I want to create a fermentation chamber for my wort that fits up to 30L fermentation buckets and carboys. I want to make the inside temperature adjustable from 50-90 degrees fahrenheit using a temperature controller hooked up to a heat source and cooling source. My questions are... 1. How useful is a Fermentation chamber, or how useful would one be if you have never used one before? 2. How important is it to keep the yeast at a constant temperature during fermentation? 3. If it were available would you buy one?
About to start brewing and have been reading a lot of books. Just finished Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation. Highly recommend this book. This definitely answers your question number 2. And after reading this book it makes me realize that before I try to brew anything with clean flavor profiles I need to look at building a fermentation chamber since I am in Texas. Check out this thread for some ideas http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/show-us-your-fermentation-chamber.149728/
aside from sanitation, temperature control is one of the most important elements to brewing good beer. Most of us utilize a chest freezer with a temperature controller for fermentation temp control. that will control the temperature from ambient down to lagering temperatures, if for some reason you need to heat the beer up you can purchase brew blankets/brew belts that wrap around the carboy. I personally purchased a chest freezer off of craigslist ($75) and a temperature controller off of ebay ($50).
Fermentation chambers and other methods of fermentation temperature control are very useful. I'd say they are indispensable for making the best possible beer. It's very important to control the temperature of the fermentation. That might be a constant temperature or it might be a controlled increase during fermentation. Crap. Here I thought you wanted to make one for yourself. I'm all set, thanks. Jeez.
Depending on funds, available space and commitment to the hobby, you might want to consider getting an upright or chest freezer. That with a temperature controller and heat wrap can give you a great option for fermentation temperature control. Also, when you moving on to kegging (which you will if you get bit by the bug) then the freezer can be converted over to a keggerator. That path worked great for me.
I agree with @Vikeman on all three points, but I'll take answer #3 a step further and say that if there is a manufactured fermentation chamber available in the marketplace, if all that it does is provide a place to ferment beer in a carboy/bucket or two, I probably would not buy it. I think there is greater flexibility in building your own unit with a chest freezer or an old upright fridge or freezer which can fit into the space that a person has available, as well as provide some flexibility to be used as a keg and tap system, or just for extra T-Day leftovers, etc. when it's not being used as a fermentation chamber.
