I'll be brewing my first batch this weekend and have been testing my makeshift fermentation chiller (big plastic tub with water and ice packs). I'm still trying different types and sizes of packs but have the following questions;
1) is a constant temp more important than a lower temp? I'm thinking ill be around 68-70 using packs
2) do frozen water bottles stay colder longer vs the blue gel packs?
3) doing no ice my water tub stays around 73. Will this make bad beer?
Thanks everyone!
1) all things being equal, maybe....
If the constant temp is 75, that's no good. 68-70 is barely acceptable
2) dunno
3) if the water temp is 73, the beer temp will be higher. Not as much higher as without the water, but enough higher that it won't make great beer.