Fermenting Cupboard.

[greencheapsk8]

Anybody made a fermenting cupboard?
I mean something i can plug in out in the shed, keeps the heat warm and stores my varoius fermenting wines and whatnot.
Like a backwards fridge i guess.
What temps are good for fermenting? My yeast packet tells me
16'C-25'C Is this about right?
Also any ideas for heating?

 

[evanvine]

Try this post for an idea!

 

[jamesb]

A lot of us use a fridge.

Not as stupid as it sounds. They're retrofitted with a temperature controller such as the Forttex TC-10 or the ATC800 and have a tube heater or an incandescent light bulb inside to provide heat. A fan is always useful for air circulation to get a more even temperature.

 

[stu9000]

I boxed in a shelf with carboard and old camping roll mats.
Heat is provided with an old fan heater with a therm control set to min.
Keeps everything stead at 22 degrees.
Fan only come on for 10 seconds every half an hour or so.

 

[robsan77]

I've rigged up a fridge with the tc-10 and use an old belt heater which I lay at the bottom of the fridge. It works a treat and doesnt take long to heat the air temp at all. Just drinking my first batch of beer fermented in th efridge and its great! much clearer flavours and sweeter than my beer usually turns out. love it.

 

[greencheapsk8]

Hey thats cool.
I was thinking a similar thing, but with an old hairdryer on a timer.
10mins every 8 hours or so i guess

 

[philmy glass]

I brew wine out in my shed. I built an MDF box against one wall and lined it with 40mm insulating foam panels. For the lid I put the insulating foam on the outside cuz inside I've fixed an old light fitting with a 40w bulb. Dont use the new energy saving ones cuz this is the heat source. I have a fridge themometer inside a jar of sterilizing solution with the display on the outside of the box. After fitting the the insulation there is enough room to sit four DJs in.

I plug the light into a timer socket and adjust the time its on so that the temperature probe is mostly between 18 and 20'C. It seems to work OK and currently the bulb is on for 30 mins every 2 hours at night and every 4 hours during the day. Last winter I had to use a 60w bulb and had it on for 15 mins with a 60 min gap.

If I did it again I'd make sure the cable to the socket had more spare in it so I can lift the lid without unplugging the light. I'd also make sure the bulb hung more centally because when I started the bulb melted the foam a bit on the nearest wall.

When its finished I bulk age it and store some bottles in an old (dead) fridge. Keeping things cool in summer is a bit of a problem so I have to keep refreshing freezer blocks twice a day.

Cheers
Phil. :thumb:

 

[evanvine]

Sounds like you are getting things in order and are learning from your mistakes, well done :thumb:

 

[daveanson]

Actually No! A thermostat and a heat lamp used for Vivariums can be purchased from most pet shops. The thermostat will have a dial to set the temperature 18 - 32 oC. The lamp and probe will easily fit into an insulated box as already suggested.

 

[James beckford]

I have made mine using a standard kitchen cabinet with two 35w halogen downlighters in the floor wired through a standard heating thermostat.
Lined the cabinet with 25mm polystyrene.
Wire basket lifts the barrel and I have put a floor tile under the barrel to spread the heat evenly.

 

[Ghillie]

I have made mine using a standard kitchen cabinet with two 35w halogen downlighters in the floor wired through a standard heating thermostat.
Lined the cabinet with 25mm polystyrene.
Wire basket lifts the barrel and I have put a floor tile under the barrel to spread the heat evenly.
View attachment 21666 View attachment 21667

This thread is 9 years old.

The general consensus is that light is detrimental to fermentation so you might want to look at an alternative heat source.

 

[James beckford]

This thread is 9 years old.

The general consensus is that light is detrimental to fermentation so you might want to look at an alternative heat source.

I did not know that. Would the tile under the barrel stop the light?

 

[Ghillie]

I did not know that. Would the tile under the barrel stop the light?

It might, it might not. I'd imagine the light will bounce off the white walls of the fridge and still potentially hurt the beer. I've no proof or evidence of this by the way, but I've read a thousand times that "light will skunk your beer" - hence why the fermenting space is always dark, or the FV is covered with a towel, etc.

Users have had success in the past putting tin cans over lamps, but this is just a fire hazard IMO. I'd strongly advise against something like that.

These are the preferred means of heating fermentation chambers and something I've had great success with:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tube-Tub...893308?hash=item287ba1cd7c:g:xvoAAOSwImRYEN6G

Safe, cheap and ultimately more energy efficient than a lamp.

 

[James beckford]

It might, it might not. I'd imagine the light will bounce off the white walls of the fridge and still potentially hurt the beer. I've no proof or evidence of this by the way, but I've read a thousand times that "light will skunk your beer" - hence why the fermenting space is always dark, or the FV is covered with a towel, etc.

Users have had success in the past putting tin cans over lamps, but this is just a fire hazard IMO. I'd strongly advise against something like that.

These are the preferred means of heating fermentation chambers and something I've had great success with:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tube-Tub...893308?hash=item287ba1cd7c:g:xvoAAOSwImRYEN6G

Safe, cheap and ultimately more energy efficient than a lamp.

Thanks for that. Most appreciated. I'll look at alternatives.

 

[Ghillie]

Thanks for that. Most appreciated. I'll look at alternatives.

Good luck!

 

[johncrobinson]

They do save a lot of messing about with brewbelts and heatpads and are much cheaper than running central heating 24/7.
I will be building one when i move in a few weeks.