Chest Freezer for fermentation
#1
Posted 24 March 2010 - 08:23 AM
#2
Posted 24 March 2010 - 08:29 AM
#3
Posted 24 March 2010 - 08:33 AM
#4
Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:00 AM
This for sure, I have two chest freezers that I didn't pay a dime for. My thoughts are by a good used one and spend the rest of the bonus on ingredients.I'm no help on size, model and all that. But my advice is to not buy a new one. Keep your eye on CL and the Want-ads and you'll find a good used one on the cheap.
This as well, it's no problem to have a little extra space in the chamber, but, if you have a couple of batches going and you would like to brew again but you have no space it's a hassle. Bigger is better. BeachId also think about getting one a tad bigger than you stated. That way you could say serve out if it and still have enough space to lager or cold condition. Options my friend.
#5
Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:15 AM
#6
Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:22 AM
#7
Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:44 AM
I know, I know... I'm relatively happy with my equipment as it is right now. Do you use carboys or plastic buckets? An what are the capacities of your freezers?It's your money so you do what you want to with it. I'll just say this. I have 2 fridges and a chest freezer that I paid a grand total of $125 for about 7 years ago and they're all still working fine. They look like hell but I don't care about that as long as they keep stuff cool. Personally, I'd have a much easier time justifying buying a new brew sculpture than a new freezer.
#8
Posted 24 March 2010 - 09:51 AM
#9
Posted 24 March 2010 - 10:01 AM
Mostly carboys but I have one bucket that I primarily use for mead. I have no idea what the capacity of my freezer is. It's about 5' x 3'. I use it for lagering and carbonating and I can put maybe 6 or 7 cornies in it.Do you use carboys or plastic buckets? An what are the capacities of your freezers?
#10
Posted 24 March 2010 - 10:19 AM
#11
Posted 24 March 2010 - 11:14 AM
Edited by awall, 24 March 2010 - 11:15 AM.
#12
Posted 24 March 2010 - 05:00 PM
#13
Posted 25 March 2010 - 03:09 AM
#14
Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:45 AM
If you brew ales a freezer will be either a fermentation space or keg serving space only. I brew ales (about 60 deg F) and bottle. For lagers it might be different - do not know. You might make a combination fermentaion or keg serving and lager space.I use a chest freezer that has enough space for 1 bucket or one carboy or 3 corny kegs. This freezer has a compressor hump and seems to waste some of the footprint. You cannot put a bucket with an airlock on the hump and close the lid. I make use of the hump space with a bucket with a hole drilled on the side and barb bulkhead that feeds a blow-off tube. This way I can get 1 bucket + 1 bucket or 1 bucket + 1 carboy or 1 bucket + 3 corny kegs. The corny kegs are for secondary only.A second choice to consider, make a collar for the lid. This will add enough vertical height to allow placing a bucket on the hump and use a conventional airlock.Craigslist, garage sales and moving sales are a great place to pick up used chest freezers. Stores might have scratch and dent sales, open boxes, returns, etc. Always ask a salesman.zymotId also think about getting one a tad bigger than you stated. That way you could say serve out if it and still have enough space to lager or cold condition. Options my friend.
#15
Posted 25 March 2010 - 05:53 AM
Yikes! Next time I'm in Atlanta, Imma going to bypass Buckhead and set up a cot in your basement.You sound like a candidate for building out a space and installing an appropriate sized air conditioner. Use plenty of insulation.zymotI have over 60 kegs filled,
#16
Posted 25 March 2010 - 06:32 AM
I built a walkin just for this reason. Its been going strong for 4yrs or so now with zero problems. Cheap to run as well. Costs me a few bucks per month. I dunno about keeping full kegs at room temp. for a few reasons. One the beer conditions faster and that would suck if you cant turn them over in a reasonable amount of time, secondly lacto loves that temp. You can be as picky, clean, and sanitized as you can be, but eventually everybody will have a lacto problem at some point in their brewing career. Keep things below 50* and eliminate a chance.I am actually at the point where I want to wait to save money so I can build a walk-in cooler using an air conditioner and forgo multiple chest freezers all together (I have over 60 kegs filled, so even with my current number of good chest freezers, I have most of my filled kegs at room temp in the basement).
#17
Posted 25 March 2010 - 07:06 AM
#18
Posted 25 March 2010 - 08:07 AM
I have to disagree here. If you put a temperature controller on a freezer, i.e., you're keeping it warmer than it would be otherwise, it's running less than it would without the controller. Adding a temp. controller to a freezer shouldn't stress it at all.One thing to remember on chest freezers being used as fermentation controllers, is that even new ones tend to just up and die in a couple of years do to the constant cycling. This is where the used chest freezer for 1/3 of the cost of a new one really comes into it's own. just my .02
#19
Posted 25 March 2010 - 08:19 AM
In theory yes. But Ive read over the years from people in the appliance industry that this is not necessarily true. If i remember correctly, it had something to do with the compressor was designed for very cold temps and using it at warmer temps stressed the compressor. I don't have any experience with this except for once when my original older upright freezer i was using to house my conical shit on me. Then again Ive read where people have gotten many years out of using them with a temp controller. But if it was me, id go for a used freezer and put the rest of my money into a rig. 2fer1 so to speak.I have to disagree here. If you put a temperature controller on a freezer, i.e., you're keeping it warmer than it would be otherwise, it's running less than it would without the controller. Adding a temp. controller to a freezer shouldn't stress it at all.
#20
Posted 25 March 2010 - 08:25 AM
I'mma call BS on your appliance people. The compressor doesn't know what temperature it is. All it knows is when it's told to turn on and turn off. The only difference between running with a controller and without one is that the time between turn-ons is longer with a controller.In theory yes. But Ive read over the years from people in the appliance industry that this is not necessarily true. If i remember correctly, it had something to do with the compressor was designed for very cold temps and using it at warmer temps stressed the compressor. I don't have any experience with this except for once when my original older upright freezer i was using to house my conical shit on me. Then again Ive read where people have gotten many years out of using them with a temp controller. But if it was me, id go for a used freezer and put the rest of my money into a rig. 2fer1 so to speak.
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