Temp in Garage

[abeamer]

Hello from the very sunny south coast,

Absolute newbie advice (not even got the kit yet but the shopping list is growing), higher authority has said I can brew my own beer (only if I make her some wine...seems fair), however I can only do it in the bat cave (aka the garage). Even on the south coast the bat cave will have large fluctuations in temps during the day.

I have spent sometime reading the forum posts, but would like some advice on keeping the temp with the fv in the garage. I have read people using aquarium heaters, belts, pads, immersion heaters and fridges etc

As i'm just starting on this adventure what would be the advice?

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Some people use fridges - my garage has its own micro-climate - so at this time of year I have to wrap the fv in a carpet and have it sitting on a heat pad

A lot would depend on

- what type of beers?- lagers are very different from ales for example

- what range of temperatures?

 

[abeamer]

I looking to mainly brew ales, although i do like a cold larger on a hot summer day.

The kit I was going to start out with says to maintain at 20c

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

What ranges of temp in your garage?

 

[Galena]

If you have the space then I think a fermentation chamber aka fridge is the best way to go. If you can pick up a free or cheap used one then the whole build will be quite cheap, as well as the fridge you would need a temperature controller (inkbird 308) which are about £30 and a 12" 40w tubular heater. Replace the shelves with some ply and you're done.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The most popular method is a brew fridge, old fridge, tube heater and inkbird controller.

.

Cheap heat only method -

How to Set up a Water Bath for your FV | The HomeBrew Forum

 

[damienair]

I do a mix. I make it up in the kitchen. And make sure to clean up after myself. But you can easily do that in the garage. I then bring the fermentation bucket up to our hot press/airing cupboard which has a steady 20-22 degrees C for 2 weeks. Then I bottle in the kitchen and then bring the bottles up to the hot press in boxes to carbonate for 2 weeks. I bring it down and store in the garage until ready to drink. It is not really in the way. Once I leave everything clean and tidy afterwards my wife is happy.
you could do the brew and bottling in your garage and if you have an airing cupboard you could maybe come to an arrangement. The wine will help. I made 29 bottles of Pinot Grigio and it has kept my good wife happy with my faffing as she calls it.

 

[abeamer]

Decided to go with the fridge option and got a real bargain LEC tall larder fridge off gumtree
made a shelf out of some spare board I used for the shed floor and made some nice front legs. Even put some hole into it to radiate the heat.
60W tube heater I got from CEF (usual local places were out of stock) and was the same price as the popular internet auction site
Inkbird has just arrived so off to the bat cave to put it all together
Higher authority is most please I'll be out of the house, not smelling the house out or making a mess ( brownie points )
On Saturday I'm off to Wilkos (un-supervised) so will go with the Wherry as it looks like the standard first kit people have done....may get the white wine kit as well (keeps higher authority happy)
Already looking at the next 3 kits to do

 

[abeamer]

All setup and the testing with the probe just hanging in the fridge made for wild fluctuations
Have put it in a bowl of water and adjusted the setting (especially the compressor time).
Testing is looking good
Only con of the inkbird is that the cable to the double socket is very short

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I'd tape the temp probe to the side of the fermenter, use some sponge/foam if you have it between the probe and tape.