Tiny Brewing Space

[Mark Winter]

So I've been brewing wine kits with great success for years and I'm now looking to get into beer and cider kits. I have limited time, space and money so this is a question for those that do kits rather than all grain. I'm planning on buyiny 4 x 5ltr stainless mini-kegs and a dispenser that takes co2 cartridges for the beer and cider that I plan to brew. What I haven't figured out yet is the best set-up with regards to brewing, carbonation and clearing in the front part of my garage that I've got left to do some brewing.
I've two 23ltr fermentation vessels I use for wine that can be used for everything else. I then plan to carbonate with sugar in the mini kegs and dispense with the co2 cartridges. What I'm trying to figure out though is the best way to ferment the main vessels and carbonate the mini kegs at the same time. Should I build a bespoke fermenting cabinet or would there be a better option converting a larger fridge to accommodate four 5 litre kegs and two fermenting vessels. I've a temp controller that I've made that can do heating and cooling cycles, so what I was thinking was to make an insulated cabinet with a cople of brewing pads for the heat when needed, and a cooling fan that can draw outside air when things get too hot. Is this a good idea or are there better options?

 

[Agentgonzo]

Depending on where you brew and whether you want ales or lagers, you could omit the frightening fermenting cabinet entirely and save a fair bit of space.

Ale yeast tends to like room temperature for fermentation, so you can just use your house as the temperature control. My house stays relatively stable throughout winter (high of 21 when the heating is on, low of about 17 overnight, even in the depths of winter) that means the beer temperature fluctuates about a degree or at most 2, which makes relatively little impact on the beer.

I now have an insulated jacket and a heating belt. This keeps the beer within a quarter of a degree of target temperature throughout the fermentation. And it takes up no more room than the fermenter.

Yes, there is no cooling, but it in the UK there aren't that many days of the year when the average temperature is above 21, so just plan a little over the summer and your can get away entirely without special temperature control.

As for kits, if you make extract brews (or kits) then you can use a smaller boil kettle, then top up with water in the fermenter, meaning much smaller kit then full volume mash and boil kettles for all grain.

 

[Mark Winter]

Yeah, unfortunately I got my marching orders from brewing in the house. I've got a 3m X 1.5m space at the front of the garage that I can dedicate to brewing. Problem with that is it's draughty and the door acts like a large black solar panel when the sun's out. That's why I need to create something that's insulated from the elements.

 

[Siscokid85]

Hi,

Before we moved I was limited on space, so put a lot of thought into space for brewing and storing kit, boarding space in attics and folding this and that etc etc.

If you use a 25-30 litre fermenting bucket you can get them in an undercounter fridge, which can be converted to a fermenting chamber. The top would also be the right height as a work surface or of course it will sit under a counter. That would be a good way to go. Other option, if the space is a quirky shape you could build a chamber with a bit of ply and some 100mm thick pir insulation /kingspan.

Home brew griffo done something on his YouTube….. if my link works.

Also don’t know if it is applicable but Screwfix sell some folding brackets…

https://www.screwfix.com/p/adjustab...ilver-400-x-272mm-2-pack/56422?ref=SFAppShare
I used 2 and about 1.2m of second hand kitchen worktop I got off Facebook to make a brewing workbench, with the right fixings it would take all 13 stone of me so was more than up to 25l brewing pot or fermenter.

If ever you wanted to go all grain an all in one brewing unit doesn’t take much room and with a wheeled dolly it is perfect in the front of a garage, can always brew outside as long as it’s not raining.

Anyway I hope some of that might help you.

All the best.

 

[Mark Winter]

Hi,

Before we moved I was limited on space, so put a lot of thought into space for brewing and storing kit, boarding space in attics and folding this and that etc etc.

If you use a 25-30 litre fermenting bucket you can get them in an undercounter fridge, which can be converted to a fermenting chamber. The top would also be the right height as a work surface or of course it will sit under a counter. That would be a good way to go. Other option, if the space is a quirky shape you could build a chamber with a bit of ply and some 100mm thick pir insulation /kingspan.

Home brew griffo done something on his YouTube….. if my link works.

Also don’t know if it is applicable but Screwfix sell some folding brackets…

https://www.screwfix.com/p/adjustab...ilver-400-x-272mm-2-pack/56422?ref=SFAppShare
I used 2 and about 1.2m of second hand kitchen worktop I got off Facebook to make a brewing workbench, with the right fixings it would take all 13 stone of me so was more than up to 25l brewing pot or fermenter.

If ever you wanted to go all grain an all in one brewing unit doesn’t take much room and with a wheeled dolly it is perfect in the front of a garage, can always brew outside as long as it’s not raining.

Anyway I hope some of that might help you.

All the best.

Thanks very much for this. That video looks earily like the space I've got. Think I might do something similar.

All grain looks like a distant dream at the minute though.

 

[MashBag]

Tbh I wouldn't bother with the chamber. Insulation works. I brew outside all year, for years, with a sleeping bag style insulation and simple heater pad and an inkbird.

Cooling in the summer, that's the issue. And a chamber even with a fan won't help.

If you must make a chamber convert a fridge..

 

[Mark Winter]

Tbh I wouldn't bother with the chamber. Insulation works. I brew outside all year, for years, with a sleeping bag style insulation and simple heater pad and an inkbird.

Cooling in the summer, that's the issue. And a chamber even with a fan won't help.

If you must make a chamber convert a fridge..

Yeah the cupboard idea has been abandoned. Managed to get a fridge for free off Gumtree and got a 60w heater from Amazon. Going down the brew fridge route.

 

[MashBag]

Good choice. Well done, that gets all the options covered nicely.