Otto Von Blotto Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I'm guessing PT is the compressor delay thingy? I have mine set at 10 minutes but it's rarely needed when using it for fermentation because it doesn't warm up that quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeastyBoy Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 2 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said: I'm guessing PT is the compressor delay thingy? I have mine set at 10 minutes but it's rarely needed when using it for fermentation because it doesn't warm up that quickly. Agree it is fairly immaterial given lag times. Zero to Ten minutes does not really matter as the fridge is hardly getting a freaking work out. I maybe completely wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 I've only noticed a benefit from it when I'm crashing yeast starters. In that case I just have the probe dangling and set the differential to 2 degrees. Usually I have some cans of soft drink or whatever in there as well so if I open the fridge it warms up by about 6 degrees momentarily. If I do this right after it turns off then it helps having the delay because it tends to cool down somewhat by itself in that time, plus it's not kicking the compressor back in straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 On 12/13/2018 at 7:35 PM, Otto Von Blotto said: Yep if you've got the probe against the fermenter then the differential can be set quite low. I use 0.3 on mine as that's as low as it goes. Liquid doesn't change temp that quickly so the fridge and subsequently the compressor doesn't come on that much. Less than when it's just used like a normal fridge. Interestingly enough I just analysed the data from my tilt from start of CC until it reach target. Starting point was 17.8 deg, It took 9 hour to get down to 3.9 deg which I think is when the inkbird hit its set temperature of 2 deg and took control. It took a further 3.5 hours to get down to 1.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headmaster Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 I've been using two STC-1000's for years now, that I assembled into boxes etc and they have been great. but have just bought an inkbird ITC-310T which does the same as the 308 and the STC-1000, but is also programmable to run through up to 12 temperature steps. I have read of the procedure of the re-flashing hack you can do the STC-1000 to make it do the same, but needs to be the right version and brand of the STC. I couldn't be bothered doing that so just handed over my $65 for this 310. I wanted to be able to set up my ghetto HERMS system in the morning before work, dough in the grains into room temperature water, switch on my recirc, and activate the ITC 310 just before I leave at say 8:00am to ramp up to 44c for an acid/glucan rest of about 30 mins (once it gets there to 44c) then ramp to 54c for a protein rest, wait there for another 30 mins or so, then ramp to my preferred Sac rest temp, say 65c and let it run there for say 3 hours, then ramp to say 72c and let it run there for another 3 hours, then ramp up to a lower end mashout temp of say 76c to finish, just before I get home from work about 9.5hours later. at about 5:40pm in time for me to switch on the main element in my system and head up to the boil. I can then finish off the batch after dinner rather than do what I have generally been doing, which is to start after dinner and finish at around 12:30 to 1:00am. I do believe this could work very well, so long as I don't hold for too long at temps (below 55c) where lactobacillus from the grain will start to generate too much lactic acid. So I've programmed the schedule and all ready to try my first brew. Will be sure to use some rice hulls if using oats/rye/wheat to prevent stuck flow! This controller is also great for running a temperature schedule for the brewfridge to ferment, diacetyl rest, cold crash by itself, if you are going to be away for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Titan said: Interestingly enough I just analysed the data from my tilt from start of CC until it reach target. Starting point was 17.8 deg, It took 9 hour to get down to 3.9 deg which I think is when the inkbird hit its set temperature of 2 deg and took control. It took a further 3.5 hours to get down to 1.7 Yeah I find when cold crashing that it gets the first half to two thirds of the way pretty quickly then slows right down as it gets colder. At fermentation temp it takes about 14 minutes to rise 0.3 degrees, and about 6-7 minutes to drop back down again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony999 Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Good topic. Not enjoying the heat here in Perth. 42 the other day. Just ordered a Inkbird myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeastyBoy Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 1 minute ago, Anthony999 said: Just ordered a Inkbird myself! Good choice, you will wish you brought one sooner. Keeping my pale ale cool in the FV at 18c even in Tassie. Think we busted 30c plus today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony999 Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 2 minutes ago, YeastyBoy said: Good choice, you will wish you brought one sooner. Keeping my pale ale cool in the FV at 18c even in Tassie. Think we busted 30c plus today. well......you think i should have bought sooner but seeing I've just bottled my first brew last night i'm about to go into my second brew as a newbie I want to make sure i get a better result. I don't think my first brew is going to turn out. My next brew is going to be a hoegaarden equivelant and needs to be between 20-24 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeastyBoy Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 19 minutes ago, Anthony999 said: well......you think i should have bought sooner but seeing I've just bottled my first brew last night i'm about to go into my second brew as a newbie I want to make sure i get a better result. I don't think my first brew is going to turn out. My next brew is going to be a hoegaarden equivelant and needs to be between 20-24 degrees. OK had to guess. Yeap we are all learning with each brew. Welcome to brewing your own beer. Great journey, yeap temp control is certainly part of getting a great consistent result. Been doing lagers at 13c & Ales at 18c so the fridge with the inkbird ITC 308 which has been brilliant. Easy to set up and runs like a dream. