Fermentation Temp Control

[Jim1525230050]

I've been brewing for a few years now and this summer find its much to hot to ferment so bought a 420 L all fridge (no freezer) and a Keg King temp MKII Temperature Controller (Heat & Cool).

 

I picked a large fridge because I can fit up to 4 fermenters (2 wide top fermenters). I put the primary fermenters on the top shelf and secondary on the lowest shelf. This makes it easy to drain the primary into the secondary without removing the fermenter from the fridge. I can also keep my brew ingredients in the door shelves. This keeps everything within reach and a good place to store yeast at safe temp but yeast storage is best in your kitchen fridge. Having a large full fridge has many advantages. There is no need to cut away door internal shelves, there is no freezer taking up room, remove the temp controller and refit the shelves and you have a beer fridge. An upright freezer will do the same job. Most bar fridges are too small to fit the height of a 30l fermenter. the motor sits up inside the fridge and the freezer gets in the way. Power usage is minimal. A well insulated fridge rarely switches on at night and only a few times during the day.

 

I have seen lots of info on the web about temperature controllers. I picked the King Keg MII for many reasons. It works from -45C up to 120C, it is plug and play (no extra parts or work), is reasonably riced at $77, works your heater as well as the fridge so in winter the fridge will cool in the day and the heater will warm on those cold mornings and can be programmed to do everything I need to do including step temp settings. Just set and forget.

 

I also make spirits and temp control during fermentation is necessary so the yeast can work at the optimum.

 

Look forward to any comments, Cheers and happy brewing.

[Ricko1525229757]

I don't need a full size fridge and don't have space for that either so I am looking at getting a Westinghouse 130L bar fridge. The Mindel I am looking at has no freezer aea inside and therefore the dimensions seem large enough to hold one fermenter, which is all I need. (WRM1300WC). What do you think?

 

I was wondering what temp controller to get so I will look at the one you suggested.

 

Cheers,

 

Ricko

[Graculus]

Ricko, I'm pretty sure that model fridge you're after will fit a FV nicely.

I've been looking for a second hand one for ages to replace my existing

fridge. They seem to be hard to come by and the only two I've seen for

sale locally have both been over $150.

 

As for the temp control, either the one mentioned or an inkbird are both ready wired.

Cheaper option is the STC 1000 which you'd have to put in a box and wire etc. So cheaper

but more messing around.

[Jim1525230050]

Before I bought the King Keg MII I looked at the STC 1000. Seems the cost (around $20) and extra parts ( a safe electrical box is $20 at Jcar and 2 power outlets $10 at Bunnings plus bits and pieces $5) and effort to safely build. Yes it is about $27 cheaper but I feel the MII is safer and good value.

also Australian made in compliance with Australian Standards. Most of the photos I've seen posted of the STC 1000 wired in boxes don't look to be to Australian Standard.

I guess it's up to choice. The STC1000 is a good product but for me plug and play Australian made to safety standards was the way to go.

 

Happy brewing

 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

If you ditched the step of racking to a secondary you could have 4 batches fermenting all at the same time

[Jim1525230050]

Ricko, The Westinghouse 130L bar fridge with no freezer would be fine. I also have a Westinghouse 130L bar fridge but with a freezer and a 30L fermenter will fit if the freezer is removed. It may be necessary to run a hose into a bottle of water from the lid because the normal air lock won't fit unless its a larger diameter lower fermenter.

 

At the bottom of the fridge there is a lot of space used by the motor. It will be necessary to make a spacer to fill the front of the motor up to the top of the motor housing inside the fridge. 10mm thick sheet of ply cut to slide into to original rack guide will finish level with the top of the motor housing. The front of the ply should be cut so the door will close with minimal gap between the door and the ply. The ply will need a stiffener (on the under side) at the front centre and back across the fridge to support the ply with 23L of water in the fermenter. To allow air circulation drill several holes in the ply but not the stiffeners or leave the ply short about 10mm at the back. All the door shelves will need to be removed too.

 

I'm sure it will all works out for you Ricko.

