Brew fridge build

[Thumper]

Hi all!
I hope everyone is keeping safe amongst all the coronamadness.

I’ve no idea if anyone even remembers me- I used to post quite regularly but have had quite a long absence from homebrewing- over 18 months!

In my defence I’ve had a lot on- I learned to ride a motorbike, bought a motorbike, bought a house, moved house, went on a long motor biking holiday in California, and since then it’s been settling into the new place...

I always meant to start brewing again once we’d settled in- there’s a nice big shed with power and light at the bottom of the garden which I intended to turn into my brew shed.

Recently I’ve been on the lookout for a cheap 2nd hand fridge to make a brew fridge out of. I thought this bloody virus had put the kibosh on that, but I found one for 25 quid yesterday on Gumtree and went and picked it up today (I and the seller both followed sensible precautions, of course).

I already had the Inkbird (won in a comp on this very forum!) and the necessary greenhouse heater, so I got it home and immediately went to work.

So, here she is!

Nothing too clever here, as you can see. Took all the shelves out and off the back of the door (one was glued on AND screwed on, for some reason- that took a bit of work). The shelf is a bit of MDF I had lying about, cut to size, and I drilled a few holes in it to ensure the heat from the lamp could get through. The greenhouse heater is screwed to the base with short screws, the Inkbird sensor is duct-taped to the side. Simples!

I set the Inkbird up according to this video:



And I’m currently running a test. It was certainly heating up when I left it, so I’ll go back in an hour or so to see if it’s holding the correct temp.

The last couple of brews I did suffered from off-flavours, and I’m hoping this will stop a repeat of that- I had no temp control in the old flat.

I threw out the old fermentor and plastic bottles when I left the flat. I’ve been collecting glass bottles for a few weeks, so now I just need to find a home brew shop that will post me a couple of buckets and an AG kit

Once I have a couple of brews under my belt, I intend to spend this year perfecting a house bitter. Looking forward to getting started!

 

[chrisb8]

Looking good Personally though I would have the InkBird probe measuring the wort temperature through a thermowell or by insulating it to the side of the fv rather than measuring the air temperature in the fridge. Should be more accurate and stable.

 

[Thumper]

Looking good Personally though I would have the InkBird probe measuring the wort temperature through a thermowell or by insulating it to the side of the fv rather than measuring the air temperature in the fridge. Should be more accurate and stable.

Thanks for the tip; can I ask what a thermowell is and how I’d install one?

 

[chrisb8]

Thanks for the tip; can I ask what a thermowell is and how I’d install one?

It is essentially a metal tube (open only at the outside end) that you fix through the side or lid of the vessel so that your thermometer probe can be inserted into the wort without actually coming into contact with it.

 

[chuffer]

I sanitize the inkbird probe and suspend it in the wort after squeezing it through a tight bung in the lid of the FV....never had any issues so far

 

[Thumper]

Thanks both, they both sound like good options. Thermowell is more work initially but less faff later on, by the sound of it.

 

[Banbeer]

Thanks both, they both sound like good options. Thermowell is more work initially but less faff later on, by the sound of it.

I built a thermowell out of a demijohn bung I.E has a hole in the middle and forced a plastic tube through the hole from a little bottler then cut a hole in the FV lid smaller than the bungs largest circumference and sealed the end that goes into the FV done 3 and all work well.

 

[chrisb8]

Thanks both, they both sound like good options. Thermowell is more work initially but less faff later on, by the sound of it.

The simplest option to begin with is to tape the probe to the outside wall of the fv and insulate it from the air with some foam or similar

 

[gerald8_kop]

Hope nobody minds me politely hijacking this thread rather than cluttering up the forum with a new but very similar one.

I also just acquired a standard under-the-counter fridge but it does have that bottom ledge making space somewhat premium. My 30L FV just squeezes in but its not very practical and so I reckon Im gonna have to downsize marginally since I always brew short in anycase.

So my options are probably a 25L FV tub or better yet, I'm tempted to treat mysen to a 23L carboy with a blow off installed. How would the latter cope with a 21L brew, say? I've never used a blow off tube and so was unsure whether there is still a recommended minimum amount of headspace to leave?

 

[Ashley]

Nice job! I have a tall fridge that I can put 2 x 25l fermenters in and I just leave the probe hanging over the door because they will both invariably be slightly different temperatures. I try and get it about in the middle.

 

[Ashley]

Hope nobody minds me politely hijacking this thread rather than cluttering up the forum with a new but very similar one.

I also just acquired a standard under-the-counter fridge but it does have that bottom ledge making space somewhat premium. My 30L FV just squeezes in but its not very practical and so I reckon Im gonna have to downsize marginally since I always brew short in anycase.

So my options are probably a 25L FV tub or better yet, I'm tempted to treat mysen to a 23L carboy with a blow off installed. How would the latter cope with a 21L brew, say? I've never used a blow off tube and so was unsure whether there is still a recommended minimum amount of headspace to leave?

I wish I knew what a blow off tube was. I have an idea but it's probably wrong and would have no place on a home brew site

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I wish I knew what a blow off tube was. I have an idea but it's probably wrong and would have no place on a home brew site

Here you go How to make a blow off tube.

 

[Ashley]

Thanks @Chippy_Tea - I never have a problem with a blow out though. Not anymore. And i use a chamber to ferment in the garage. So I'm quite glad i dont need to do this

 

[gerald8_kop]

Thanks @Chippy_Tea - I never have a problem with a blow out though. Not anymore. And i use a chamber to ferment in the garage. So I'm quite glad i dont need to do this

Wish I could say the same! I'm on my third brew and have only done kits so far but:

Coopers stout - 19L and the krausen reached the FV lid (but then stopped)
Coopers Irish stout - as above
Jack Mungrove lemon Gose - 21L and blew out

 

[Ashley]

Wish I could say the same! I'm on my third brew and have only done kits so far but:

Coopers stout - 19L and the krausen reached the FV lid (but then stopped)
Coopers Irish stout - as above
Jack Mungrove lemon Gose - 21L and blew out

I used to use 23l wilko fermenters but I have 25l fermenters now and I think that does the trick

 

[gerald8_kop]

I used to use 23l wilko fermenters but I have 25l fermenters now and I think that does the trick

But what do you brew to? Ie how much head-space do/did you leave for each respectively?

Also as a noob, how critical is losing a portion of the yeast during blow outs?

 

[Ashley]

But what do you brew to? Ie how much head-space do/did you leave for each respectively?

Also as a noob, how critical is losing a portion of the yeast during blow outs?

Usually between 23 and 25 litres but I use live ale yeast with a starter. In the past, espescially with kits I found that some dried yeasts can really erupt.

I have a fermenter here I can take a picture for you. Hang on...

 

[Ashley]

This is a fermenter I haven't cleaner the krausen ring off yet. The top line is 25 litres, rather than the 23 in a standard wilko fermenter. I just wilko fermenters for holding sanitizer

 

[gerald8_kop]

Got you - thanks for the help :)