DIY Fermentation Box

KevinJ

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After years of being at the mercy of Mother Nature, I finally built a fermentation box. I might be the least handy person I know, so I was mildly surprised when I plugged a 60W lightbulb into the Ink Bird temperature control and was able to increase the temp in the box by 18 degrees. My cooling device is a 32" tall mini fridge I picked up off Craigslist for $59. It should allow me to get down to lagering temps, but I'm mainly focused on IPAs and IIPAs during the summer months.
 

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  • Base.pdf
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  • Side Front Top.pdf
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  • Door - Insulated.pdf
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After years of being at the mercy of Mother Nature, I finally built a fermentation box. I might be the least handy person I know, so I was mildly surprised when I plugged a 60W lightbulb into the Ink Bird temperature control and was able to increase the temp in the box by 18 degrees. My cooling device is a 32" tall mini fridge I picked up off Craigslist for $59. It should allow me to get down to lagering temps, but I'm mainly focused on IPAs and IIPAs during the summer months.
great stuff mate as long as you can cool to which im totally thinking youve covered. come summer. youll not regret this endevour.;) i couldnt imagine fermenting any beer now outside of my ferm chamber. im not too anal about temp but as long as its regulated.
 
I have a refrigerator on a two-stage Inkbird temperature controller, the refrigerator is plugged into the cool side, the Fermwrap I have taped to the inside is plugged into the warm side. Holds things to within +/- 0.3° C - I use Celsius because the controller is more precise in Celsius mode than Fahrenheit.
 
Holds things to within +/- 0.3° C - I use Celsius because the controller is more precise in Celsius mode than Fahrenheit.
I didn’t know that. I have mine set at (f) and the minimum set is 1 degree.
 
I have a refrigerator on a two-stage Inkbird temperature controller, the refrigerator is plugged into the cool side, the Fermwrap I have taped to the inside is plugged into the warm side. Holds things to within +/- 0.3° C - I use Celsius because the controller is more precise in Celsius mode than Fahrenheit.

Cool, I hadn't thought of using a Fermwrap. I'll see if the lightbulb keeps up during the colder seasons and then follow your lead if it's not enough.
I didn’t know that. I have mine set at (f) and the minimum set is 1 degree.
Same here, but I'll be changing it to C and doing the conversion.
 
Same here, but I'll be changing it to C and doing the conversion.
Oh man..... now you got me thinking about it. but first a gotta laminate myself a conversion chart and post right next to the Ink-bird. Otherwise I’ll be thinking how many liters or millimeters difference there will be between C and F. :eek:
 
Oh man..... now you got me thinking about it. but first a gotta laminate myself a conversion chart and post right next to the Ink-bird. Otherwise I’ll be thinking how many liters or millimeters difference there will be between C and F. :eek:
litres and millimeters are two different measurements. liters are volume millimeters are a measurement down to 1 10th of a centermeter or 1 1000th of a meter. milliliters on the other hand are the same but used for measuring volume there a1000ml in 1 lt ;). and none of this has anything to do with temperature lol:p.

to help in the centigrade department i ferment lager at 10c and ale at 18c. simples. good luck.
 
litres and millimeters are two different measurements. liters are volume millimeters are a measurement down to 1 10th of a centermeter or 1 1000th of a meter. milliliters on the other hand are the same but used for measuring volume there a1000ml in 1 lt ;). and none of this has anything to do with temperature lol:p.

to help in the centigrade department i ferment lager at 10c and ale at 18c. simples. good luck.
I was kidding. ;)
 
Quick update on the fermentation chamber. I brewed Green Flash's West Coast IPA on Saturday and put it in the box around 65 degrees F(didn't switch to Celsius but it wasn't because I forgot...no really). Fermentation started mid-Sunday and I was up to 69 degrees in no time. That temp held through Monday and I was feeling pretty smug, not realizing that the internal temp can be 8 degrees warmer than the outside temp? I guess I should have paid more attention in chemistry because, evidently, fermentation is exothermic (and here I thought Aliens was sci-fi) and the external reading can be misleading.

Additionally, at some point while I was at work today the 60W light bulb gave up the ghost and I returned this afternoon to an insulated box with a temperature of 64 degrees and a complete lack of activity in my bucket. I brought the fermenter inside where the air-temp is 68 degrees (I'm not allowed to touch the thermostat and my wife doesn't pay the heat bill...that's all I have to say about that) and I'm wondering if I'll see additional fermentation activity or if I should start preparing my "skunky beer face".

Any experience with a significant drop in temp mid-fermentation?
 
RDWHAHB

Put your temp controller probe in your beer, or on the carboy with insulation over it. That way it picks up your beer temperature instead of the cabinet temperature. You won’t see the beer temp go up during peak fermentation if you do it right.
 
RDWHAHB

Put your temp controller probe in your beer, or on the carboy with insulation over it. That way it picks up your beer temperature instead of the cabinet temperature. You won’t see the beer temp go up during peak fermentation if you do it right.

Just being lazy here, but is the Ink Bird probe approved for submersion?
 
Use a thermowell. I pinched off a copper tube (same copper as my homemade immersion chiller). My LHBS sells a carboy cap that has two ports on it - one for the airlock, and one for the thermowell.
 
Community brewing project:
 

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