Keezer queries! Fans, temperatures etc.?

[Wozboy]

Right I'm on my way to building this thing and I'm thinking about installing a fan to keep the air circulating, the question is should it be on constantly do you think of should I wire it in to work with the compressor? Constant use I guess would be better but I'm interested to know what other people have done?

I'm going to put the temperature probe off the Stc1000 in a bottle of water at the bottom of the fridge so it's actually giving me the temperature of the liquid as well as I'm presuming that this will be more accurate but I'd be interested to know of anyone else's experience regarding placement and results. Is placing at the bottom reliable or half way up?

OK I'm now looking at what temperature this needs to run at and I'm thinking between 2-3*C (36-38*F) with a view to setting at 2*C and with a tolerance of +1*C so it kicks in at 3*C again I'd value feedback on this.

Thanks for your help,cheers .

[vacant]

Keezer? Is this storing corny kegs rather than shelves of bottles? Dip tube is taking beer from the bottom, doesn't matter if the top of the keg is a degree warmer even if conduction doesn't fully even things out when there is no convection caused by the cooling phase. Probe near the base, no fan needed.

I'd work backwards. If it is the right temperature in the glass then leave it alone and don't overthink it.

What are you storing at 2-3C?

[Wozboy]

I've got pale ale, stout, ruby bitter etc. I've read that this is the temperature that unpasteurised beer should be stored at and it also ensures carbonation at this temperature.

Yes it's corny kegs of beer generally but I will be putting a couple of kegs of wine in there as well for summer and to keep her Indoors happy!

[guypettigrew]

I've got pale ale, stout, ruby bitter etc. I've read that this is the temperature that unpasteurised beer should be stored at and it also ensures carbonation at this temperature.

Yes it's corny kegs of beer generally but I will be putting a couple of kegs of wine in there as well for summer and to keep her Indoors happy!

Do you mean storing for a long time? Or storing while you drink it?

Beer should generally be kept at 11-13°C. Lagers much cooler. You won't get much continued fermentation at 2°C. But if you're using a corny you'll presumably be using carbonation.

Guy

[Wozboy]

Storing whilst drinking to be fair and I did think 2-3*C was a bit on the cold side for beer, I'm thinking of getting some carbonation in though and it'd need it to be this cold to force carbonate wouldn't it? The beers have all fermented out so it's just for serving and drinking and maybe keeping some beers to age them a bit. I've noticed that beer tastes allot better if left a couple of months before drinking so this is another reason for the keezer as I want to get ahead with my brewing so I never run out of beer!

[guypettigrew]

My beers are all in King Kegs. About 12°C allows them to carbonate naturally to the right level for our British beers. The other thing is that at 2°C you'll hardly be able taste them.

Guy

[Wozboy]

To be fair until this year I was just keeping kegs at room temperature full of ale and just drinking straight from them as and when and I never really had a problem but somebody made a comment saying that the beer could spoil if not kept cooled hence this project. 2-3*C to me seems too cold, I don't think I'll keep it at that so a warmer temperature of 12*C seems more agreeable for beers. I would like to make a good lager with carbonation so I guess I may need a cooler keezer for sparkling wine and lager or a compromise somewhere, I don't really do compromise so maybe another keezer is inevitable!

[paulg]

depending on how fizzy you like your beers @13c a pressure of 8-15 psi will carbonate no problem if left on gas for about 1 week,or you can try the shake method if you cant wait.
also the correct temp for white wine is 7-12c so you could keep your beer a little cooler and the wine a little warmer than the coldest and all is well
ie fridge set to 9-10c

[sonicated]

My keezer has a temperature difference of about 8C from top to bottom without a fan. I 3d printed a computer fan holder which runs all the time and it keeps it within 1C - it works really well. I like cold beer too so keep it at 1C. It's nice to see how it changes as it warms!

[orlando]

I'm going to put the temperature probe off the Stc1000 in a bottle of water at the bottom of the fridge so it's actually giving me the temperature of the liquid as well as I'm presuming that this will be more accurate but I'd be interested to know of anyone else's experience regarding placement and results. Is placing at the bottom reliable or half way up?

I use a Demi John, preferring the larger volume but it may make little difference.

I concur with others that 2-3c is unecessarily low. After many years of using mine at cellar temps (10-12c) even force carbing only takes 48 hours at 20 psi. 72 if you want something really fizzy. You definitely need to deal with condensation. Your fan idea is probably better than my current method of using a towel. My plan is to use a mains powered dehumidifier at some point.

[Wozboy]

Thanks for all the responses, I've just logged in after a hiatus caused by the fitting of a new kitchen. All is well and I'm back brewing. Agreed the keezer has been fine at 10.5 degrees with a 1 degree tolerance and the carbonation has been fantastic, really pleased with the keezer but need to finish the build properly. Two weeks off work should allow sufficient time to finish that project.