Cooling beer while fermenting tips?

Brewing processes and methods. How to brew using extract, partial or all-grain. Tips and tricks.

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crueli07
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 4:30 pm
Location: Oahu, Hawaii

Cooling beer while fermenting tips?

Post by crueli07 »

I live in Hawaii and it is very humid and hot here all year round. I ferment my wort in a little closet I have. I cool my wort down with fans and a t-shirt that I spray with water all the time. Is there an easier method out there? One that requires me not to run up my electrical bill? I heard having a tub and filling it with water, and then putting the carboy in it will help. has anyone tried this? Thanks a lot for the help.
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brewmeisterintng
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 384
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:47 pm
Location: Clarksville, TN

The No Hassle Method

Post by brewmeisterintng »

Nothing comes without cost.
The setup runs around 200 bucks but I never have to mess with it and I have a temperature controlled environment that maintains a constant temp.
Yes, I bought a chest freezer with a temperature control unit from Northern Brewer. Lagers or Ales... it don't matter, I just dial the temp accordingly. The quality and convenience are worth the cost.
I use to place my carboy next to the air conditioning duct in the kitchen but that wasn
stardrive
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:00 pm
Location: Cleveland

Post by stardrive »

This might help; http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.PDF. It's not free but it's alot cheeper than $200. :shock: I personally have been using a tub with water in it and put two gallon milk jugs with frozen water in it and then swap them out every day or so. I plan on building the Fermentation Chiller this month. :D
cleone
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:43 pm
Location: New Jersey

Not sure what your target temp is, but here is an idea

Post by cleone »

Hi,

Just read in this month's BYO mag about a twist on the towel trick you are currently using. You fill a basin (tub, picnic cooler, garbage can, etc.) with a few inches of water. Wet a towel and wrap it around the carboy--bungee it around the carboy. Make sure the bottom of the towel is touching the water so it act like a wick (draws moisture into the towel).

It works on the principle that when water on a surface evaporates, the temp of the water left behind drops. Kinda the same principle as why showering ourselves with water cools us.

You will need to change the towel periodically to prevent mildewing, but should reduce the vessel's temp by 5-10 degrees.

Maybe this trick can at least eliminate the fans and electric . . .
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