[beerocd]

Is temp control important to you?
A couple guys in another thread have said this is the single most important factor to making good beer. Before moving to AG, or buying any other equipment to move beyond Mr.Beer - temp control is number one. Why is it discussed so little then?

Is it just not blingy enough to discuss, or is it boring, or do the lhbs' not make enough selling 1 johnson controller for your craigslist chest freezer?

[a10t2]

Here's my process: http://seanterrill.com/2009/05/20/regulating-fermentation-temperatures/

Like I said in the other thread, I don't feel that it is under-discussed. It almost always comes up in a discussion of a particular yeast strain, it's frequently included in recipes, etc. And repeated ad nauseam to newbies with questions, IME. It's just sort of a mundane topic - once you have it figured out, you don't have to worry about it again.

[beerocd]

 IME. It's just sort of a mundane topic -

This is kind of what I was thinking. Just not exciting enough to discuss, but I've never heard it placed so high up as a factor in final beer product.

[denny]

Wow, don't know where you guys have been!  I've seen it discussed often through the years. 

[Hokerer]

I use a homemade "sorta son of fermentation chiller" setup.  And yes, I agree that fermentation temperature control is the single most important improvement you can make to you brewing process.

[beerocd]

Wow, don't know where you guys have been!  I've seen it discussed often through the years. 

Yeah, believe it or not I wasn't just yankin' yer ....    in the other thread.
The progression was MrBeer, PM, AG, throw a kegerator in there somewhere, and temp control kinda came last.
That said, I am in my unfinished fermenting chamber (basement) which is 58 now and tops out uppper 60's in the dead of summer.
I've seen the son of fermentation chiller threads and the guys with the lightbulb wrapped in tinfoil; but figured those guys are on the extreme ends of fermentation temps; like Alaska and Africa.

[summy]

Single biggest improvement to the quality of my beers (fermentation temp control).

[kuphish]

Fermentation temperature and pitching the proper amount of yeast are the two things that I focus on the most.  Unfortunately, I only have a swamp cooler, but it works well for my needs at the moment.

[beerocd]

OK, anybody needing a fermentation chamber in the midwest....

Jewel has 5.5 cu. ft. freezers for $150; and then they give you $150 worth of coupons for free food. Mostly ice cream, pizza and burritos it seems. That's about as close to free as it can get. Then you pop a johnson on there and away you go.

Today and tomorrow only!

[1vertical]

I need an option for "all the above"....or can I hold the shift key down?

[beerocd]

Okay, Mr "All of the above" care to explain?

[1vertical]

Sure,
I used a water bath with an aquarium heater to prevent freezing out in the
garage where the ambient air temps were well below zero....as per
Denny's guidance.

so there are several of the ''aboves" all in one usage...

In the summer for Saisons, I use mostly ambients and try not to fight
mother nature....get good results too!

I lager in a refridgerator that maintains 48* f on low setting.

I have a brew belt that I apply if I cannot get to Saison Temps with finicky yeast....

What I lack in, is the ability to accurately tell the temp of the Liquid inside the fermenter...

[mikeypedersen]

I have a chest freezer that holds 6 carboys. I have a dual stage ranco with the freezer and a heating pad plugged into it. It was one of the best things that ever happened to my brewing, for both quality and repeatability.

[a10t2]

What I lack in, is the ability to accurately tell the temp of the Liquid inside the fermenter...

Best three dollars you can spend, my friend:

[1vertical]

Thanks for the tip my friend, I have that technology. It is portraying the temp of the exterior
surface of the fermenter. Not what I was refering to...which would be a thermowell
and probe...