brew fridge ??

tazman67 · Post by **tazman67** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 7:07 pm

Hi guys,
Up here in QLD Target has in their cataloge, 24 bottle wine fridges for $150.
Make a good brew fridge for someone ?

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 7:13 pm

I have one, great for making Lagers at 12*C in winter. I was able to get it down to about 16*C in the heights of summer, so its also good for temperature controlled Ales in the warmer months, but it does depend heavily on what the ambient temps are.

tazman67 · Post by **tazman67** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 8:42 pm

Thanks ntrabbit,
Can U use a thermosat control unit with these to control temp?
I am moveing to Toowoomba in August so winter brewing of lagers wont be a problem.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Wednesday May 24, 2006 11:15 pm

I don't know, but as far as I can tell they aren't really a genuine fridge per se - there is a control nob inside the door, which with a bit of practice and a digital thermometer can get some pretty spot on and stable temps.

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Thursday May 25, 2006 11:18 am

I've had one for about 2 years now, also bought it @ K-Mart works a treat, only thing you can't use in them is an airlock, just wont fit so just use a blow off tube instead. I don't use any lids anyway, gladwrap does the trick for me and I've also stuck one of those sick on rear view mirrors on the inside top of the fridge so i can peep into the brew without even opening the glass door.

Cheers,
Hillbilly

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Thursday May 25, 2006 3:45 pm

I can fit an S bend airlock on all of my fermenters except for the tall brewcraft 30L one - for that, I use a small senior airlock.

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Friday May 26, 2006 9:00 am

NTR & Hillbilly: I don't spose you guys know how the energy consumption on these things compares to a fridge?? What do you reckon the temperature range is??

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Friday May 26, 2006 10:31 pm

Rubber.Piggy wrote:NTR & Hillbilly: I don't spose you guys know how the energy consumption on these things compares to a fridge?? What do you reckon the temperature range is??

The temperature range in my manual is listed as "12-18*C with an ambient temperature of 25*C"

Right now, with an ambient of 19*C if I turn the dial all the way down, it can go down to about 9.0*C (its currently idling at 12*C)

If I open the window and let the outside into the room, I'm pretty certain she can go at least as low as 6*C.

In summer, when controlling the temperature in the room becomes an exercise in futility, I can get it down to 17 or 18*C

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Saturday May 27, 2006 9:19 am

http://www.mistral.com.au/InstructionBo ... /MWC29.pdf

Cheers, Hillbilly