Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

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monty1
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Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by monty1 »

As it's got colder over the last few days the ambient temperature in my fermenting area has dropped by a few degrees. What (cheapish) strategies do people have for keeping the fermenting bins at required temperature. A recipe i'm looking at needs fermenting at 22 C but now my brewing area is down to around 18.

Theoretically, could i use an aquarium heater in the fermenting vessel?
squid88
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Re: Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by squid88 »

I wouldn't put it inside but in a bucket with the vessel sitting in. I use a turned off fridge.
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Jeltz69
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Re: Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by Jeltz69 »

If you have the space try to get hold of a 2nd hand fridge (watch out on freegle/freecycle) and either a green house tube heater or a brew belt to heat the wort and use an STC-1000 to control it the temperature (heating and cooling). That way you can control the temperature of fermentation very closely.

If the room you are using is <20°C then you could get away with using either a brew belt or get a builders bucket sit the FV in the bucket with water and an aquarium heater in the builders bucket to heat the water, that would warm the water which would in turn warm the wort but without the increased risk of infection of having the heater directly in the wort. I would still rig either of them up to an STC-1000 to manage the temperature as brew belts are not thermostatically controlled and aquarium heater thermostats are not that reliable.

Those controllers are quite easy to wire (I managed it) but they do need mounting into some kind of box.
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steve crawshaw
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Re: Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by steve crawshaw »

The builders bucket with the aquarium heater in it is my approach. Nic is right that the thermostats are not that accurate, but I always use a good thermometer to check temps and adjust the stat to the right temp. Once it's set it won't move.
We discussed last night at BBC about the temperature differential between the wort in the FV and the water in the bucket. I maintain that this will be less than 1C because there is a large surface area for heat transfer, a thin plastic wall between the fluids and good mixing in the active fermentation phase.

I achieve good fermentation control with this method and its pretty cheap (<£30). It also takes up less room than a fridge.
I like to keep a bottle of stimulant handy in case I see a snake, which I also keep handy.
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Jeltz69
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Re: Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by Jeltz69 »

You also have the advantage that you are fermenting in a cellar which will tend to maintain a fairly stable low temperature.
mrlard
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Re: Keeping the fermenting vessel at correct temperature

Post by mrlard »

Personally from having tried pretty much everything i am a big fan of HX coils, maxi chillers and in line heaters.

to be fair you can't go wrong with a fridge but i do wonder what else grows in them at fermentation temps.... I never seemed to get around to cleaning them..
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