Fermenting at a low temp

[crikko]

Hi guys,

Long time reader, but havent posted in a while.
My boka is almost welded up and ready to go, but i have some questions about fermenting that I'm not sure on.

Whats the best wash for a low temp? I have no idea what to do about keeping it at the recommended 25-30C without a fermenting fridge, and bunbury is cold at the moment.

I also have a food grade water drum with no lid, and read that glad wrap can be used. Can i just chuck a lackey band around it and she'll be right, or do i need something else with it?

Muchly apprecjated for your time.

-chris

[Dominator]

Fermenting at lower temps is not a problem, it just comes down to yeast choice. bt1 has has success fermenting with larger yeasts this winter. They typically ferment at 10-15oC. Have a look at these links for more info.
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4361
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3876

[crikko]

Fermenting at lower temps is not a problem, it just comes down to yeast choice. bt1 has has success fermenting with larger yeasts this winter. They typically ferment at 10-15oC. Have a look at these links for more info.
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4361
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3876

Cheers mate, i was looking for half an hour before i posted!!

Searching for a heater now, not sure i want to wait a month before my first wash is ready, i didn't realise i could get them that cheap. The ones i saw on ebay were the ring heater things, but they looked average and probably cost an arm and a leg to run, i assume the fish tank heaters would be cheaper to run? (but you know what they say about assuming)

[Dominator]

The heat belts I bought are 50W, fish tank heaters are 100-300W. Running costs, at 27c per kwh, which is what I pay, 50w heater = 1.35c per hour, 100w = 2.7c per hour and 300w = 8.1c per hour. It is all relative though, a 100w heater will heat your wash in half the time of a 50w heater. Wrapping your fermenter in a blanket can make a huge difference, with my 50w heat belt and my 60L fermenter wrapped in a blanket, I would only need to run the heater for 6-8 hours every couple of days this winter.
The advantage of a belt heater is you don't have it sitting in your wash risking infection and you don't have to drill a hole in your lid to feed the cord through.
The advantage of the fish tank heater is it has a built in thermostat, so it is set and forget where as the belt heater you either need to buy a separate t/stat, or you have to constantly monitor your wash to make sure it does not get too hot or cold.

[bt1]

Howdy,

In all the washes I've done never had an infection issue. If I do heat a wash, On a 60lt fermenter wrapped up well i'd guess but would say the 100w aquarium heater runs once settled about 1/3 of the time making really cost effective. Upside is no monitoring required.

bt1

[drunkmore]

I don't have to heat :handgestures-thumbupleft: I live in Brisbane but on your fermenter with no lid I have one that I used for a while, till I got one with a lid. I popped a clean sack ( plastic rubbish bag) over mine, I used a "cheap shop" bungy cord to hold it on.
I cut a small hole in it and taped in a piece of hose with the end in a jar of water. Makes a damned fine air trap.
Just be sure to put the jar well below the top of your fermenter to stop the dreaded siphon. (Trick... Less liquid than the entire hose will hold)
Using the bungy makes it easy to take the lid off for a peak :naughty: but don't do that often it lets out the protective co2 and you could end with a nasty infection.
Good luck oh BTW take care with the fish tank heaters some have dodgy rubber caps.