Lazy man swamp cooler

[Meatyboy]

'm not really lazy. Well, I am, but I'm a truck driver out for a week or two at a time between days off. Does anyone have any ideas for long term extremely low maintenance swamp coolers or am I gonna have to bite the bullet and hunt down a cheap fridge on my day off?

 

[msa8967]

How "cold" are you looking to make things? Above/around 62 F or lower than this? I use a plastic tote that I fill with water halfway and then place my brew buckets into this with ice packs or frozen water bottles in the water. I then drape a few old water soaked towels over the buckets and leave the towels partially in the water. Doing this in my 67 F basement has kept the fermenation temps around 62 F for a week. I thought I might have top switch out the frozen water bottles but things stayed pretty static.

 

[Meatyboy]

My 'brew room' is a spare bedroom in the back of the house, it stays around 71-73 degrees in there. I'm looking for mid 60's 66-68 and I'd be happy just to cut down on the ester's taste a bit. It doesn't really hurt my beer, just takes longer to age and condition to get off tastes out.

 

[msa8967]

I have been told that the temperature of the first several days of fermenation can be 3-4 degrees above the surroundings temp. Thus, if you have a swamp cooler at 62-63 then your primary fermentation temp would be around 67 F which is close to your goal. I have checked to see if this was true on my last batch and the fermentation temp was around 66 F when the cooler water temp was 62 F.

 

[Gear101]

I don't have one, but looks hard to beat

https://www.cool-brewing.com/

 

[Meatyboy]

That looks like a beer snuggy for a fermentor. I just see a lot of lost temps due to surface ratios. I was thinking of what the first poster said, the tote full of icy water. I was thinking of adding a little aquarium filter like system to keep the water moving around a bit. I figure if I can get the water chilled to where I want it even without me changing gallon jugs of frozen water it'd still keep the water fairly cool.

 

[Beer-lord]

I don't have one, but looks hard to beat

https://www.cool-brewing.com/

I've used this one for 2 weeks and love it. But, you really should change the icepacks in it twice a day to keep it from going up and down. Once it gets to the temp you want, it pretty much stays there if you swap out the ice every 12 hours or so.
I'm sold on it as it's 95 outside and my A/C is set to 78 inside. I've been close to 63-64 since day one......though it took 12 hours or so to get from 75 to 65 the first time.

 

[jsmcclure]

I also likely cool brew. With two two liter frozen bottles changed every 12 hours it drops my temp about 10 degrees. When I'm done I can fold it up and put it away. It's a good value and very simple

 

[bleme]

Another option is to embrace the esters and brew a Saison... There are several yeasts that prefer 75F-85F.

 

[Meatyboy]

I have nothing against Saisons, but variety is the spice of life.

 

[BWN]

I have been told that the temperature of the first several days of fermenation can be 3-4 degrees above the surroundings temp. Thus, if you have a swamp cooler at 62-63 then your primary fermentation temp would be around 67 F which is close to your goal. I have checked to see if this was true on my last batch and the fermentation temp was around 66 F when the cooler water temp was 62 F.

Usually the temperature of the water in your swamp cooler is close to the same temp as what is inside of your carboy/bucket. The heat disipates from the wort to the water.

 

[looneybomber]

My vote goes for finding a spot where you can build a little tent/fort around an AC vent in your house. It will continue to fill your "tent" with cool air throughout the day. Build your tent/fort out of blankets and cardboard boxes like you did when you were a kid, and you'll have pretty good insulation.

I also likely cool brew. With two two liter frozen bottles changed every 12 hours it drops my temp about 10 degrees. When I'm done I can fold it up and put it away. It's a good value and very simple

Ehh...I have been circulating two 20oz pop bottles in my swamp cooler (wrapped in blankets) and have been keeping my Oktoberfest right around 50º, which is about 20º below ambient. If using more ice is only giving you a 10º drop, that doesn't sound like very good performance.

 

[Meatyboy]

My vote goes for finding a spot where you can build a little tent/fort around an AC vent in your house. It will continue to fill your "tent" with cool air throughout the day. Build your tent/fort out of blankets and cardboard boxes like you did when you were a kid, and you'll have pretty good insulation.

Huh, that sounds like the easiest and lowest maintenance idea I've heard yet. Can't swap ice bottles when I'm 2300 miles from home and SWMBO has repeatedly refused to help in the brewing process. The brew room is isolated from the rest of the house so me covering up the AC vent won't effect much. Thanks.

 

[shizzy77]

I use a small fan to blow air over the whole works ( tub of water, wet towels). The increase in evaporation seems to be worth a couple more degrees. ne does need to check on the water level more often though.