with a fish tank heater to maintain temperature, then you have the wrap around brew belt or get an electric blanket and sit / wrap in that or the way I do it now is to have a fermenting freezer. This has a heater tube about (£15ish} inside a chest freezer and an STC1000 temp controller (£16ish) to do as it says. It is only a small freezer but I can get 4 DJs and a FV in no problem. The cooling side allows me to brew lagers a bit better as well

know of any good youtube videos/instructions for setting up a heating freezer, this looks like the best option

cheers

 

[billybacardi]

check out a guy on there called Gash Slugg, he's done just about everything there is to do...

 

[evanvine]

I agree that the "kegerator" is the best option, but my conical will not fit into any domestic freezer or fridge.
My solution, albeit complex, is to use a "Maxwell Tube" with a HERMS and a maxi chiller, controlled with an STC1000.

 

[graysalchemy]

i have a fishtank heater/thermostat in the fv, with the cable going through the screw on cap, only done one lot of beer this way and it turned out great. But, i have read a few times now that some put the fv in a bowl of water and the heater in this, would be interested to hear if there is a reason for doing it this way.

:

Stops you getting hot spots and it is easier to get a more stable temp.

 

[evanvine]

For once I agree with GA!
+ you have nothing dangling in your brew!

 

[coyspurs]

If you are going down the freezer/fridge fermentor route, if you choose a chest freezer it will pay you to put a timber rim around it (I used 4" x 1") to lift the lid higher so that you can put DJs with bubblers on the shelf. Dead easy to do, 4 lengths of timber screwed to a rectangle same size as the top of your freezer, stick it on with Sikaflex or similar, replace your lid, fixed by the brackets to the timber rim. Also all ready if you want to turn it into a Keggerator and add some pump handles!

 

[billybacardi]

i did think that there might be hot spots around the element but then i thought that the movement of the ferment would keep it moving around, maybe i was just lucky but it was a great drink and did'nt spoil so i will probably do it again when needed.

 

[Cornish Knocker]

I've just used for the very first time a brew tub with an aquarium heater and it has been brilliant. Kept the wort at a constant temperature for the whole of the fermenting process, so really pleased. I now have a redundant brew belt.

For those who haven't gone the brew fridge route yet I would definitely recommend the brew tub route. £6 for an aquarium heater, a few quid for a tub of some description and ready to go.

I did make the slight mistake of having the FV sitting directly on the tub bottom, had planned to raise it a little but forgot, but it was still great.

The brew tub was an idea I picked up on here, so thanks to all. :

 

[evanvine]

I've just used for the very first time a brew tub with an aquarium heater and it has been brilliant. Kept the wort at a constant temperature for the whole of the fermenting process, so really pleased. I now have a redundant brew belt.

Yes, it is an excellent method, especially if you have a thermowell in the FV!
Been using the method for years!

 

[Cornish Knocker]

I've just used for the very first time a brew tub with an aquarium heater and it has been brilliant. Kept the wort at a constant temperature for the whole of the fermenting process, so really pleased. I now have a redundant brew belt.

Yes, it is an excellent method, especially if you have a thermowell in the FV!
Been using the method for years!

I've purposely kept the aquarium heater in the tub rather than in the FV, but what is a thermowell? Am I missing something crucial?

 

[evanvine]

A thermowell is normally a brass or copper tube fitted into the side of the FV, this allows you monitor the temp of the wort directly without dangling anything in it.
EG the probe of an STC1000.

 

[dgrant2014]

Hey guys,

Im currently brewing in my attic room ranges from 8-12c, currently have. Lager on the go so the wort temps about 16-19c so all ok there.

But I jave a ginger beer on the go and am about to start a milestones I
Stout. All FV are in the box they arrived in then wrapped in carpet underlay and loft insulation with a bit kitchen wrap to keep all in place. Is there any other ideas as to how keep things warmer for the stout or ginger beer?