Beer Forum

Hi all,

First post here, but I've been listening to the BN for quite some time via archives. I thought this would be a good time to reach out to you for help.

I recently set up a temp controlled freezer in my shed (tired of fusils and lagers that just didn't come out right) to ferment in but the problem is it's too cold in my shed this time of year. I'm sure it will work fine here in Virginia in the summers, but the winters it just won't. The obvious answer would be to move it in doors, but I lost that argument with the wife (she's put forth so much effort to try to get my brewing stuff out of the house!). Anyone tried putting a space heater in the freeZer? What type? I tried putting a small electric blanket in there, but it appears it has some built-in safety regulator that turns it off after a few hours. I thought about an aquarium heater... I'm just using a small chest freezer that's big enough to get to fermentors in there.


Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

The space heaters will put out way too much heat to be practical in such a small space. You need something much smaller. You can get a Brew Belt or Fermwrap http://www.northernbrewer.com/temp-control.html from various places. They are designed specifically for this use. I know of folks who go a little cheaper route by getting a reptile heater from their local pet shop for $12-$15. This is a gadget that looks like a rock with an electric cord. It generates an even low heat around 85° or so. Easy to control with the controller you already have. Other folks have luck with an electric light bulb, but then you have to deal with the effect of light exposure on your beer. No such problem with the reptile heater.

Wayne

I use a two stage Ranco with a 15 cubic foot chest freezer. I have one stage hooked to the freezer and one stage hooked to a space heater inside the freezer. I jsut set both stages to the desired temp and walk away. If it drop a degree either way either the freezer kicks on for a minute or the heater kicks on for a minute. Works great.

I use a 150 watt lamp in my upright freezer that I use for fermentation. It's just what I had laying around. I did make a cute little sweeter for the carboys. keeps the light out of the carboy and it's nice for holiday photos.

Brancid wrote:I did make a cute little sweeter for the carboys. keeps the light out of the carboy and it's nice for holiday photos.

I go the cheap route when I need to make a "sweater" for a carboy. I cut a hole just big enough for the neck of the carboy in the middle of the bottom of a brown paper grocery sack. It just fits over the carboy. Great way to recycle those bags.

Wayne

Now where's the fun in that, and in the family pics it looks like you just don't love him.

Bugeater wrote:

Brancid wrote:I did make a cute little sweeter for the carboys. keeps the light out of the carboy and it's nice for holiday photos.

I go the cheap route when I need to make a "sweater" for a carboy. I cut a hole just big enough for the neck of the carboy in the middle of the bottom of a brown paper grocery sack. It just fits over the carboy. Great way to recycle those bags.

Wayne

haha, i was just thinkin about that bug, i do the same thing, i have about three bags most of the time, then when they start getting rough, throw'em away. I would try the lamp in the freezer idea, for me, my house stays at a great ferm temp in the winter and i throw them in my walk in cooler in the summer

I use a heating pad with a dual stage Ranco controller in my fermentation fridge.