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Hey all,

I need some opinions/advice on the best all around setup for fermentation chamber.

Currently I have a three tap keezer but space is limited and I really only cold-crash if I have space in it. I've found some decent mini-fridges and wine fridges on Kijiji that could work as a ferm chamber. I currently don't brew lagers, but with the right setup I would for sure.

I've read that even with a temp controller mini-fridges/wine fridges can struggle when pushed below 40F, so with that a keezer would make sense, however those can be bulky and space is limited for me.

So what might be the best option for someone brewing mostly ales, occasionally cold-crashing and potentially going to lager?

Thanks!

We have a mini fridge and a deep freezer and we've used both for controlling fermentation temperatures. haven't had an issue with either, though we do use damp-rid (or similar product) in the freezer to help with moisture build up. One thing about the freezer (which we use more frequently, because it's bigger and we do a lot of 10G batches), is there is a lot of lifting involved because it's a classic deep freeze with the lid on top. If I were to buy a new one (the one we have was free), I'd look for something that has a door instead.

Keezer style - pros: low temps, usually room for two or more carboys. con: have to lift them in an out, might not be a problem. I had a keezer ferm chamber that fit 2 and I loved it. If I needed more cold space I'd probably go this route again.

Fridge style - cons: likely to only fit one fermentor; might not get cold enough. pros: easily accessible, easy to find a mini fridge. A mini fridge also takes up less space than a keezer.

I have a small all-fridge (a bit over 5 feet tall) that my conical lives in which works really well. It has no problem hitting low temps.

Something else I have rigged up is an insulated crawl space under my basement stairs, like a little cold room, I put an A/C unit inside and it works fairly well but low cold crashing isn't going to happen.

Just my 2 cents, good luck.

Thanks folks!

If I had the space I definitely would go with the freezer, need something to fit in a small storage area and I'm usually only fermenting one beer at a time, so if I can get the temp down in a mini fridge that might be my best bet.

I recently went from a 2 keg mini fridge to a many keg full size, single door fridge for dispensing so my mini fridge is now only used for cold crashing a single carboy. It seems to be limited to about 4C though.

Has anyone tried up-ending a chest freezer and using it vertically? The thought of lifting glass carboys in and out of a chest freezer (of which we seem to have inherited several) keeps me from using one as a ferm chamber. Not sure how the compressor would react to a different orientation.

I don't think it's advisable to reorient anything with a compressor. Even fridges need to be stood up for a period of time before being plugged in if laid down while moving.

elreplica wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:30 am

I don't think it's advisable to reorient anything with a compressor. Even fridges need to be stood up for a period of time before being plugged in if laid down while moving.

That was my suspicion...

Lisa J wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:18 pm

elreplica wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:30 am

I don't think it's advisable to reorient anything with a compressor. Even fridges need to be stood up for a period of time before being plugged in if laid down while moving.

That was my suspicion...

Yes...I corroborated it on Homebrewtalk and with a refrigeration guy...if you could rotate the compressor it might be ok...but a lot of potential work...

Upright freezer seems like the way to go then, just not likely to find one cheap on Kijiji, but they are around

Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk

Most UR freezers have the cooling in the shelves so they cant be moved.

S

I have a fermentation chamber made of wood strapping and pink foam board insulation and one of those little cube fridges for dorms. It can hold the temperature 20ºF below ambient, so it's good for ales year round and fermenting lagers most of the year, but not cold crashing. What I was doing for lagers last winter was just fermenting in the chamber and then cold crashing outside with some batting type insulation around it with a garbage bag to cover it from the rain. It's not pretty, but it works.

However, I want to start making lagers year round, so I'm thinking about moving towards a chest freezer option instead.

I have a side by side fridge with the freezer on the left and fridge on the right. On the right I have 5 kegs and four taps on the front door.

On the left side of the freezer down as low as I can get it i cut a 4" hole and stuck a computer fan in it hooked to an STC 1000, this blows cold air into a chamber I have made of plywood and rigid foam that can hold two plastic buckets or two SS fermenters. At the the top of the chamber I have 4" Port feeding back into the freezer to help cycle the air. Both holes in freezer are fixed with insulated ducting and the outfits with the flappers that you see on the exterior wall of a house for dryer vents. I actually have three of these chambers attached to one another.

In the chamber closest to the freezer I can get as low as 6 degrees, when at 6 I can keep chamber two at two degrees above that and chamber three at two degrees above that.

The whole thing including the fridge is about 11 feet long but also acts as my work bench and brewing table. You don't sound like you have space for that but even with one "bay" it serves dual purpose as a kegerator and Ferm chamber and it's an awesome lookin setup.

Just gotta be careful not to hit a coolant line when drilling. Good luck with whatever you do.

Lisa J wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:00 am

Has anyone tried up-ending a chest freezer and using it vertically? The thought of lifting glass carboys in and out of a chest freezer (of which we seem to have inherited several) keeps me from using one as a ferm chamber. Not sure how the compressor would react to a different orientation.

You have extra chest freezers you say?

KB1138 wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:35 pm

You have extra chest freezers you say?

Quite possibly. As soon as the dust settles I'll post anything available here first.