burry fermenter under ground

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burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

I did a search and nothing came up for "burry underground. I was wondering if you could ferment "underground ". The available plave i have to ferment is way too hot in the summer. I was wonderin if I could burry a 50gal drum mostly underground to keep the temp down. Wife said no more 5gal buckets in the house.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by NZChris »

Tell me the temperature at the depth you want to ferment at and I will tell you the answer.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

I dont care about the temp as long as it ferments, so i guess ferment temps??? And i can burry the whole thing (50gal) if needed.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by still_stirrin »

Mr.Spooky wrote:I dont care about the temp as long as it ferments, so i guess ferment temps??? And i can burry the whole thing (50gal) if needed.
More trouble than worth....

How are you going to get the wash out of a 50 gallon barrel buried below ground level? You won't be able to siphon it out. And cleaning the ferment lees out will be a real headache...as you'll be leaning nearly upside down into the barrel.

Make sure you video this process...'cuz I could use a good laugh.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Still Life »

Why not use high-temperature-loving bakers yeast?
Sure would be easier than burying a drum.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

still_stirrin wrote:
Mr.Spooky wrote:I dont care about the temp as long as it ferments, so i guess ferment temps??? And i can burry the whole thing (50gal) if needed.
More trouble than worth....

How are you going to get the wash out of a 50 gallon barrel buried below ground level? You won't be able to siphon it out. And cleaning the ferment lees out will be a real headache...as you'll be leaning nearly upside down into the barrel.

Make sure you video this process...'cuz I could use a good laugh.
ss
I would use a pump to pump it. I have a "debris" handling pump. And im man enough to clean the barrel out. That would be one of the easier things in my life.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

Still Life wrote:Why not use high-temperature-loving bakers yeast?
Sure would be easier than burying a drum.
it gets about 120*f in my shop during the day. Can yeast handle that?
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Still Life »

120°F is too high.
Holy mackerel. When I think hot, I think 100°.
Forget not everyone lives in my climate.
Sorry. Now I see why you want to bury & pump.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by jedneck »

Could you set the fermenter in a larger tub full of water. Might be enuf mass to even out the heat swings and buffer the high temp. Prolly still have to use a heat tolerant yeast but it would save diggin a hole
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Bushman »

Haven't done a search but you miss-spelled bury. I like the other suggestions rather than burying?
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by still_stirrin »

jedneck wrote:Could you set the fermenter in a larger tub full of water. Might be enuf mass to even out the heat swings and buffer the high temp. Prolly still have to use a heat tolerant yeast but it would save diggin a hole
+1.

And if need be, you could recirculate the water jacket water through a cooler with ice water in it. Use a temperature controller with a temperature bulb in the fermenter's water jacket. This is how commercial breweries maintain a proper fermenting temperature.

Burying a barrel is just crazy. Many (much better) ways to manage the fermenters.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by jb-texshine »

+1 what they said. I buried one and experienced all the problems that they mentioned. My solution was to stop fermenting from mid July thru the end of August. It's way easier to keep one warm than to cool one down.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mikey-moo »

Sit the barrel in a container of water, with a towel over the top. The towel will soak up the water, which will evaporate and cool the barrel. Just keep the water topped up from time to time and you'll be fine.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

jb-texshine wrote:+1 what they said. I buried one and experienced all the problems that they mentioned. My solution was to stop fermenting from mid July thru the end of August. It's way easier to keep one warm than to cool one down.
Jbt
minus the problems that were mentioned, did it keep temps down? Im guessing under ground is around low 70's?
I could even put it outside of the shop on top of the ground, but we get in the 90's for most of the summer.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Kareltje »

I suppose you get your water from a distribution net with pipes under ground? Or you pump up your water yourself from under ground? In both cases you can measure the temperature of your drinking water after you let it run for some time.
Or you dig a small hole to the estimated depth and put a max-min-thermometer in it.

Of course I can not advise you about the burying your fermenter, because I do not know your position or surroundings. But you should be able to gather enough information to help you decide.
In my surroundings there have been some ice-cellars: holes dug about 1 m deep in the ground, than the built a dome over it of about 2 m high and then the earth that was dug put, was throw over the dome. Rich people then in winter stored (made other people store) frozen ice from the river in these cellars and during summer they could harvest the cold.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by jb-texshine »

Mr.Spooky wrote:
jb-texshine wrote:+1 what they said. I buried one and experienced all the problems that they mentioned. My solution was to stop fermenting from mid July thru the end of August. It's way easier to keep one warm than to cool one down.
Jbt
minus the problems that were mentioned, did it keep temps down? Im guessing under ground is around low 70's?
I could even put it outside of the shop on top of the ground, but we get in the 90's for most of the summer.
It did work. Kept temps in the mid eightys or lower. Beware fire ants also. You could probably rig something from a fridge and a temp co.trolled switch. I bet someone here has done it or can tell you how to. Smart folks around here.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by yakattack »

I would use a pump to pump it. I have a "debris" handling pump. And im man enough to clean the barrel out. That would be one of the easier things in my life.

