The right temp for lager....how to?

[salv]

Ok so I am now close to starting my brew after reading for what seems like a thousand hours, lol.

Wanted to ask a quick question about lager fermentation.

Where I intend on brewing has a min/max temp of between 21-23c. Obviously lager fermentation needs a cooler temeprature and I have no where in the house cooler to brew.

What is the best way to reduce the temp? Is a fermentation fridge my only option, as I don't have the space for this at all.

 

[RobWalker]

can you do it in the garage with an immersion heater?

 

[salv]

Not in the garage, but how would the immersion heater work?

 

[LeedsBrewer]

If it's a lager kit that you are using then it'll probably come with an ale yeast that will be fine at 18-21C

many people control temps with an aquarium heater in a bucket of water. You put your fv in the bucket of water and set the heater to the lowest temp (which is usually around 20C)

To properly control fermentation temps then you need an stc1000 or equiv and a fridge/heating element.

 

[Zedilly]

You could try wrapping a damp towel round your fv and putting it in the coolest part of your house.

 

[salv]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I may have salvaged somewhere for a fridge now since I had a good look around the house for "wasted spaces"

Will have to start looking into how to convert one of these and if its practicle.

One question I have though, when they say the temperature for fermentation are they on about the temperature in the ambient temp or the temp of the liquid itself?

 

[wilsoa1111]

ideally it would be of the liquid itself (an active ferment will raise the temp of the liquid) however the outside temp of the brewing vessel ie stuck on the side is generally good enough for most- otherwise sterilising and waterproofing the probe gets a bit tricky but we are only talking a few degrees difference so for lager i think u should be fine-its rarely called an active ferment

 

[Fil]

I keep me kegs in an outhouse/coalshed which is keeping about 10C at the moment.. so a FV sat on insulation and insulated well with old sleeping bags or anything would probably be very happy in similar conditions with a lager yeast (happy between 8-12?)..insulated it will be protected from sever drops and fluctuations in temp

if its too cold consider the bucket and fish tank heater option or heat belt or heat mat? but keep the insulation to protect from fluctuations in temp.

cooling in the house could be done people have build insulated boxes and swapped out frozen bottles of water in the insualted box to keep fermentation temps low, but needs regular checking and is probably a total pita.