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retromaticon Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Anthony999 said: well......you think i should have bought sooner but seeing I've just bottled my first brew last night i'm about to go into my second brew as a newbie I want to make sure i get a better result. I don't think my first brew is going to turn out. My next brew is going to be a hoegaarden equivelant and needs to be between 20-24 degrees. I'm in qld, my first brew was the coopers kit I got from aldi in 2017. I think it was around Sept Oct but the temperature must have been getting up to around 26-28. I enjoyed it but it didn't really become a passion until around Feb 2018 where I did my second brew, full sized this time (thanks to a gifted full sized fermenter from my gfs bro in law). Didn't use temp control, and most have been good, some have been exceptional. I'm now fermenting in the bathtub with esky ice blocks and containers of ice, with the fermenter wrapped in a couple of towels. Just refreeze every night and you can keep a steady 20-22 degrees. Got an inkbird but not the heat belt yet, so my next brew should taste even better. For what it's worth, my first brew had some off flavours, but every brew since then has been very drinkable. I highly recommend getting the recipe of the month. Especially the "difficult" ones. If you read the instructions and try to keep the temps in range, you will get great beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Doubt you'll need a heat belt in Qld. I'm in Brisbane and never used one. Once or twice a year I might put a hot water bottle (or my version of it being a flask of boiling water) in the fridge but that's about it. I ferment ales at 18 or 20-21 depending on what they are, and lagers at 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retromaticon Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Thanks for the advice mate. My gfs brother in law uses a heat belt for his, but I'll try it without and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Probably following the kit instructions to ferment it in the mid 20s, but it's too warm*. Most ales are best at 18 in my experience, although English ales I ferment 2-3 degrees higher to get a small amount of yeast influence in them. It depends on what you want flavour wise, I like the malt and hops to dominate without much yeast influence, if any except in English ales when I brew them, so I keep most of them at 18. Higher temps usually result in more esters, fruity type flavours that differ from the ones hops provide. Also, fermentation generates its own heat, at this time of year you want to be cooling it rather than heating it further. Even inside a fridge it will warm up by itself when the fridge is off. In winter, inside a fridge it maintains enough heat from this, although it can drop off towards the end which is when I put the boiling flask in. I usually only need it for one or two batches a year though, hence not bothering to buy a heat belt. *There are exceptions such as wheat beers and saisons that are fermented warmer. Their flavours are dominated by the yeast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony999 Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 11 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said: *There are exceptions such as wheat beers and saisons that are fermented warmer. Their flavours are dominated by the yeast. So i have this wheat beer like hoegaarden which is at 20-26 degrees at initial and then 20-24 degrees ongoing. Reading all the comments and yours I should stick at about 22 degrees for a better wheat and yeast flavour or ....? Hoegaarden is a sweeter beer but still has a stronger wheat taste so unsure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 I'd ask someone more experienced in wheat beers about that one mate. I personally don't like them so I've never brewed one. At a guess, low to mid 20s would probably work, but it's only a guess. From what I've read, different temperatures cause the yeast to throw different flavours, which is true of all yeast really. I just am unsure what temps work for certain flavours with the different wheat beer yeasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony999 Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 I've just put down my Hoegaarden brew last night with my Inkbird controller. Have it set at 22 degrees c but didn't set it properly overnight and the temp went from 23.5 degrees to 24.5 degrees so hopefully fixed that in the morning. Seemed to be working ok. It was really churning this morning when i checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Just bought one of these for partial mashing. Used it last week, Inkbird control and it works great when you get it dialed in. Then i just move the pot to gas for the boil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBastard Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 @Titan didn’t know you were a turntable dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 1 hour ago, MitchBastard said: @Titan didn’t know you were a turntable dj It helps with the whirlpool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 Only if the turntables have magnets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I'm not quite ready for this but thinking about it. The main issue is convincing the better half that we really need another fridge I'm thinking about a fridge capable of holding two FV, a small batch FV and a regular sized one. However there is one problem with this. Which FV to attach the sensor to. The bottom one or the top one, the larger one or the smaller one? Either? Is it ok to just have it "dangle" in the fridge? I suppose that would be fairly inaccurate as the temp in the fridge goes down faster than the wort in the fermenters will cool. Sure it will eventually "catch up" but it would take longer. What about different temperatures in the fermenters? I take it it makes more sense to attach the sensor to the larger fermenter as it is the one taking the longest to cool and heat up if needed? as for heating, a heating pad or a belt? Also, should I drill holes into the fridge to run the wires of the sensor or just run them between the door seal and the fridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Run the wires through the door. You are right that dangling the probe isn't as accurate as having it taped to the fermenter. As for which one, good question. If you tape it to the big one, the little one might chill down further than you want it to. If you tape it to the small one, the big one might not chill down as far as you want it to. Given that cold air sinks, I'd probably tape it to the small one and put it on top so the colder air goes down to the bottom one, helping it cool a little bit more. Of course it could work in reverse with the warmer air at the top not allowing the little one to chill too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 If wishing to control fermentation temperatures of two separate FV's of different sizes I wouldn't advise doing this in the one fridge at the same time or at different times while containing the two in the fridge throughout this period. If you dangle the probe openly you have no idea what temperature each wort in the two separate fermenters is at during primary fermentation. If you adhere the probe to one of the fermenters, you have no idea what is happening in the other regardless of size or placement in your fridge, & even if you attached a basic temp monitoring probe to the FV not attached to the controller, what are you gonna be able to do to correct the difference in temp? Once a brew has fermented out & stabilized at a FG you can place it out at ambient temps no worries until ready to bottle/keg etc. That does allow you to slip a new ale batch in approx. every week if need be. If I was going to bother getting a full sized fridge large enough to house 2 FV's on shelves, I'd just remove the shelves & ferment in a larger 40-60 litre fermenter. Just my 2 cents, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 My initial gut feeling mirrored what Lusty has talked about here. It would be pretty difficult to keep both fermenters at the same temp at the same time. I would imagine the difference wouldn't be huge, but there would be a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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