I'm a newbie to homebrewing and can already feel it starting to take over. I've bought my first set of equipment and my first kit (Irish Stout) and have been burying myself in "How To Brew" by Palmer. Now, I still need to get a couple of pieces of equipment before I actually brew (kettle, carboy, and chiller, namely) and in thinking through the logistics of actually brewing, one thing that keeps on concerning me is the ability to control the temperature where I actually have the fermentation going. I have a basement that's not finished, but has a concrete floor. It stays pretty cool down there in the summer, but it can get pretty damn cold in the winter. There is heat in the basement, but it doesn't keep long because it's drafty as hell. Additionally, since it is drafty and not insulated, it's prone to temperature fluctuations. Would any of this be a concern for the yeast to ferment? I know certain yeasts/brews have different fermentation temperatures, I'm just more curious as to any tips and tricks (cheap tips and tricks, I'm not able to get a temp controlled fridge or anything like that) to better control the temp. Normally, I'd just move the fermenter upstairs, but there's not too much room, and with no A/C, it gets hot in the summer.
You'd be surprised how cheaply you can put together a fairly sophisticated temperature control unit. I spent $30 on a chest freezer I found on craigslist that could easily hold 3 carboys. About $45 for a temp controller for it. So $75 total, and I can do anything from lagering however cold I want to fermenting ales in the 60's in that thing. I know you're probably looking for cheaper methods, just wanted to give you an idea of how much it costs. I thought it would be a lot more until I really looked into it. Also, I haven't noticed any difference in the energy bill, if that's a concern as well. On the other hand, if you really don't want to spend any extra money, look into evaporative cooling (wet towels and a fan); you should be able to find plenty on that.
Depending on the actual temp of your basement you could maybe keep it on the stairs or elevated in the basement, while having it wrapped in blankets like a little baby. I have this same issue going on and I have moved my fermenter from my garage to inside just recently because it dropped under 60. So elevation off the floor and blankets, and if there is any heat source down there where it won't fluctuate too rapidly, near that too. Good luck and welcome to the addiction!
carteravebrew is right that you can get a mini fridge/chest freezer system set up for not that much. Less than a $100 for the peace of mind of a consistent ambient temp is well worth it. That said, a sleeping bag, heating pad or a fermwrap heater (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/fermwrap-heater.html) would all suit you if you're looking to scrape pennies. But as the ambient temp in your basement changes you'll have to keep an eye on things. In my experience inconsistency in fermentation temps will cause more havoc with your yeast than anything else.
Thanks guys. I didn't realize chest freezers and temp controllers were that cheap. I was thinking around $300 to pull something like that off. Also, that fermwrap heater seems pretty nifty too, and cheap. It says to use a digital thermometer in conjunction with it, but is that really necessary? I would assume that there would be some sort of temperature control input from the wrap itself, and the thermometer would just be to fine tune it?
“Also, that fermwrap heater seems pretty nifty too, and cheap. It says to use a digital thermometer in conjunction with it, but is that really necessary?” If your desire is to achieve a set fermentation temperature (e.g., 68°F) then a thermostat control is absolutely necessary. Cheers!
Very true, but if you plug it into a johnson temp control and use a stopper thermowell it will shut it off if your beer gets above whatever temp you set it at. But if you already have the control I find it easier to use a mini fridge set up and keep it in a spare bedroom. You can set your fridge for what you like (I like anywhere from 63F to 65F depending on the style) and it is about as worry free as you can get. Unless you turn off your heat in the winter and the room temp is dropping below the fridge temp...than you can get a dual control and use it in conjunction with the ferm wrap...or just keep your heat on
I know. This is what I do, and it works very well. The OP was thinking it might have a temp controller built in.
Indeed, this was my impression. Thanks for the clarification. This is actually a legitimate concern of mine in the winter. It gets balls-cold in the winter in the basement, and I don't have a thermostat in the basement to actually know how cold it gets down there. It's not getting anywhere where the pipes in my house might burst, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it dip into the 50 degree mark.