Can you tell me what kind of pump you have and. Post pics if you can and don't mind. Been looking for a pump that can handle ag silage .
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Shine0n »

If you can find, a pump with a steel vein instead of a rubber impeller it will chew right through the grains.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

yakattack wrote:
I would use a pump to pump it. I have a "debris" handling pump. And im man enough to clean the barrel out. That would be one of the easier things in my life.

Can you tell me what kind of pump you have and. Post pics if you can and don't mind. Been looking for a pump that can handle ag silage .
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its something like this.... I use it on a koi pond. Its not this exact one but I can tell you the exact one this evening. I don't know if it will work or not but I don't see why not. I have a extra one so Im gonna give it a try.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elite-Pumps-360 ... 1668720058" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
They also make them with strainer baskets on them that catches most stuff before the pump... iv found 6" fish in my basket before.. if they can suck a 6" fish through a 2" pvc pipe they can probably handle anythin you can throw at it lol
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

jb-texshine wrote:
Mr.Spooky wrote:
jb-texshine wrote:+1 what they said. I buried one and experienced all the problems that they mentioned. My solution was to stop fermenting from mid July thru the end of August. It's way easier to keep one warm than to cool one down.
Jbt
minus the problems that were mentioned, did it keep temps down? Im guessing under ground is around low 70's?
I could even put it outside of the shop on top of the ground, but we get in the 90's for most of the summer.
It did work. Kept temps in the mid eightys or lower. Beware fire ants also. You could probably rig something from a fridge and a temp co.trolled switch. I bet someone here has done it or can tell you how to. Smart folks around here.
Jbt
yea, I hear ya on the fire ants.. Im sure I could do the frige thing,, but Ill be honest, I aint a wantin to build nothing else, have a nother project or research anything LOL... I have so many projects going on right now. I built my still over 5 years ago and just now getting it all tied up because of other projects I started.. I need to slow down and enjoy :crazy:
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by shadylane »

If there's a garden hose nearby, there's no reason for the fermenter to over heat.
Use 30 gallon fermenter in a 55 gallon water jacket, Also known as barrels :lol:
A side benefit for lazy people is, the fermenter will get lighter and float while it's being emptied.
So you ain't gotta bend over as far
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

shadylane wrote:If there's a garden hose nearby, there's no reason for the fermenter to over heat.
Use 30 gallon fermenter in a 55 gallon water jacket, Also known as barrels :lol:
A side benefit for lazy people is, the fermenter will get lighter and float while it's being emptied.
So you ain't gotta bend over as far
what type of temps are you talking about keeping something like this in? Inside my shop honestly gets about 118-120 degrees during the day during the dog days. Outside the shop (outdoor) highs are low 90's .
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by shadylane »

Mr.Spooky wrote:what type of temps are you talking about keeping something like this in? Inside my shop honestly gets about 118-120 degrees during the day during the dog days. Outside the shop (outdoor) highs are low 90's .
Depends on how cool the tap water is and how much water you want to use. :lol:
Bubba, uses less than $1 worth of county water to keep his 30gal plastic fermenter below 90F and water his garden for a couple days.
My water jacked fermenter is smaller, SS and more efficient.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Tapeman »

Good idea SL, just make sure the 30 gal container is not able to dump when it starts to get bouyant. I like your idea best. Put a lid over the hole and cover with something to insulate. Used to cover ice cakes with sawdust in "ice houses" around these parts. Ice would last all summer. Maybe something along side that 55 gal drum too. Sheesh, 70 degree ground temp. It's 54 here at best
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by shadylane »

Tapeman wrote:Good idea SL, just make sure the 30 gal container is not able to dump when it starts to get bouyant.
If it's almost empty and buoyant, it's time to refill or dump it. :lol:
That's 1 of the pro's and con's of a floating, jacked fermenter
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Tapeman »

Refill and do it again!
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Saltbush Bill »

It cant be 120 in that shed all of the time , what does the temp drop to on a hot night ?
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by NZChris »

I've got an upright freezer and a refrigerator that can both take 25 gallon drums. One cost me nothing, the other, $30. Added STC-1000 controllers and lamps for heaters and I can control the temperature to within 0.3 degrees either way, summer or winter. No building, no digging, just some electrical skills courtesy of my sparky mates at the pub.
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by shadylane »

Saltbush Bill wrote:It cant be 120 in that shed all of the time , what does the temp drop to on a hot night ?
One way to see, would be to fill a barrel full of water, to see what it's temps average out to, over a couple nights and days
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Re: burry fermenter under ground

Post by Mr.Spooky »

Saltbush Bill wrote:It cant be 120 in that shed all of the time , what does the temp drop to on a hot night ?
Bout 80*f
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