ericmark
Regular.
When I brewed beer kits last time I had a fridge/freezer so it was easy, set the temperature, and walk away, however moved house, so have means to heat, but not to cool, now I remember when first using a fridge/freezer not turned on, I found even in winter the brew would over heat in first few days, as the insulation was too good, and the heat of the fermenting was over what escaped, I had thought I could simply use heat in winter, no need to cool, but found I was wrong, I also found after around day 3 it did not matter so much, it was the first 3 days that was important.
So I need to watch the temperature in the first few days, and I am lucky enough to have a cool flat under the house, that will keep to a reasonable temperature, below the 20°C I see as opium temperature, but in the main I now use a coat over the fermenter to reduce heat loss, so the heat pad does not switch on too often. I take the attitude if it is switching off/on then it must be around the right temperature, if it stays off then likely too hot, and if it stays on then likely too cold. But although I can see the switching on any phone, tablet or lap top, I can't see the temperature without going down to the flat.
I hope I can buy more kits soon, but at the moment the garden centre where I get supplies is closed, so once this brew is bottled, it will be likely summer months before I can brew again, I can remove the coat, and I could put a fan blowing on the brew if it gets too warm, but the fridge/freezer ear marked for brewing is being used by my son, so looking at other methods to control, if the flat exceeds 20°C then I don't want to switch on fan even if brew too warm, however I have got a bath I am not using, so as long as I know, can put fermenter in the bath, however last time I tried the bath it got too cold, so how do other people brew in summer months without going over or under temperature? And how do you monitor what's happening? I use a wifi connected energy meter, but it is not really there for brewing with, just happens at the moment not required else where.
So I need to watch the temperature in the first few days, and I am lucky enough to have a cool flat under the house, that will keep to a reasonable temperature, below the 20°C I see as opium temperature, but in the main I now use a coat over the fermenter to reduce heat loss, so the heat pad does not switch on too often. I take the attitude if it is switching off/on then it must be around the right temperature, if it stays off then likely too hot, and if it stays on then likely too cold. But although I can see the switching on any phone, tablet or lap top, I can't see the temperature without going down to the flat.
I hope I can buy more kits soon, but at the moment the garden centre where I get supplies is closed, so once this brew is bottled, it will be likely summer months before I can brew again, I can remove the coat, and I could put a fan blowing on the brew if it gets too warm, but the fridge/freezer ear marked for brewing is being used by my son, so looking at other methods to control, if the flat exceeds 20°C then I don't want to switch on fan even if brew too warm, however I have got a bath I am not using, so as long as I know, can put fermenter in the bath, however last time I tried the bath it got too cold, so how do other people brew in summer months without going over or under temperature? And how do you monitor what's happening? I use a wifi connected energy meter, but it is not really there for brewing with, just happens at the moment not required else where.
