The heat wrap and programmable controller are are set for 66 degrees - pone ISS taped to bucket and held by styrofoam. Seems like I've created the "perfect " environment but after 24 hours activity seems sluggish compared to the same brew done in a room 10x15 with room temp set at 66. Overthinking? Calm and steady is better? Or worse?
Welcome to the BA site, Granbrew. Patience is always a virtue when homebrewing. Sit tight. P.S. This thread likely will be moved to the Homebrewing forum when you see it next.
What are you fermenting in? Sometimes a bad seal just makes it seem less vigorous. Sometimes it just takes a few days.
might want to bounce this to the home brew sub forum but never the less. What beer are you making? What Yeast are you using? Dry? Smack-Pac? How did you oxygenate? Did you use yeast nutrients? Temp Probe on bucket tends to be less accurate than inside the liquid. id check the lid of the bucket like @TrojanRB has said. Finally let it do its own thing and don't over think it.
Vigorous ferment shortly after original post. The new freezer chest and heat wrap are in constant battle. Pretty cool. Been brewing for a few years but wanted to move to a more controlled environment. It's a double ipa that I've had success with before, although my preference is for stouts. Where would I drop the probe? Into the bubbler hole with the stem of the bubbler or create a second hole and seal it?
What kind of controller/probe are you using? They are not all submersible. If not... I use thermowells to hold fermenter controller temp probes. Second choice would be to tape it to the side of the fermenter vertically, and insulate that immediate area with something (like a few layers of bubble wrap).
I placed the probe on the side, held it in place with a layer of styrofoam then foil..and then taped it. The controller is Inkbird- European I think. I believe manual said the probe can be submerged, just didn't want to put anything in my beer.
