Newbie Slightly Confused About Temperature Control for Fermentation and Bottle Conditioning

[DeviantLogic]

Hey,

I have decided I am spending too much money on craft beer and have decided to get into home brewing. I'm determined to do things properly and have ascertained that temperature control is pretty much a necessity. I'm on quite a tight budget (hence having to ease off the craft!) and have decided that setting up a DIY brew fridge is the way to go here. I'm reading that temperature control is important not just during primary fermentation, but during bottle conditioning too. Yet when I look at most tutorials on making a beer fridge, they are converting a bar fridge which has no space for bottles. I'm wondering what people are doing to control temperature during bottle conditioning. Do you just bottle up, remove the fermenter and stick the bottles in the initial brew fridge? Make a second brew fridge for bottle conditioning? Obtain a fridge large enough to do both? I expect that all of these approaches are viable, but it seems like there's a lot of information on how to brew and set up a fridge, and not so much guidance on the best way to proceed here. I am making this post in the hopes of getting some guidance on the best way for a newbie to organise temp control logistics for both primary fermentation and bottle conditioning.

As a bonus question, I am wondering what constraints there are on beer storage once it has finished bottle conditioning. Do I need to have a fridge for that too, or is it okay for it to sit at room temperature until I am ready to chill it for drinking? 

[Malter White]

For most beers you don't need a fridge for secondary fermentation/ conditioning. Storing your bottles in a dark place at or above 18C is recommended. >18C ensures the yeast will remain active enough to eat the priming sugars which in turn creates carbonation.

If you can get an old fridge and thermostat controller to use for primary fermentation that would be beneficial for your beer making but not essential. You can still make excellent beers without them but keeping a steady temperature during primary fermentation will ensure your yeast doesn't stress and cause it to give off funky flavours.

Lager beers are a different kettle of fish. Cooler storage temperatures are the go for those because lager yeast is active at lower temperatures.

Edited January 15, 2021 by MUZZY

[ben 10]

4 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

temperature control is pretty much a necessity.

Unless you choose yeast that is happy at the temperatures where you live.

4 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

during bottle conditioning too.

Bottles will carbonate just more slowly if the temperature is not warm enough for that particular yeast.

 

4 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

is it okay for it to sit at room temperature until I am ready to chill it for drinking? 

Yes, but again, that depends on room temperature.

 

Where are you? What temperature generally is the room you will store beer in.

[Lab Cat]

9 hours ago, MUZZY said:

For most beers you don't need a fridge for secondary fermentation/ conditioning. Storing your bottles in a dark place at or above 18C is recommended. >18C ensures the yeast will remain active enough to eat the priming sugars which in turn creates carbonation.

^^This. Bottle conditioning is simple. Lagers need temp control during bottling to work well, but I've never bothered. All my beers are stored in the garage regardless of season. In winter they take longer to carb up.

For fermentation, find an old fridge on gumtree and get an Inkbird to control the temp. When fridge shopping, you jsut need to make sure the fermenter will fit in it. Most small fridges have the compressor hump in the way.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Lab Cat

[Journeyman]

11 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

I'm wondering what people are doing to control temperature during bottle conditioning. Do you just bottle up, remove the fermenter and stick the bottles in the initial brew fridge? Make a second brew fridge for bottle conditioning?

Until I could afford a better solution I used an electric blanket in a cupboard to keep things warm enough to condition the bottles. I got an el cheapo STC-1000 from ebay, a couple of power plug sockets from Bunnings & wired it up for cooling and heating. I didn't bother with the cooling side but plugged the blanket in so it would kick in if things went below 20° - the blanket was on the floor and bottles on the top shelf and it works a treat.

A problem using the FV fridge is your next brew could easily be ready in a week and you want to cold crash it - that's gonna stop the bottle conditioning.

[DeviantLogic]

Thanks for the advice so far guys! I am in Melbourne and the temperature here can vary quite a lot, I could either bottle condition in my garage or my closet. It sounds like I should be able to bottle condition effectively without taking up space in my brew fridge, which is great as I'm keen to crank out more volume quickly!

I actually scored a second hand brew fridge off of marketplace today (pictures attached), which saves me having to rig one up myself. I'm wondering what the best heat source would be. I'm not sure whether to use a light bulb, a heat pad, or a heat belt. Any suggestions on the best heat source for this setup would be greatly appreciated! Also, I'm not very confident with wires. The guy who sold it to me said that if I didn't want to cut off the plug and reattach after running it through the hole I could just run it through the door and clamp it shut. Does that sound like a reasonable option, or is it actually easy to sort out the wiring through the hole? 

[Shamus O'Sean]

1 hour ago, DeviantLogic said:

I'm wondering what the best heat source would be. I'm not sure whether to use a light bulb, a heat pad, or a heat belt. Any suggestions on the best heat source for this setup would be greatly appreciated! Also, I'm not very confident with wires. The guy who sold it to me said that if I didn't want to cut off the plug and reattach after running it through the hole I could just run it through the door and clamp it shut.

We all use different heat sources on here.  I am not sure one is necessarily better than the rest.  It is probably more about circumstances.  For example I got a heat belt with a second hand kit.  So that is what I use.  I brew in a temperature controlled freezer.  I just run the heat belt power cord over the edge of the freezer and close the lid.  The temperature controller sensor cable fits through the hinge side of the lid, so I just run it over the edge too.  

PS - I am in Melbourne too.  Depending on what the ambient temperature is, sometimes the heat belt or the freezer does not even come on.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Shamus O'Sean

[Pickles Jones]

Having a hole drilled into the fridge saves you from having to drill it and maybe drill into a refrigerent pipe.

You could use a 100 watt  light globe for starters and run the cord through the hole after cutting off the plug. From memory I think Journeyman used this setup with success.

You would need to plug the light into an Inkbird temperature for this to keep the Temperature constant.

I use a heat belt connected to an Inkbird and it works well.

With my fridges I run the cords between the door seal and the fridge as Shamus does. This is the easiest way for me.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Pickles Jones

[Journeyman]

23 hours ago, Pickles Jones said:

From memory I think Journeyman used this setup with success.

Yep. Here it is. 45W bulb inside a soup can.  Works great in the FV fridge.