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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:32 am 
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Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:55 am
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Location: Concord, CA
As I have posted here many time, fermenting and dispensing from the same freezer is easily done, but does require some extra gear. Before I started using my conical in a dedicated upright freezer, I fermented in carboys in the same chest freezer that served as my kegorator. The freezer itself was run on an anaolg temp controller set at disepnsing temps. Then each carboy would wear a thin-film heater, a neoprene carboy jacket, stopper, thermowell and digital temp controller. This way I could ferment at any temp I liked and still keep my kegs at my preferred low-40s dispensing temp.

Image Image Image Image

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Currently fermenting: DOZE Black IPA
Conditioning: Nothing
On draught: Nothing

Watch episodes of BYOB TV: http://www.kofytv.com/byob-tv/archive/


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 9:52 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:14 am
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Location: Rock Hill S.C.
Gonna try Beerpal's approach in my new 7.2 cu ft freezer. 3 corny's in the well and a carboy on comp shelf. Should clear airlock with a 7.5" collar. Got a heat belt like his and a thermowell. Will try an insulated ski vest first before I spring for neoprene. 2 digital controllers. I'm gonna try to partition it off inside with a sheet of styrofoam. Not sure about needing a fan yet on inside.

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A woman drove me to drink, and I never had the courtesy to thank her-W.C. Fields


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:25 am 
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Location: Sauk Rapids, MN
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BeerPal wrote:
As I have posted here many time, fermenting and dispensing from the same freezer is easily done, but does require some extra gear. Before I started using my conical in a dedicated upright freezer, I fermented in carboys in the same chest freezer that served as my kegorator. The freezer itself was run on an anaolg temp controller set at disepnsing temps. Then each carboy would wear a thin-film heater, a neoprene carboy jacket, stopper, thermowell and digital temp controller. This way I could ferment at any temp I liked and still keep my kegs at my preferred low-40s dispensing temp.

Image Image Image Image

BeerPal. Is that a bottle of Tabasco that I spy with my little eye?

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Serving: Jamil's Oktoberfest, APA with Zythos and Amarillo, Snowblind RIS, and Jamil's Evil Twin


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:28 am 
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Location: Concord, CA
snowcapt wrote:
BeerPal wrote:
Image

BeerPal. Is that a bottle of Tabasco that I spy with my little eye?

No, it's a thermometer in a plastic tube with a red cap. that's all.

_________________
"Make beer not war"

Currently fermenting: DOZE Black IPA
Conditioning: Nothing
On draught: Nothing

Watch episodes of BYOB TV: http://www.kofytv.com/byob-tv/archive/


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:31 am 
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Location: Concord, CA
scotchpine wrote:
Gonna try Beerpal's approach in my new 7.2 cu ft freezer. 3 corny's in the well and a carboy on comp shelf. Should clear airlock with a 7.5" collar. Got a heat belt like his and a thermowell. Will try an insulated ski vest first before I spring for neoprene. 2 digital controllers. I'm gonna try to partition it off inside with a sheet of styrofoam. Not sure about needing a fan yet on inside.

You're making it more complex than it has to be. You do not need to partition the interior of freezer nor do you need a fan. It will work fine exactly as I described.

_________________
"Make beer not war"

Currently fermenting: DOZE Black IPA
Conditioning: Nothing
On draught: Nothing

Watch episodes of BYOB TV: http://www.kofytv.com/byob-tv/archive/


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 4:45 pm 
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Location: Sauk Rapids, MN
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snowcapt wrote:
BeerPal wrote:
As I have posted here many time, fermenting and dispensing from the same freezer is easily done, but does require some extra gear. Before I started using my conical in a dedicated upright freezer, I fermented in carboys in the same chest freezer that served as my kegorator. The freezer itself was run on an anaolg temp controller set at disepnsing temps. Then each carboy would wear a thin-film heater, a neoprene carboy jacket, stopper, thermowell and digital temp controller. This way I could ferment at any temp I liked and still keep my kegs at my preferred low-40s dispensing temp.

Image Image Image Image

BeerPal. Is that a bottle of Tabasco that I spy with my little eye?

Booyah :jnj

_________________
Serving: Jamil's Oktoberfest, APA with Zythos and Amarillo, Snowblind RIS, and Jamil's Evil Twin


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:12 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:23 pm
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Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
BeerPal has a very elegant solution for someone that just has a chest freezer to work with! Nice work!

Although you end up needing two temp controlers, I opted to ferment in the fridge due to ease of moving carboys and it's now easy use with a 14.5 gallon conical. The chest freezer is for my kegs with a collar tall enough to fit kegs on the shelf. In total, I have room for 7 kegs in the chest freezer, which I wouldn't have room for in the fridg.

For me, that setup worked best since I needed finished beer storage/dispensing space more than I needed fermentation space. Depending on your beer demands, a different setup with more fermentation space could be preferred.

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Eagle Dude

On Tap: Mexican Wheat 4.5% (A.K.A. Stevo&Riggs Wheat ... slightly dark american wheat with hint of rye), Maibock 8%, Barrel Fermented Berlinerweisse 3.2%
Aging: Flander's Red in a 60 gallon Merlot barrel
Fermenting: Nelson Sauvin pale ale.


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 Post subject: Re: Chest freezer or fridge for fermenting, opinions please
PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 12:54 pm 
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Beerpal, that's is just plain awesome.

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