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Author Topic: Fermentation temperature control.  (Read 3577 times)

Offline JJeffers09

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #15 on: October 29, 2016, 07:02:51 am »
When I'm not fermenting I Use a one gallon container full of water and drop my probe inside to maintain my target temp in the freezer.

I have always been puzzled by this.  I think you are better off to tape a probe to the outside of a fermentation vessel.  The thought process of taking temp of a gallon of water is missing the fact that it is not active fermenting wort.  So you would be missing the temperature reading of the thermal energy put off by active fermentation that the water jug does not have.  I think you would be within a closer margin of error if you were going off of the side of the bucket.
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Big Monk

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #16 on: October 29, 2016, 07:23:42 am »
When I'm not fermenting I Use a one gallon container full of water and drop my probe inside to maintain my target temp in the freezer.

I have always been puzzled by this.  I think you are better off to tape a probe to the outside of a fermentation vessel.  The thought process of taking temp of a gallon of water is missing the fact that it is not active fermenting wort.  So you would be missing the temperature reading of the thermal energy put off by active fermentation that the water jug does not have.  I think you would be within a closer margin of error if you were going off of the side of the bucket.

He's talking about when he's NOT fermenting. Just temperature maintenance in the chamber between fermentations.

Offline JJeffers09

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #17 on: October 29, 2016, 07:46:52 am »
Ha, pre-coffee post there.  Sorry man... thanks Big Monk

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Offline curtdogg

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2016, 10:50:03 am »


Ha, pre-coffee post there.  Sorry man... thanks Big Monk

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Speaking of coffee, I cracked a bottle of my maple brown coffee ale last night. I added cracked espresso beans in secondary for 2 days.
The head was virtually non existent and any sign of foam dissipated quickly. I let my glass sit for a while to warm and the alcohol seemed to separate from the beer.
Should I attribute this to the oils in the coffee?


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Offline Stevie

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2016, 10:57:09 am »
Likely. This is one reason to use a paper filter. I typically use cold brewed coffee, but head retention was much better the one time I filtered. It too way too long to filter, so I just deal with it.

Offline f.stepanski

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #20 on: November 04, 2016, 10:56:15 am »
I added a wood collar to my mini fridge, added insulation board to the inside.  Also installed one of those amphibian heating mats to the fridge wall; this allows me to use the fridge to bring temp down & the heating mat to raise temp. 

I attached my temp controller probe to the exterior of my carboy.  I don't necessarily care about the exact "internal" temperature, I just want to have repeat-ability..  Let's say I made a really great IPA, and during fermentation I set the temp controller to 65 degrees.  Long as I brew the same recipe again, follow the exact procedure, attach the probe to the carboy outside (as before) set my temp controller to 65 degrees the fermentation profile should match that of batch one..   
Black IPA & Hefeweizen on draft, fermenting an APA...

Offline curtdogg

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Re: Fermentation temperature control.
« Reply #21 on: November 04, 2016, 11:10:15 am »
I added a wood collar to my mini fridge, added insulation board to the inside.  Also installed one of those amphibian heating mats to the fridge wall; this allows me to use the fridge to bring temp down & the heating mat to raise temp. 

I attached my temp controller probe to the exterior of my carboy.  I don't necessarily care about the exact "internal" temperature, I just want to have repeat-ability..  Let's say I made a really great IPA, and during fermentation I set the temp controller to 65 degrees.  Long as I brew the same recipe again, follow the exact procedure, attach the probe to the carboy outside (as before) set my temp controller to 65 degrees the fermentation profile should match that of batch one..   
Sounds logical.


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