Fermenting in cold garage

[Iain Wishart]

Hi, looking for anyone with similar experience. Due to expanded family my brewing has moved to garage. Brewing 4Ol batches. The issue I have is fermenting as garage in winter is regularly around freezing. I used to ferment in bucket in water bath in house with aquarium Heaters which worked really well.
I have seen the ss brew buddy 35l heated fermenter. Does anyone know if this would hold heat in a cold garage if had an insulated jacket on and say inside a plastic bin with bubble wrap surrounding etc to insulate or would it not hold heat. Any one with similar conditions for fermenting and ideas would be much appreciated. Cheers. Iain

 

[Clint]

Although I have a brew fridge..which is a good option,I also regularly brew on a heat pad with the patio furniture cushion wrapped round it,controlled by an inkbird.

 

[Iain Wishart]

Although I have a brew fridge..which is a good option,I also regularly brew on a heat pad with the patio furniture cushion wrapped round it,controlled by an inkbird.

Cheers Clint, really appreciated. Excuse my ignorance as never used the inkbird, does a digital thermometer go into the brew and the other plugged into the heatpad? What heatpad do you use if don't mind asking and is it very low temps you are brewing in. Cheers

 

[Rwilts]

In my garage I have a fermizilla with a basic heater belt on the frame and the insulation jacket, worked fine for two weeks , two weeks ago ( wasn't as cold as.now , but cold) . I have just (10 min ago) pitched todays no chill brew into same set up and confident that it will hold 21. Temp is controlled by an inkbird alternative but works same .

I repurposed a long dip tube as a thermo well and then drop the temp prob into the tube , which is in the liquid, which is a bit more accurate than taping to outside , but that would also work.

 

[Clint]

The probe off the inkbird is behind a block of sponge/foam taped to the bucket,the cushion/insulation is then wrapped round the whole lot. The heat pad is a generic homebrew store plastic square thing. Obviously the "cold" plug on the inkbird isn't used.

 

[Iain Wishart]

In my garage I have a fermizilla with a basic heater belt on the frame and the insulation jacket, worked fine for two weeks , two weeks ago ( wasn't as cold as.now , but cold) . I have just (10 min ago) pitched todays no chill brew into same set up and confident that it will hold 21. Temp is controlled by an inkbird alternative but works same .

I repurposed a long dip tube as a thermo well and then drop the temp prob into the tube , which is in the liquid, which is a bit more accurate than taping to outside , but that would also work.

Thanks very much, good to know all these things work. Just want to purchase stuff once that's gonna do the job in the really cold conditions. Cheers

 

[Rwilts]

 

[Iain Wishart]

The probe off the inkbird is behind a block of sponge/foam taped to the bucket,the cushion/insulation is then wrapped round the whole lot. The heat pad is a generic homebrew store plastic square thing. Obviously the "cold" plug on the inkbird isn't used.

Thanks Clint, sound an effective set up.

The probe off the inkbird is behind a block of sponge/foam taped to the bucket,the cushion/insulation is then wrapped round the whole lot. The heat pad is a generic homebrew store plastic square thing. Obviously the "cold" plug on the inkbird isn't used.

 

[Iain Wishart]

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Thankyou for that, looks ideal

 

[matt.]

The probe off the inkbird is behind a block of sponge/foam taped to the bucket,the cushion/insulation is then wrapped round the whole lot. The heat pad is a generic homebrew store plastic square thing. Obviously the "cold" plug on the inkbird isn't used.

Great information. Thanks.
May I ask what model inkbird you use? I'm about to buy one and there's several types on the market.
Thanks

 

[gavp1979]

I now have an old fridge that I use as a fermentation fridge which I would recommend if fermenting in the garage is going to be a permanent thing but before that I successfully used a water bath with aquarium heaters in an un-insulated garage so you may get away with not changing your old process

 

[Roddy J]

I have very little free space in my garage and not enough to keep a fridge permanently so I bought a Ferminator.

I build it up when needed and dismantle it and store it away when not in use.

Set the temp and let it run through fermentation. Use it to cold crash. Then once bottled they go back in for secondary.

It's been really practical for me.

 

[Frisp]

I have very little free space in my garage and not enough to keep a fridge permanently so I bought a Ferminator.

I build it up when needed and dismantle it and store it away when not in use.

Set the temp and let it run through fermentation. Use it to cold crash. Then once bottled they go back in for secondary.

It's been really practical for me.

How are you getting on with the ferminator?

 

[Cwrw666]

You're also probably going to have problems in the summertime with temperatures in the garage getting too high
I would suggest making yourself a brew fridge from a cheap secondhand fridge would be your best option. Both situations then covered.

 

[Graz]

I brew in an unheated garage. Brew fridge was one of the best things I ever made for many reasons. Got two now!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Cheap heating - How to Set up a Water Bath for your FV

 

[MashBag]

Water Bath is a bit of a faf.

These are cheap & fantastic. Stick on. Work well with a inkbird and with insulation, I popped a silver bubble bag behind mine

Don't go mad 50w is fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29501087...JqzRlhvQpi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Frisp]

Water Bath is a bit of a faf.

These are cheap & fantastic. Stick on. Work well with a inkbird and with insulation, I popped a silver bubble bag behind mine

Don't go mad 50w is fine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29501087...JqzRlhvQpi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Do these slap on the side of your FV? or does the FV sit on top?

 

[Frisp]

I have a wee greenhouse heat mat thing that goes under a seedtray, I had considered trying to see if that would raise an FV to a constant temp with an inkbird..

 

[Rwilts]

Do these slap on the side of your FV? or does the FV sit on top?

Harry brew has a video where he installs something similar to his commercial fermenters