 

Cheers Neil

[Jim1525230050]

Otto Von Blotto, Yes I know. I do remove them so I can do two spirits and two beer at the same time. Once the spirit is finished I still it and move the beer to the top shelf then drain it into secondary fermenters and start another brew on the top shelf.

 

Don't do this often though just when my stock is down.

 

Cheers Neil

[Otto Von Blotto]

I was more getting at the general consensus these days that racking to a secondary doesn't really benefit the beer. I used to do it to bulk prime batches for bottling but that was it.

 

If the FV won't fit in there with an airlock you could just cover the hole with duct tape and not fully tighten the lid. I began doing this when the grommet perished and it's been perfectly fine. I was able to put the top shelf back in the fridge too which has come in handy on numerous occasions.

[Jim1525230050]

Otto Von Blotto, I have never done a second fermentation before. I have looked into lots of info and thought I'd try it. From what I've read there is a risk on introducing oxygen also read, as I make lager mostly, it improves the beer. What do you think. If it's not worth the risk or effort I won't bother.

 

Thanks

Neil

[Otto Von Blotto]

Otto Von Blotto' date=' I have never done a second fermentation before. I have looked into lots of info and thought I'd try it. From what I've read there is a risk on introducing oxygen also read, as I make lager mostly, it improves the beer. What do you think. If it's not worth the risk or effort I won't bother.

 

Thanks

Neil[/quote']If I was you I'd try one or two batches without it and one or two batches with it, preferably the same recipe, and then see if you can notice any difference in the beers once they're in the glass. It's probably a better way to decide for yourself if it's worth doing or not. Normally when lagers are transferred off the yeast, they are chilled right down to about 0 degrees so it may not have the same effect if you are fermenting on the shelf above and they have to stay relatively warm.

 

I've never done it either because personally I don't see the point when the same thing can be achieved in the primary in a lot of cases. Lagers are one exception if you are planning on lagering them for extended periods. It's also an advantage that I keg my beer now, so the kegs effectively become a "secondary" anyway while they are waiting to be tapped. Just need a third fridge to keep them cold while they wait .

 

I brew lagers a fair bit too, usually once every 3 batches. They sit in the primary for 4 weeks, and for weeks 3 and 4 they are at 0C, then kegged. On occasion I've put a keg straight on tap after filling it (and carbonating it), and I have noticed improvement with more time spent cold in the fridge. They are drinkable straight away but with more time they are excellent, so in my experience the extended lagering period does help.

 

For ale batches though I do consider it to be a total waste of time transferring to a secondary. A lot of the time they are consumed reasonably fresh anyway, not left to age like lagers are.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Jim1525230050]

Otto Von Blotto, Thanks heaps Ill do that. I think I'll keg it like you do in a freezer with a temp controller. My chest freezer should do it.

 

Thanks again Neil

[Jim1525230050]

Otto Von Blotto, Thanks heaps Ill do that. I think I'll keg it like you do in a freezer with a temp controller. My chest freezer should do it.

 

Thanks again Neil

[Ricko1525229757]

Ricko' date=' I'm pretty sure that model fridge you're after will fit a FV nicely.

As for the temp control, either the one mentioned or an inkbird are both ready wired.

Cheaper option is the STC 1000 which you'd have to put in a box and wire etc. So cheaper

but more messing around.[/quote']

 

Thanks Graculus. I will be going ahead with that fridge...cheers..

[Ricko1525229757]

I feel the MII is safer and good value. Also Australian made in compliance with Australian Standards.

 

The Westinghouse 130L bar fridge with no freezer would be fine. I also have a Westinghouse 130L bar fridge but with a freezer and a 30L fermenter will fit if the freezer is removed. It will be necessary to make a spacer to fill the front of the motor up to the top of the motor housing inside the fridge. 10mm thick sheet of ply etc' date=' Cheers Neil[/quote']

 

Thanks Neil, good advice on both. That's what I'll go with. Regarding the airlock, I am currently using the Coopers fermenter without the airlock so the height measurements looks fine.

 

Cheers, Ricko