Slightly belated introduction

Dukeoprunz

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Wanted to say hi to everyone! I’m basically a newbie - I brewed one beer from a kit in 1995 and a second as a premium from a charity auction in 2006 - but with the pandemic have come back to the hobby with a vengeance and found it to be a really rewarding creative outlet. Moved on from the kit to a proper but still low-budget setup - false bottom cooler mash tun, 8-gallon brew kettle, primary / secondary fermenter - and trying to build skills by trying new beer styles. Largely using Randy Mosher’s book as my guide to thinking about how the elements of recipes come together to express something interesting and be drinkable. Making some mistakes along the way but learning a lot and having a lot of fun.

To throw out a couple of questions:

1) Best recommendations for cold fermentation on a budget? I’ve been using yeasts where I can get away with doing the entire thing at room temperature but I know that’s suboptimal. What’s the most economical setup folks have figured out - just find myself a used fridge or are there any go-to minifridges or other solutions?

2) Thinking about playing with a beer that includes passion fruit or watermelon. Would it be crazy to try this in a lager rather than something more phenoly? Thinking of accentuating the crispness of the fruit flavor as well as telling a specific story.

Look forward to chatting and I’m sure there will be more silly questions!

Eric.
 
Welcome to Brewers Friend!
1) If you have the space, a cheap used fridge, an inkbird 308, and a little cube heater, are about the cheapest way to get into temperature control.
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Hey Duke, welcome to the clubhouse!

There are a ton of resources here and out there on the web for temperature control...DIY to buy. I'm a cheapo DIYer so my advice is going to biased to that kind of solution but take a look on the forum here and check out the BLOG on the site here ...I think the May posting ....that is a short talk on fermentation temp control which from a relatively new brewer's vantage point is a great starting place to be looking at for bettering your beer.

And for "Cold Fermentation" @Craigerrr is on point, a used fridge or freezer of some sort is gonna get you what you need!
 
Wanted to say hi to everyone! I’m basically a newbie - I brewed one beer from a kit in 1995 and a second as a premium from a charity auction in 2006 - but with the pandemic have come back to the hobby with a vengeance and found it to be a really rewarding creative outlet. Moved on from the kit to a proper but still low-budget setup - false bottom cooler mash tun, 8-gallon brew kettle, primary / secondary fermenter - and trying to build skills by trying new beer styles. Largely using Randy Mosher’s book as my guide to thinking about how the elements of recipes come together to express something interesting and be drinkable. Making some mistakes along the way but learning a lot and having a lot of fun.

To throw out a couple of questions:

1) Best recommendations for cold fermentation on a budget? I’ve been using yeasts where I can get away with doing the entire thing at room temperature but I know that’s suboptimal. What’s the most economical setup folks have figured out - just find myself a used fridge or are there any go-to minifridges or other solutions?

2) Thinking about playing with a beer that includes passion fruit or watermelon. Would it be crazy to try this in a lager rather than something more phenoly? Thinking of accentuating the crispness of the fruit flavor as well as telling a specific story.

Look forward to chatting and I’m sure there will be more silly questions!

Eric.
Welcome aboard!
1. Used upright freezer and an inkbird temp controller. Maybe a couple heat pads from WilliamsBrewing... A small fridge works too.
2. I think the lager idea is great! - Go for it!

3. - Fermentis 34/70 - a weihenstephaner lager yeast strain that makes lagers up to 68 degrees. - No joke! Clean and Crisp - just be sure to pitch enough (3 packs typically depending on the OG).
- Tis the season depending where you live to use the basement to keep the temps lower... However, a cheap ferm chamber does wonders!

You can also try the new Fermentis strain Koln for a kolsch style ale/lager hybrid.

Dry yeast helps keep things simple.

BREW ON! (and share photos!)
 

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