Temperature control for beer kits

[The Baron]

What temperature (swings) did you used to get before you got the temperature control kit? I ferment in the utility room, which stays roughly the same temperature most days (19-21 degrees). As such, the beer temperature doesn't swing that much (goes up to ~23-24 inside the fermenter during active fermentation). I've used temperature control and whilst there is a difference in the flavours I can't say that it's made a lot of difference in the quality - and have never had that 'twang' (all grain here, dried yeast).

Each brewing setup is different, just curious as to what temperatures those who have had a big difference used to have "before".

Edit: or if people brew lagers? I'm purely an ale brewer, which is adapted to ferment at room temperature

I do not use full temp control i.e a fridge set up but as Agent has said I have found a way to control my temp within a 2 degree temp swing in the 2 areas I use so do not really see the need for a temp set-up as SWMBO would not allow.
Kitchen is first area with insulation(large towels wrapped around if needed depending on ambient or garage with similar.
I do have one extra weapon to maintain temp a plate warmer wrapped around the FV which can be turned on to boost temp for a hour or so and then it is pretty constant for 24 hours then same again if needed.
I never get too warm if I use the garage except for lagers in summer so do not brew them for a couple of months just build up a couple of stock kegs

 

[jof]

23l of wort has quite a high thermal mass. So don't expect your heatin/cooling to act instantly on it.
In fact you wouldn't want to use high power heating/cooling as it wouldn't give time to get an even temperature throught your FV without some fancy automatic stiring.
Slow and gradual, that's why people use low power heat pads and greenhouse frost guard tube heaters.

 

[MashBag]

When you set this way, how quick does your fridge react when the inkbird turns it on to cool? I've bought a fridge recently and it was quite slow to start cooling?

I think we might be on the same page. For me I don't like this method for a number of reasons.

I set up a 25l reservoir in the fridge, with a inkbird controlled pond pump connected to a ss coil in the fv. Very good for accurate temp maintenance.

The 3 min delay is not what you think on inkbird. It only works the very first time on all on mine, so pointless imo.

 

[MashBag]

23l of wort has quite a high thermal mass. So don't expect your heatin/cooling to act instantly on it.
In fact you wouldn't want to use high power heating/cooling as it wouldn't give time to get an even temperature throught your FV without some fancy automatic stiring.
Slow and gradual, that's why people use low power heat pads and greenhouse frost guard tube heaters.

Absolutely.

 

[MashBag]

I do have one extra weapon to maintain temp a plate warmer

You Animal

That's clearly designed to be a conditioning heater for stacking crates on!

 

[The Baron]

Could do that as well

 

[Collo]

23l of wort has quite a high thermal mass. So don't expect your heatin/cooling to act instantly on it.
In fact you wouldn't want to use high power heating/cooling as it wouldn't give time to get an even temperature throught your FV without some fancy automatic stiring.
Slow and gradual, that's why people use low power heat pads and greenhouse frost guard tube heaters.

That's exactly what i have - a tube heater - good shout, i hadn't considered the thermal mass, ironic really as thats the whole purpose of the fermentation fridge haha

 

[Collo]

I think we might be on the same page. For me I don't like this method for a number of reasons.

I set up a 25l reservoir in the fridge, with a inkbird controlled pond pump connected to a ss coil in the fv. Very good for accurate temp maintenance.

The 3 min delay is not what you think on inkbird. It only works the very first time on all on mine, so pointless imo.

NICE!! I love that idea. I'm heavily into marine fish/tanks/coral and have a couple of spare aquarium chillers, also one that heats too, and had considered a similar setup, almost like a grainfather glycol chiller/heater but decided thats down the line for now, concentrate on the basics before i get clever.

I didn't know that about the compressor protection, i assumed there would be a delay everytime before the compressor kicks in, pointless in that case

 

[MashBag]

The Gycol chiller will work harder and longer and do chilling 20>2°c I have never needed that. Its on quite long list of stuff I don't to beer

It easily keeps a 0.3°c accuracy. Don't go mad on the coil size else you might suffer a bit of a lag.
Big tip. Let the flow dribble back into the reservoir, if flow and return are IN the brine you will start a thermal syphon.
2% brine works well, the biggest pita is drilling a hole in the fridge.

 

[Collo]

The Gycol chiller will work harder and longer and do chilling 20>2°c I have never needed that. Its on quite long list of stuff I don't to beer

It easily keeps a 0.3°c accuracy. Don't go mad on the coil size else you might suffer a bit of a lag.
Big tip. Let the flow dribble back into the reservoir, if flow and return are IN the brine you will start a thermal syphon.
2% brine works well, the biggest pita is drilling a hole in the fridge.

I think theyre all things for me to consider in the newyr - i need to get a couple of brews done and dusted 1st. Do you have any pics of your setup?

 

[MashBag]

There is a thread somewhere

 

[MashBag]

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/chiller-exit-temperature.102162/

 

[Collo]

Very nice!

 

[jackfruit]

Do you folks with Inkbirds probe the air temperature or the beer temperature? I imagine in a small sealed chamber like a fridge the air will change temperature quite a lot faster than the beer (due to thermal mass as mentioned above). So with the probe in the air I expect the Inkbird will be switching on and off much more often than if it is in contact with the beer and possibly the beer temperature lags behind air temperature by an hour or more.

I have a ~20cm thermowell in the lid of one of my fermenters. It's okay for a cheapo thermometer I've got, but it's not a big enough bore for the Inkbird probe. Currently I don't have a fridge (as it rarely gets over 20C where I ferment and we're going into winter anyway), so taking air temperature is pretty useless - was planning to get another larger thermowell and use that, then add a cheap fridge to the setup at some stage.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Do you folks with Inkbirds probe the air temperature or the beer temperature

Most put the prode on the side of the FV cover it with something like a sponge then put sticky tape over it or an elastic strap around it to hold it in place.

 

[Mash Monster]

FWIW I use thermowells inside the fermenter

 

[Bitter_Dave]

Most put the prode on the side of the FV cover it with something like a sponge then put sticky tape over it or an elastic strap around it to hold it in place.

This is broadly what I do and seems to be be the norm.

I Tape the probe to the side of the fermenter. Cover with a load of kitchen towel in the hope that it more accurately measures the temp of the beer. Set the thermostat at the bottom end of recommended range to allow for the fact that the beer temp is likely to be a bit higher in the centre of the fermenter.

 

[MashBag]

Do you folks with Inkbirds probe the air temperature or the beer temperature? I imagine in a small sealed chamber like a fridge the air will change temperature quite a lot faster than the beer (due to thermal mass as mentioned above). So with the probe in the air I expect the Inkbird will be switching on and off much more often than if it is in contact with the beer and possibly the beer temperature lags behind air temperature by an hour or more.

I have a ~20cm thermowell in the lid of one of my fermenters. It's okay for a cheapo thermometer I've got, but it's not a big enough bore for the Inkbird probe. Currently I don't have a fridge (as it rarely gets over 20C where I ferment and we're going into winter anyway), so taking air temperature is pretty useless - was planning to get another larger thermowell and use that, then add a cheap fridge to the setup at some stage.

Sleeping bag and gaffer tape.

 

[Dark Arts]

I stick probe on fermentation bucket halfway up and wrap with a fleece blanket, works quite well for me

 

[Davegase]

Do you folks with Inkbirds probe the air temperature or the beer temperature?

I used to put the probe in a thermowell inside the fermenter. But since I started using a Keglands Rapt Pill I found that I get a more stable temperature by taping the inkbird probe to the outside of the fermenter.