Summer methods

Beau · Post by **Beau** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 1:36 pm

32Â°C and humid as hell today. Unfortunately I put down a batch two days ago with Safale S-04.
Not to worry though, this ugly contraption has kept the brew at a constant 20Â°C all yesterday and today. -12Â°C isn't bad for a fan and some wet towels.
How is everyone else coping with bushfire season?

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:02 pm

The mind boggles..

you have it sitting inside a fridge, get a thermostat you can adjust and run the fridge at what ever temp you want.

Beau · Post by **Beau** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:19 pm

Forgot to mention,
FRIDGE DOESN'T WORK

Biggles · Post by **Biggles** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:22 pm

Hey I just asked this morning, at an appliance repair place near my work, if it was possible to get a thermostat to run a fridge at anywhere between 12 and 22 degrees. I was told NO and why would I want to, when I replied 'for home brewing', he laughed and said home brew needs 26+ to work properly.

I just smiled and walked out.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:22 pm

1. Live in a double-brick appartment.
2. Close all doors, windows, curtains etc.

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:26 pm

Just took a photo to post later, but this thread came first!
My fermenter is in the shower with a towel wrapped around it. Every few hours I turn the shower on the floor and create a puddle. The fermenter is over the drain, so the water is absorbed slowly by the towel.
Cheap but not nasty!

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 2:28 pm

Except when you (or your girlfriend perhaps) wants a shower!

ACTbrewer · Post by **ACTbrewer** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 3:25 pm

Only for daylight hours RWH, wife is not that forgiving!!

Here's the fermenter cooling system TM.

My new kettle will fit this fermenter in it, with the lid on. I can then add ice or cold bricks for summer brewing.

Yes, I know, I need a fridge...

[img][img]http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/hbmad/P1070508.jpg[/img][/img]

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 4:28 pm

I have a working fridge with a thermostat and i brew my lagers in there but stupid me on a nice cold night a few days ago brewed a wetpack pilsner and a wals lager, not thinking about the fact that i can only fit one fermenter in the fridge

my wetpack pilsner used a saflager yeast and today i got home from work where my town temp was sitting at 36*c or so the chick on the radio said ( hottest oct 12th in history) and the fermenter is sitting at 29*C, not good with a lager yeast i know but nothing i can do now ill just have to let it finish and see if its drinkable, from now on i dont think ill be so eager and maybe think about it a little more, 1 lager at a time for me for many months to come now as i think this summer is going to be an absolute scorcher

Beau · Post by **Beau** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 4:33 pm

That's brutal, 29Â°C. You've got to let us know how that one turns out.

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 4:34 pm

Yeah, im shattered but hey everyone fracks one up occasionally and i can tell you that even if its horrible ill still drink it as punishment for being so dumb

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 4:41 pm

Nice. Like the odd episode of Battlestar Galactica do we?

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 4:47 pm

hahahaha Yeah i dont like to swear to much so i guess their method is a bit more socially excepted

plus i dont fracken mind the show as well

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 7:41 pm

how bout freezing a heap of water filled soft drink bottles and putting them in the fridge with the door closed? Why in a fridge if there is no cooling system?

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 7:44 pm

Biggles wrote:Hey I just asked this morning, at an appliance repair place near my work, if it was possible to get a thermostat to run a fridge at anywhere between 12 and 22 degrees. I was told NO and why would I want to, when I replied 'for home brewing', he laughed and said home brew needs 26+ to work properly.

I just smiled and walked out.

Hey can't you buy those thermos at most hombrew shops?

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 7:47 pm

Beau wrote:That's brutal, 29Â°C. You've got to let us know how that one turns out.

I too am interested in how this one will tatse as i find it annoying trying to control temps. Not sure bout that high though. I agree with rwh live in an apartment in summer a hot day inside is 25c. Then you just hit the ac button.

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 7:53 pm

Im interested to but as i dont have an AC button to hit then this is a problem, im at the moment freezing water soaked towels in an effort to try and get the temp down and i guess its working slowly but it was still at 29 all day, we will just have to see how it goes and dont worry ill let u all know

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 8:50 pm

Lethal, It may have the odd funky flavour notes, but I am tipping it will be a drinkable brew (assuming all else is good)

Cheers,
Greg

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 8:57 pm

lethaldog wrote:I have a working fridge with a thermostat and i brew my lagers in there but stupid me on a nice cold night a few days ago brewed a wetpack pilsner and a wals lager, not thinking about the fact that i can only fit one fermenter in the fridge my wetpack pilsner used a saflager yeast and today i got home from work where my town temp was sitting at 36*c or so the chick on the radio said ( hottest oct 12th in history) and the fermenter is sitting at 29*C, not good with a lager yeast i know but nothing i can do now ill just have to let it finish and see if its drinkable, from now on i dont think ill be so eager and maybe think about it a little more, 1 lager at a time for me for many months to come now as i think this summer is going to be an absolute scorcher

Mine brew hit 26 today and the air temp under house was 22

and they are in the same room.......unfortunately it is my Little Creatures PA that I put down 2 days ago.

I too do not have a fridge and tomorrow is going to be hotter.

The shower looks like the go til I get my 3rd fridge

....2nd fridge does not fit a fermenter, too narrow

Beau · Post by **Beau** » Thursday Oct 12, 2006 9:05 pm

morgs wrote:how bout freezing a heap of water filled soft drink bottles and putting them in the fridge with the door closed? Why in a fridge if there is no cooling system?

I have two fridges (broken) that I got for free down at the industrial estate. I brew in them for convenience (it holds all my equipment) and you'd be surprised how well it works. It's very easy to heat, I just use a 25W light bulb, and I don't have shit lying around the shed and house.
It's great for secondary fermentation too. Just leave the light on and store my bottles in there for a week and the jobs right.
They're the foundation of my brewery, after all, they did keep my brew at 20Â°C on a 30Â°C + day