Maintaining constant temperature during fermentation

[Starter410]

Has anyone got any useful tips on how to maintain a constant temperature during primary and secondary fermentation? Thinking about a heating belt or putting the FV in a water filled container with an aquarium heater? What has worked best for others? Any advice gratefully received.

 

[peebee]

Keeping in a constant room temperature works best.
A brew belt? Well I use one at times but they only shift the relative temperature (unless you have a "controller" on them). So if you suffer temperature fluctuations of (e.g.) 10-16C, then with a brew belt you'll still get temperature fluctuations but of 15-21C.


(EDIT: Aquarium heaters usually have a thermostat built-in, so may be a better bet?).

 

[Ale]

I use a heat belt on a STC 1000 temperature controller. There are plenty of threads on the equipment page on heating devices and temperature controllers. Its really down to what you want to do. If you want to keep a constant temperature, a controller is the way to go. I have a STC 1000 which is cheap but you have to wire it up yourself. For a ready made one an inkbird is a common way to go.

Once you have your controller set up you can have a heat belt, tray type heater, trub with water and an aquarium heater (if you get one with a thermostat you might save a bit on the temperature controller but dont have the option to add cooling later on if you decide you want to). I personally didnt want the hassle of a trub with water in, although I did use one last summer to cool the wort and keep it down to around 20° when it was hotter outside by putting a t shirt over the FV so it wickes water which then cools as it evaporates.

 

[Fil]

before you spend lots of cash on bits n bobs, remember the yeast activity in an active primary fermentation will give off a significant level of heat alone (up to +5c over ambient). So simply insulating the FV alone may provide you with all you need, come warmer months chilling becomes a little more challenging insulation is generally enough to minimise the effects of day/night fluctuations. and can be anything from an old sleeping bag, £shop camping mat wraps to a sold for purpose bag or box.

 

[jceg316]

I've got very good results from an aquarium heater in a bucket of water. I also found an old sleeping bag or duvet to wrap around it. This will keep the water at 20 deg even in the harshest winters.

I'm planning on building a chamber though as I can have up to 3 beers fermenting away at once. It will be similar to the son of fermentation chamber but I'll add a heat source as well. I have an inkbird which will control everything.

 

[Dutto]

In order of preference (and probably cost):

1. Brew fridge with heater and STC1000.

2. Insulated FV plus Heat Pad with STC1000.

3. Insulated FV with temperature controlled Immersion Heater.

4. "Contraption" with changeable bulbs to adjust temperature; later replaced with Tube Heater. (See picture.)

But in the bad old days when I had central heating (and didn't have a garage) I used the wife's airing cupboard and let the yeast (a very tolerant organism) sort out what temperature it was happiest at. :whistle:

 

[Brewdoug]

I've used a builder's trug as a water bath heated by an aquarium heater but if you've got space a brew fridge is much better.

I put mine together for about 60 quid with a second hand fridge off eBay, an Inkbird controller and a greenhouse heater. Plenty of threads on here about building them, dead easy.
In hindsight I wish I'd used a tall larder fridge rather than an under-counter size because I'm thinking now about upsizing so I can fit a taller fermenter in it.

 

[Razor]

I agree with Dutto and Brewdoug. If you have the space a brew fridge is definitely the way to go. I got an undercounter for free on gumtree and a tube heater from Amazon. with the Inkbird and and heater and wiring I spent less than £60 on mine. Will be looking for a bigger fridge in the future although I can fit a decent amount in the one I have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[geetee]

I agree with Dutto and Brewdoug. If you have the space a brew fridge is definitely the way to go. I got an undercounter for free on gumtree and a tube heater from Amazon. with the Inkbird and and heater and wiring I spent less than �£60 on mine. Will be looking for a bigger fridge in the future although I can fit a decent amount in the one I have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, the most improvement I got with my beers is when I got a free second hand fridge, two pipe heaters and a home made temp controllet (STC1000). I now have two large fridges, and can ferment in one and condition in the other.

It's not only the fermentation that benefits, having the ability to condition at low temperatures make the beer crystal clear.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Any old fridge, a plug in thermostsat, and a cheap electric heater does the job

 

[terrym]

If you haven't got the space for a brew fridge try this
How to Set up a Water Bath for your FV - The HomeBrew Forum
All for about £12, possibly less.
Pack it all away when you are done. :thumb:

 

[Llanbrewer]

If you haven't got the space for a brew fridge try this
How to Set up a Water Bath for your FV - The HomeBrew Forum
All for about �£12, possibly less.
Pack it all away when you are done. :thumb:

Yes, don't underestimate the advantage of being able to pack it away when not in use. And, it's all highly mobile.

 

[Dutto]

Yes, don't underestimate the advantage of being able to pack it away when not in use. And, it's all highly mobile.

"When it's not in use?" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Here's the song they wrote about that day!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq9FCBatl3A[/ame]

Enjoy! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[MyQul]

Yes, don't underestimate the advantage of being able to pack it away when not in use. And, it's all highly mobile.

+1 If you dont live in a massive mansion (well if you live in a flat or somewere without a garage/basement/cupboard etc) being able to pack way your gear is a huge plus. My brewbag is huge but I can collapse it down to put on top of the wardrobe

 

[Starter410]

Thanks for your replies - really helpful.

Stupid question :-? Can you use the trug / water / aquarium heater method if you have a tap on your FV that will be submerged in the water? Is there a risk the water will seep into the FV and spoil the brew?

 

[IainM]

If it is sealed it *should* be OK in principle. However, I don't risk it. The 40L trugs are tapered and don't leave a lot of wiggle room at the bottom. Trying to move a 23kg fv without knocking the tap sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[terrym]

If it is sealed it *should* be OK in principle. However, I don't risk it. The 40L trugs are tapered and don't leave a lot of wiggle room at the bottom. Trying to move a 23kg fv without knocking the tap sounds like a recipe for disaster.

+1 on that.
Because the level of liquid in the FV is higher than level of water in the trug, any leakage should be out rather than in, but I wouldn't risk it either, although some folks on here do if I remember other posts correctly.

 

[Fil]

standing the FV off the bottom on a couple of bricks will help keep the tap from pressure, and you dont need much of the FV exposed to the warm water, think about the sort of heating surface area a belt or base pad actually expose the FV to.

 

[Lesinge]

before you spend lots of cash on bits n bobs, remember the yeast activity in an active primary fermentation will give off a significant level of heat alone (up to +5c over ambient). So simply insulating the FV alone may provide you with all you need, come warmer months chilling becomes a little more challenging insulation is generally enough to minimise the effects of day/night fluctuations. and can be anything from an old sleeping bag, �£shop camping mat wraps to a sold for purpose bag or box.

I used to worry about these things but now if I think it might be cold for long periods I stil a sleeping back over the fermentor as you said! For Largers, I put them in a cupboard in the garage and again stick a sleeping bag on them just to avoid it being too cold but wish I had a proper brew fridge for them. The sleeping back comes in handy for the mash as well...in fact it's a really importantant part of my whole set up :)

 

[Cwrw666]

I just use our airing cupboard. Though since getting technical from reading postings on the forum I now have to leave the door of it open a few inches just to get the temperature down below 24c.
In summer I just find a room in the house with the right temperature and ferment in there. It's usually our bedroom.