Need Help Controlling Fermentation Temperature

[izaakd]

I have a Ss Brewtech 7 gallon chronical on the way and no way to regulate fermentation temperatures. I currently use a brew bucket in a swamp cooler. While waiting, I built an ITC-1000 dual stage temperature controller. I can now go two ways: buy a cheap chest freezer and use that or build stainless coils to go into the beer and pump cool liquid through them and ferm wrap the outside. The chest freezer would be easier but my main issue is conserving space (I've already converted a spare bedroom to brewing toys storage so bringing another large appliance into the house is a hard sell). What would you guys with more experience do or recommend? Thanks

 

[Action]

I am using an old refer with a hair dryer for heat...I have about a 3 deg swing....works good for me.
Jack

 

[ame]

I have a similar issue. I need temperature control, but I don't want another fridge. I also don't want to use too much space or spend too much money. I am considering building a "Son of Fermentation Chiller" based on the plans here:
http://www.ihomebrewsolutions.com/son-of-fermentation-chiller/

I can buy the extruded polystyrene board quite cheaply here, maybe about $30 total, and a computer fan is cheap. My temperature controller is under construction and I could use it with a fridge, or with this thing. I plan to use a reptile heater in the chamber so I can control heating and cooling.

I have converted the dimensions to metric and altered them to suit the 600 x 900 x 50 mm boards here. The chamber height is lower than the original plans at 600 mm (about 24" instead of 28") because it's the width of one board.

Anyway, the plans are from 1997, and I have looked at many examples on the web. It seems that every new brewer (such as myself) has to discover them and consider building one.

 

[Nagorg]

My kneejerk response is to use an old upright freezer instead of a chest freezer; it will take up less floor space and provide easier access. I am, however, interested in the chiller coil approach as I'll soon be faced with the same delima. I do think that if you have the right setup that this could work. However, you also have to think about heating as well assuming that the fermentor will be exposed to cooler than desired temps.

In my current upright freezer this is easy as I've added a small heater. I'm not sure exactly how to switch from cool liquid to warm liquid circulation very quickly without a more complicated setup.

I'm guessing you may have seen this already but just in case you haven't this is info on a DIY Glycol Chiller .

Given the options I tend to lean towards a fermchamber since its easy and familiar. But if you do the chiller coil route, I'd love to hear about your experience.

 

[izaakd]

The more I think about it a cheap upright freezer (or refrigerator) seems like the way to go. Building a chiller coil and glycol chiller seems like a fun project but I can't really see the added benefit of spending that much time and money.

 

[Nagorg]

I was able to find my current upright freezer for $50 on Craigslist. That and an STC-1000 controller build (just like your ITC-1000) work great for controlling ferm temps. And with the addition is a small heater in the winter its a year round solution for me since my fermentation happens in the garage. It gets >100 in the summer and freezing in the winter but I ferment at desired temps regardless!

 

[iijakii]

The more I think about it a cheap upright freezer (or refrigerator) seems like the way to go. Building a chiller coil and glycol chiller seems like a fun project but I can't really see the added benefit of spending that much time and money.

Glycol setup doesnt make sense until you have multiple fermenters and dont want a room with 5 fridges in it. If you just have one conical grab a Craigslist special for sure.

 

[cilestiok]

My aquarium chiller glycol setup cost less than 300 bucks and I run 4 fermenters on it. Plus it leaves your pretty stainless fermenter out to be seen at all times.

 

[iijakii]

Yeah mine was:
$25 AC unit
$20 cooler
$19 pump x 2
$60 glycol (wish i had done less, i started just cold crashing in the kegs instead so I dont chill the glycol below 50s really)
$60 heattape
$100 to cover the misc fittings, insulation, silicon tubing.

Then the STC panel, but fridge build would have those too.

 

[cilestiok]

Yeah mine was:
$25 AC unit
$20 cooler
$19 pump x 2
$60 glycol (wish i had done less, i started just cold crashing in the kegs instead so I dont chill the glycol below 50s really)
$60 heattape
$100 to cover the misc fittings, insulation, silicon tubing.

Then the STC panel, but fridge build would have those too.

Fridge build is same cost, maybe cheaper depending on how the prices on Craigslist are but I just hate hiding a perfect, shiny new conical.

 

[Nagorg]

Will a glycol chiller setup keep things stable and cool when the ambient temp is over 100?

 

[iijakii]

Will a glycol chiller setup keep things stable and cool when the ambient temp is over 100?

Yup - I made ice in my conical when testing it. I'm not even doing immersed coils, but layflat hose around the outside with insulation.

 

[Nagorg]

Yup - I made ice in my conical when testing it. I'm not even doing immersed coils, but layflat hose around the outside with insulation.

That's what I figured since I've seen plenty of large scale fermenters being used in a non-climate controlled building. It's just hard to wrap my head around for some reason. Maybe cause I'm a bit hard headed to begin with.
Thanks for confirming...

So, I may need to do some more thinking myself about the glycol path considering the conical that's on its way to me now. Its a Half Barrel SsBrewTech BME Chronical that comes with internal chiller coils. I've been thinking I'd take that out, plug the holes and use a ferm chamber. But this thread has me curiously reconsidering. I'd still need to figure out a good way to switch from heating to cooling since we get wild temp swings in Texas!

 

[jddevinn]

Chest freezer works great.... Until your pipeline consists of bears at different stages and you can't cold crash the first beer until the second beer gets done fermenting.

I built a glycol chiller because of this. Old chest freezer is now for keg conditioning.

 

[Jthornburgh]

+1 for the upright freezer.

 

[RocketBrewer]

Just a note. If going with an upright freezer, be sure it has removable shelves. some run the cooling coils under and attached to the shelves.

 

[TexasWine]

Chest freezer works great.... Until your pipeline consists of bears at different stages and you can't cold crash the first beer until the second beer gets done fermenting.

I built a glycol chiller because of this. Old chest freezer is now for keg conditioning.

The way I get around this is to run the fermentation chamber at the coldest temp I desire, then wrap a heating pad and sleeping bag around the fermenter I need to keep warmer, then connect the heating pad to a separate temp controller.

I used to ferment beers in my keezer using this set up. Kept kegs cold for serving and fermenters warm. Works beautifully, is cheap (buy an extra controller), and saves space.