Brew fridge first outing

[dannylockley]

Proper job clone , first extract brew I have done and first time for the new brew fridge, only my fifth brew ever so hope it goes well...

View attachment uploadfromtaptalk1457901827703.jpg

 

[dannylockley]

Hops were Chinook, cascade, Willamette and steeped carapills and Crystal. S05 yeast

 

[Batlugs]

Hi Danny,

Coming back to brewing for the forth time in forty years and been through the chemists kits of the 70's and 80's through to malt extract recipes and now on all grain with a shiny Grainfather.

The piece of kit that has made the biggest difference has been the brew fridge, to be able to keep a constant controlled fermentation temperature has seen my novice AG brews rival my local.

I have been on the lookout for an old fridge but couldn't find a suitable one so bought a new one for my second brew fridge it's that important to me now.

 

[dannylockley]

Hi Danny,

Coming back to brewing for the forth time in forty years and been through the chemists kits of the 70's and 80's through to malt extract recipes and now on all grain with a shiny Grainfather.

The piece of kit that has made the biggest difference has been the brew fridge, to be able to keep a constant controlled fermentation temperature has seen my novice AG brews rival my local.

I have been on the lookout for an old fridge but couldn't find a suitable one so bought a new one for my second brew fridge it's that important to me now.

Thanks for the feedback, yea I read up and people suggested that temp control is huge do thought I would have a go. Pretty pleased but my taller vessel won't quite fit.

 

[Batlugs]

Hi Danny,

Good luck with it all.

Just noticed on your pic that the shelf appears to be the original glass shelf? If so be very careful, maybe ok for the 15l you've got there but if you went to 23l = 23 kilos will be too much for the glass shelf.

Build yourself a timber one to be on the safe side..

 

[ericmark]

I moved to a brew fridge when our fridge/freezer was condemned, I have never used the fridge/freezer function it is just an insulated box in the garage with handy door access. I had some problems in early days with it over shooting the mark, once too hot it takes a long time to cool again without using the fridge.

So once winter months came I did some tests. In the freezer compartment I used a 8W CFL bulb to keep the bottled beer warm to condition it. It never failed to maintain temperature. I then found my energy meter so measured what the fridge heater used on average, putting a brew in at 14ºC and warming to 19ºC over 24 hours it averaged out at 10W and to maintain temperature over 24 hours down to 4.5W so I realise now, easy with hind sight my heater at 18W is too big, so intend to make it so I can put a bulb in series to reduce the output. But my beer has improved.

 

[dannylockley]

Hi Danny,

Coming back to brewing for the forth time in forty years and been through the chemists kits of the 70's and 80's through to malt extract recipes and now on all grain with a shiny Grainfather.

The piece of kit that has made the biggest difference has been the brew fridge, to be able to keep a constant controlled fermentation temperature has seen my novice AG brews rival my local.

I have been on the lookout for an old fridge but couldn't find a suitable one so bought a new one for my second brew fridge it's that important to me now.

Thanks for the feedback, yea I read up and people suggested that temp control is huge do thought I would have a go. Pretty pleased but my taller vessel won't quite fit.

 

[dannylockley]

I did wonder about the glass shelf, will have to look at that and see if I can get an extra few cm height from the change too

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Maybe make one of these but lower.

 

[Batlugs]

My shelves fit where the salad box would be, flush with the compressor bulkhead.

 

[dannylockley]

Maybe make one of these but lower.

wow that looks amazing, nice carpentry!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Its from the brew fridge sticky. In the 'how to' forum.
.