Heat control, where to start

[ChrisHughes]

I'm looking at my next brew but as temps drop I'm also him king about temp control. I normally ferment in the Harry potter room under the stairs but the temp in there is dropping so can someone do me a 101 on what I could possibly do, price variations & potential results?

I've heard about fish heaters in the fv or in a builders bucket, heat matts or heat belts. Heater control systems & converting fridges. I have a budget but wan to know what bang for bucks I might get for each option.

Ta

[Kev888]

Probably a key step is to decide if you would benefit from cooling (say later in the year), as cooling options are more limited than heating, so may focus things quite a bit.

Cheers
Kev

[ChrisHughes]

Probably a key step is to decide if you would benefit from cooling (say later in the year), as cooling options are more limited than heating, so may focus things quite a bit.

Cheers
Kev

I did think about that, especially as I haven't tried fermenting in there in summer since moving. I hope given its location in the house it won't raise that high. But yes I'd be interested in all options. I want to weigh up all options

[scuppeteer]

I had the same dilemma as you a couple of years ago. We moved to a smaller house and keeping FV's indoors weren't really an option due to lack of space. I started with Fish tank heaters which worked well and used an old duvet for insulation around the FV. Problem was as it got colder the heaters couldn't really keep up with the really low temps in the winter and the fermenting beer could have as much as 3C difference away from the heater. Last Summer it went the other way and I struggled to keep it cool enough so barely brewed.

I bit the bullet and put together my fermenting fridge earlier this year. I managed to pick up a larder fridge from Ebay, tall enough to fit 2 x 25l fermenting bins. An STC 1000 controller and small tube heater from Amazon and extra 3 core cable from the DIY shop. I admit to having no DIY skills at all and with idiot proof help wired the thing up. It works like a dream. Each FV rarely has more than 1C difference in temp and both generally ferment out within hours of each other. I'm currently conditioning 40 odd bottles in it and it has sat at 19C with very little variation for over 3 weeks. It really is the best piece of kit I have and cost less than £100.

If you have space for another fridge it really is the best idea.

[Pinto]

A fermenting fridge is the way to go and there's plenty of advice on here for building one (you can find my version by searching for a "frooker") - get a larder fridge from the free adds (free - £30) and STC-1000 unit from Ebay (£10-20) and a 60w Tube heater (£15) and budget another tenner for cable and consumables

Once you have one, the wonderful world of warm or cool ferments are open to you - so ales OR proper lager - choice is yours !

[Jocky]

A fermenting fridge is the ultimate, but if that's a little daunting then take it in steps - the first thing is to get a temperature controller.

If your Harry Potter room has not too much temperature difference from where you want to be, and you're not bothered about lagering, then a small amount of heating is a priority.

I would buy a temperature controller and wire it up with a couple of sockets so you can plug in heating/cooling as you need. Then just get a cheap brew belt, plug that into the heat side, and you will be able to keep your beer within 1 degree.

When you want to lager or resist the heat in the summer you can get a fridge and plug that into the cold side.

[alexlark]

Builders trug filled with water and a fish tank heater. £20 max.

I put mine on a folded camping mat as it's on a tiled floor.

[orlando]

Builders trug filled with water and a fish tank heater. £20 max.

I put mine on a folded camping mat as it's on a tiled floor.

I have used both a trug and fish heater and a brew fridge, both work very well but the brew fridge is by far the most flexible and more accurate in keeping the temperature within .5 to 1c. If money is tight then go for the builders trug and fish heater first, but a brew fridge could be yours for not really a great deal more. Go this route and you end up with 2 fermenting systems, and that really matters, as you ca be starting the ferment of a second before the first has finished. A brew fridge ca help you condition/lager beer, incubate yeast e.g. starters. You just get so much more bang for your £.

[Fil]

trug eh? ive been calling em trubs?? anyway imho a brewfridge is the best possible option and if you get a donar fridge for free is a simple and cheap (£40 or less) build, ideally an stc1000 (upto £15), 60w tube heater (upto £20) and a fan £5? and a bit of suitable recycled flex to wire it all up.. tho other options exist..

then you will have no temperature worries all year round.

It makes a big impact, not just on the predictability of how long primary fermentation takes (4-5days for most beers) but on the quality of the beer too. also providing the ability to crash chill making bottling clear beer easier and minimising bottle sediment. its a winner all round, as someone who has indulged himself with more than one brewing toy i can honestly say i got more brewing bang for my bucks spent on the brewfridge than any other toy/bit of kit..

brewbelts, heating pads, fish heaters in trugs? and even direct in the beer (some are fine with it,, not me tho..) will all work just not as well or with as much flexibility..

have fun whichever route u follow..

[ChrisHughes]

We have an old fridge in the garage we use for parties & bbqs. Think I need to explore that option further. Thanks for the tips

[scuppeteer]

We have an old fridge in the garage we use for parties & bbqs. Think I need to explore that option further. Thanks for the tips

As a note, the best ones are just larder fridges (no ice compartment, as these are more tricky to add a controller to). Also if you have a party and you aren't brewing its a normal fridge again, just set the STC to 6C. Win, win!

[ChrisHughes]

Do I need to drill holes for temp monitor/heater cables or can I just shut the door?

[Coffeeuk]

Do I need to drill holes for temp monitor/heater cables or can I just shut the door?

I just feed the cables through the door. The door seal closes around it. No holes needed.

[ChrisHughes]

Thanks for that coffeeuk, off to price up parts & start shopping.

[orlando]

its a winner all round, as someone who has indulged himself with more than one brewing toy i can honestly say i got more brewing bang for my bucks spent on the brewfridge than any other toy/bit of kit..

That's the big point, it really is a game changer. Putting the fish heater in the brew is to be avoided, they are very difficult to keep clean and sanitised, only in the water of the trug. They are a little fiddly to set up at first but if you compare the water temp with the beer temp you can juggle it till you get what you want without fishing it in and out of the beer. If you are fermenting somewhere cold, shed/garage, go for a 50W as a minimum.