Fermenting tempretures

[kentmark]

Hi all,

I've a feeling I know the answer, but I'll ask in case there are any curve-balls out there I don't know about!

Have blagged for free a couple of Demi-Johns and small barrell. Am planning either a WOW or Ribena wine for them (I think it would complement my bitter so well!!), but am running out of fermenting room inside the house. The beer bucket is easy, just cover in a blanket and hide down the side of the bed. DJ with an airlock out the top a little trickier!

So, my question / wonderment? Is it feasible to ferment one of these at a potentially lower temp, I'm thinking in the garage wrapped up in lots of blankets? Or would a different recepie work better in these conditions?

Thanks in advance as always :

 

[dracunculus]

I do most of my fermentation in an unheated garage.

However I built what has become known as "The Bloop Cube" which is a 1m cube framework which I knocked together using some bits of spare timber I had lying about and covered both sides with that foil coated bubblewrap you get for roof insulation. I've pressed into service a heated plant propogator sort of like this one (http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garde...d-Q-Heated-Propagator-1607-Black-38cm-9906508) which fits 2 demijons nicely and I've been standing the demijons on small bits of wood just to raise them above the heated surface so I don't get too fast a ferment.

So far, that's worked a treat but I doubt that an unheated garage on its own would work, at least initially. It might do as the yeasts get going as I expect they give off heat as they ferment (any more experienced members know if this is so?)

 

[alanwh]

Ive got a big stackable box (£5) full of water in the garage on an old table big enough for a 25L FV and two 5L Pet's.
It's heated by a big fishtank heater (£14) that I can fine tune the temp on. normally from 20 to 22 deg. depending on what I have on. I've sprikled a load of expanded polystyrene chips on the surface and wrapped the sides and bottom in the orange plastic covered fibre glass loft insulation. (£2) I've had it on most of this winter and its not shown anything much if anything on the leccy bill.
If you have no power to the garage a few things come to mind.
Keep Dj's inside they are buggers to try and insulate and the glass is a very good conductor of heat away from the must.
If you need to try and keep anything going in low temps I think you would be better trying to insulate a large polythene FV with 20L or so of beer or whatever in, the working yeasties would generate enough heat if insulated well enough I would think.
Though I've never tried it, true Lager is designed to brew at lower temps so maybe worth a read up ?
The other way is to go hell for leather brewing through the summer months and spend all winter getting ****** :lol: :lol: