Basic Temp Control

[stjackson]

I'm going to be brewing my second batch soon, and I want to do a better job of controlling the temp during my primary. I don't have a lot of extra cash or space, so I'm going to go basic with a big plastic trash can with water and ice bottles. (I put it in a spare bathtub before and wasn't able to get it much below 75F.)

What kind of water temps should I shoot for in my trash can if I want to ferment my wort in the mid-60s? Do I just aim for my water temp to be the same as the temp at which I want to ferment? Should they be cooler?

 

[Cybershadow]

Seems like alot of work. I got a temp control unit from Midwest Brewing for $80 after my first batch fermentation temp went to 80 degrees. You should just invest in one. You won't have to worry about ice and water and bathtubs.

 

[Wolfy]

The temps inside the fermenter will be the same (or close enough to be accurate enough) as that of your water-jacket (if you measure the temp away from the ice blocks you use).

 

[stjackson]

Seems like alot of work. I got a temp control unit from Midwest Brewing for $80 after my first batch fermentation temp went to 80 degrees. You should just invest in one. You won't have to worry about ice and water and bathtubs.

The problem with that is that you have to have a spare fridge to go with a temp control. I'm married with a ton of student loan debt, and only one paycheck right now. Anything more than a few bucks for a cheap trash can is out of the question.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Troll craigslist dude. That's where I got my full size freezer, fully functioning for free. $30 for a temp controller and boom, cheap temp control.

 

[hal2814]

Lately, I've been using a square 10 gallon water cooler as a fermentation chamber:

An Ale Pail fits inside perfectly with enough room to shove ice water in the corners. Even without the lid on, I 'm keeping cooling water temps from 48F-58F over the course of 24 hours by draining some water through the spigot and adding 3-4lbs of ice daily. And that's without the lid on the cooler. It's a nice solution because it only takes up slightly more room than the Ale Pail by itself.

 

[brettwasbtd]

got a cheap rubbermaid type plastic bin for about $3 at walmart, freeze water bottles and boom, cheap temp control.. Make sure you get a bin that will allow you to fill water all the way up to your wort level. My bin is a little short and leaves about a gallon and a half open. So i have my fermometer strip there and it seams to read about 4 degrees higher than the water temp.

Also, if you have a fermometer on your carboy/bucket, take it off, or move it to a dry area.... not good if it gets wet. Or you could create a water tight seal over it. You should be able to keep it in the sixties with a few bottles changed every 6-8 hours