Upgrading

If you had a basic beginner home brew set up (5 gallon carboy/secondary) for extract brewing, which piece of equipment would you want to add to your set up most ( fermentation chamber/all grain/keg/kegerator etc..)?

I think controlling your fermentation temperature is the most significant improvement you can make. Switching to all grain would come next.

DerekJ said:

I think controlling your fermentation temperature is the most significant improvement you can make. Switching to all grain would come next.

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Agree temp control on fermentation will make the biggest difference in your results

Swamp cooler is cheapest way to accomplish if on a budget

Completely agreed- I went through all sorts of upgrades before I got to fermentation temp control and it definitely made the most difference. Whether you are brewing extract or all-grain, or have the fanciest chilller or just chill over night, the consistent and appropriate temperature of fermentation will always improve your beer. Wort is really nice...but beer is better, right?

DerekJ said:

I think controlling your fermentation temperature is the most significant improvement you can make. Switching to all grain would come next.

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This.

I'm a proponent of going ahead and investing in a used freezer/fridge and controlling it with an STC-1000 (under $20 on Amazon). You can put together a dual-temp control box for about $30. Add whatever the used freezer or fridge costs you on Craigslist. I've now got three of the things regulating the temps in my fermenter fridge, cold crash/lagering freezer. and keezer.

The advantages:

- Precise temperature control (measured on the fermenter bucket/carboy) that you can set and walk away. No having to replace frozen soda bottles or hoping that your swamp cooler is actually cooling enough.

- You can do nice things for your beer like step-up ferments (starting at the cool end for that yeast the first week and later stepping it up a few degrees to help the yeast clean up)

- The ability to cold crash with just the touch of a few buttons

- You can ferment a lager if you so desire, give it a D-rest and then cold crash it

+1 on temp control, a cheap but also highly effective "1/2 step" is making starters on a stirplate and injecting pur O2 with a stone.

One more for fermentation temperature control. The single most important thing in making good beer.

I asked this before and don't think there is a good answer, but here goes anyway:

What is the best option for accurate temp control (not a swamp cooler or water bath) with the least amount of space available? I don't care (much) about cost, I care more about the space in my house for this thing. If it were something that would break down when there is no ferementer in it, that would be perfect.

15 or 20 gallon kettle a 10 or 15 gallon batch doesn't take any longer to brew than a 5

BigFloyd said:

This.

I'm a proponent of going ahead and investing in a used freezer/fridge and controlling it with an STC-1000 (under $20 on Amazon). You can put together a dual-temp control box for about $30. Add whatever the used freezer or fridge costs you on Craigslist. I've now got three of the things regulating the temps in my fermenter fridge, cold crash/lagering freezer. and keezer.

- Precise temperature control (measured on the fermenter bucket/carboy) that you can set and walk away. No having to replace frozen soda bottles or hoping that your swamp cooler is actually cooling enough.

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This 100x. Tending the frozen water bottles and having to worry about ambient temps in your house is such a pain. It gets old, fast. Go ahead and invest in the right way to control temps.

I would look for a small chest freezer that can take one or two buckets/carboys and an analogue temp controller. As far as break-downable? I'd say you're going to have to eat the square footage on this one. They're not huge. Even the son-of-fermentation-chiller doesn't really break down.

Since you have limited square footage, an upright or small (7ft or less) chest freezer is about as compact as it gets unless you can find a dorm fridge that's big enough for a fermenter. That may be hard and you will end up wanting a larger one later.

As far as controller, it's hard to beat an STC-1000. It's inexpensive ($20 shipped on Amazon), digitally precise, and it's a dual controller for both cool and heat (with a small heat source placed inside the freezer). The three that I have work great. You do have to be able to do a little basic wiring to make your controller outlet box, but there's plenty of help for that here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/



http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html