Brew Belt Temp?

[RobWalker]

First off, i'm not investing in temp control, as this is a one off :lol:

I've been looking at doing a sour mash which needs to be held at about 37c for 36-48 hours. What temp does a brew belt keep your brew at? I have one in the spare room, and if I can get in the ballpark I'd be happy with that!

 

[markmark]

A brew belt has no thermostat. It will basically keep heating the beer....though the maximum temperature will be determined by how far the belt is situated up the side of the vessel and the ambient conditions. The lower down you put it, the warmer your beer will get.
They are problematic to use imo unless they are linked to some type of thermostat that is monitoring the temp of the beer and switching the belt on or off accordingly.

 

[Edindie]

Well, for context, I put one on a beer inside my house (about 17C) about 3-4 inches up from the bottom and wrapped the FV in blankets. When I came home 2 days later the beer was rocking 32C and i have no doubt ruined it (not tried it yet).

But the belt and blankets heated 23L of liquid up to that temp so should probably be able to sustain the temp you're after.

 

[brewtim]

Why not experiment by filling the FV with water and then using the brew belt :wha:

 

[Trev]

try using a electric timer unit so it switches on and off every 20 mins or so and then adjust until you get the temp you need.

 

[RobWalker]

try using a electric timer unit so it switches on and off every 20 mins or so and then adjust until you get the temp you need.

My worry is that it won't get high enough, admittedly!

brewtim - not a bad idea! i guess it will vary a little because of the thickness of the liquid, but it should give me a ballpark. good plan!

edindie - thanks! i hadnt acutally thought of insulating along with a brew belt, so that's a great idea. dropping it inside an FV or something should help to keep it warmer too. thanks :)

markmark - again great info, thanks. i know they are rustic, but I'm hoping it will pull through in this case. certainly I don't use it for brewing any more :lol: