Fermentation Cabinet

[cabroncito29]

Hello all...I am brand new to homebrewing, and am trying to come up with a good cabinet to control my fermentation temperature. I would like to be able to keep it at 72 degrees. I would need room for a small 2 gallon keg and 8 1-liter bottles (Mr. Beer products). Does anyone have any good plans/ideas for this?

[bambrew]

Before you build anything, i would suggest giving it a little time. If you get sucked in headlong like I did, you will probably find that what you want changes pretty quickly, but in a little time, you will also know exactly what type of fermentation cabinet you will want. From the Mr. Beer, you are probably gonna upgrade to fermenting in 6 and 7 gallon carboys, which i highly recommend. You will probably grab some 5 gallon corny kegs at that point also. So I guess what i am saying is, if you really want a fermentation cabinet, make one that will accommodate these larger things also, so that you don't have to make a bigger one in a few months. If you can grab an old fridge off craigslist for 40 to 60 bucks, that might be a nice solution. Its gonna keep things colder than you want for ale fermentation, but it is a cabinet with a temperature controller built in and has enough space for a couple kegs and a carboy at a time. I am planning in doing a chest freezer with a temperature controller soon, which IMHO, seems to be the best solution for being able to store kegs cold, and ferment ales or lagers at the same time. There are lots of pics and plans for that on here. And by the way Welcome to the forum.

[cabroncito29]

Thanks for the great information! Sounds like waiting might be a good idea...for now, it is holding pretty steady down in my basement at 70-72 degrees.

[Mylo]

Ahem.... http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The- ... n-Chillers



Mylo

[Petedadink]

I have a Mylo inspired box on my chest freezer. It looks hokey but same concept. All I can say is I did a Dunkel in the Central Valley 95 deg heat working my two computer fans to death. I love this idea and Hats off to Mylo!

[11amas]

No, pants off to Mylo!

[MotterFocker]

That's awesome Mylo!

I just got a freezer myself for fermenting in (have a dedicated kegerator). I had originally intended to use a ferm wrap and ferment right in the freezer. I'm doing a test run with 5 gal of water as I type this (probe hooked to the outside of the bucket and insulated). I started about 75 and got it down to 70 (about 2 hours). The only thing that seems bad is now it's pretty cold inside the freezer, so the heating pad kicks on for a while, then it cools too much again. In your chamber, do you hook the controller up to the carboy or just hang it in the air and go a little cooler to allow for the higher fermentation temp of the wort? Does it get into the vicious cycle of heating and cooling or once at temp does it maintain it well? I like the concept, would give me a place to do cold storage and ferment in at the same time.

Thanks for the link

[Mylo]

That's awesome Mylo!

I just got a freezer myself for fermenting in (have a dedicated kegerator). I had originally intended to use a ferm wrap and ferment right in the freezer. I'm doing a test run with 5 gal of water as I type this (probe hooked to the outside of the bucket and insulated). I started about 75 and got it down to 70 (about 2 hours). The only thing that seems bad is now it's pretty cold inside the freezer, so the heating pad kicks on for a while, then it cools too much again. In your chamber, do you hook the controller up to the carboy or just hang it in the air and go a little cooler to allow for the higher fermentation temp of the wort? Does it get into the vicious cycle of heating and cooling or once at temp does it maintain it well? I like the concept, would give me a place to do cold storage and ferment in at the same time.

Thanks for the link

I tape the probe to the carboy and wrap it with bubble wrap for insulation from ambient. I don't have any way of logging the temps [cough] yet [/cough] - but I can't fathom it bouncing too much. There is a lot of thermal mass involved.

I only use the heat output in the winter time, and then only when doing ales (rare in the winter for me). I have my fermentation cold threshold set to 1 degree (because it controls fans, instead of a compressor). I have the serving probe set for 2 degrees.


Mylo