Temp Control

[IshInTexas]

Looking for everyones bootleg ways of keeping their carboys cool (other than a fridge...I'm poor).

[Mylo]

Start with a t-shirt and a pan. Water it a few times a day. You can upgrade with a small aquarium pump ($10) to continuously circulate the water. If it is really warm, then you can put a small fan blowing on the t-shirt.

These methods do cool it down about 10 degrees or so. The problem is - it is not constant. Depending on fermentation activity and ambient room temp - you will still get swings.

The cooling device made out of rigid foam, with the computer fans, and jugs of ice is cheaper than a fridge... I would expect to pay at least $100 for the materials for that (temp controller is the biggest).

Eventually, you will want a fridge or freezer. I got mine off of Craigs list for $50 - and I bought a digital controller for $50. Worth every penny.



Mylo

[triple-oh-six]

I put my carboys in an ice chest or plastic container with about 5" of water and wrap a towel around it. The water wicks up the towel and cools it down a few degrees.
The room that I ferment in has a cieling fan that I keep on low and that drops it a bit more.
If you need to go lower alternate a few frozen water bottles in and out.
This method is about as basic as it gets, but it's cheap.
And until I get my chest freezer, I want my beer fridge free for finished kegs.
Prost

[SunkenBier]

I keep 2 to 3 carboys in a large plastic storage container that is filled with water. I use an aquarium chiller to set the temperature to within one degree of my target. Using this method I can do lagers in my garage, even when its over 90 degrees.

LBrewski from the forums modified this method and set the fermentors to a temp controller. When it got to hot it would turn on a pump. The pump would send water from the storage container into a copper coil immersed in ice and then back into the storage container. This method seemed to be cost effective.

[bub]

DO the T-Shirt/Towel thing but make Ice in a BUNDT pan... place this ice ring over the neck of the carboy... it will melt down over the tshirt and be cold..
BUB

[crazymonkey15]

make Ice in a BUNDT pan... place this ice ring over the neck of the carboy... it will melt down over the tshirt and be cold..
BUB

Excellent idea Bub.

I just use the Son of a Fermentation Chiller http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF which does a good job, but isn't extremely consistent.

I've finally got a fridge and after I buy a digital temp controller all I'll need is my life to slow down long enough to brew.

[oneal66]

I do the wet t-shirt/fan method, but I use my ranco controller to control the fan and keep the temp a little more constant.

[kace069]

I do the wet T-shirt and fan trick too. But my girlfriends tits are so big it just ends up heating things up.