need a fermenting vessle freezer or fridge?

[LGHT]

Hello new to home brewing and was told by the instructor giving the class that fermenting temp is crucial.

Decided to get something on the cheap side to store in the garage and will eventually go the kegerator route for the living room. Me and the wife like drinking stouts and porters, but I also want the option to brew colder variates over time. Should I go for a larger freezer so I can ferment more than 1 at a time or something much smaller and save the $ for a kegerator. We are not huge beer drinkers so a 5 gallon batch should last us a while.

On a side note what's the best way to control the temp of the vessel? The brew shop around the corner has a controller for sale that you plug the device into and it turns the device on and off as needed. I however do recall most guys that wire the controller directly into the unit and not just plug the unit into the controller. What's the best way to do it or does it not matter either way?

 

[iijakii]

Browse craigslist and see what you can get. There are always fridge/freezer deals. If you expect to have more than one beer fermenting at a time then sure, get a chest freezer or large fridge. If you only will have one going, do whatever is a deal.

I dont see the point in rewiring the fridge, just grab a temp controller like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011296704/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and plug the fridge into it.

 

[LGHT]

Browse craigslist and see what you can get. There are always fridge/freezer deals. If you expect to have more than one beer fermenting at a time then sure, get a chest freezer or large fridge. If you only will have one going, do whatever is a deal.

I dont see the point in rewiring the fridge, just grab a temp controller like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011296704/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and plug the fridge into it.

Ok thanks I think that's the same controller the shop had for sale.

As for the fridge / freezer I'll probably just get something new since they are not too much in costs. I just wasn't sure if there was an advantage of one over the other outside of costs and size.

 

[Jtk78]

I picked up a chest freezer that will hold four of the 7 gallon Fermonsters for $50 on Offer Up. Deals are out there at a pretty good savings.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Freezers can get very damp inside and get moldy if used in a humid environment. Fridges stay dry inside but use more energy in doing so.

Fridges can be easier to load and unload. Freezers can be easily expanded in size with a collar.

I prefer refrigerators

 

[LGHT]

I picked up a chest freezer that will hold four of the 7 gallon Fermonsters for $50 on Offer Up. Deals are out there at a pretty good savings.

I'm sure there are good deals, but I've been burned in the past buying used appliances that work for a few weeks / months and die so whatever you get it's always a gamble. However for $50 I'd throw the dice!!

On your freezer how do you control the temps I think most of the stuff I want to brew stouts / porters and from what I read the temp needs to be between 65-68??

 

[Sconnie12]

Pick up a fridge or one of the glass front coolers from Craigslist. Use an Inkbird or similar temp controller and you'll be good to go!

 

[Jtk78]

I'm sure there are good deals, but I've been burned in the past buying used appliances that work for a few weeks / months and die so whatever you get it's always a gamble. However for $50 I'd throw the dice!!

On your freezer how do you control the temps I think most of the stuff I want to brew stouts / porters and from what I read the temp needs to be between 65-68??

I use an Inkbird dual stage controller. I tape the sensor on the fermenter with a piece of insulation and a t-shirt over it. I also have a ferm wrap from reptilebasics.com for winter time. I usually start fermentation in the lower 60s and ramp up slowly after 2-3 days.