Heating your fermenting vessel

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nevadadrifter
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Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by nevadadrifter »

I have a batch of Birdwatchers, as well as my first all bran wash fermenting in my bathtub as I type this. It's a little cool in the house right now, leading to some slow ferments. The birdwatchers is currently on day 12, and still bubbling 8-10 times per minute, the all bran is on day 2 and still running at 20-30 bubbles per minute. I have been using a space heater in the room, but am understandably a little apprehensive about leaving a $30 Wal Mart space heater running 24/7 while I am not at home.

My local brew shop does carry the heat bands that can be wrapped around the fermenter, but they want an arm and a leg for them! I plan on ordering one online for future ferments, but in the mean time, I'm wondering about the heat tape that can be purchased at any local hardware store, the kind that is used to prevent outside pipes from freezing in the winter. They seem to be a much cheaper and more immediately available option, but I cannot find much information about the temperature that they run at. I know that the vessel temperature can be somewhat controlled by the height placement on the fermenter, but not knowing what temp these hardware store heat tapes run at is making me a little nervous about getting things too hot and killing my yeast.

Any thoughts?
Daddy made whiskey and he made it well
Cost two dollars and it burned like hell
maheel
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by maheel »

IMO your better off spending a few bucks and doing it right..... that way next month your not spending more on another "cheap solution"
likkerluvver
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by likkerluvver »

Many (if not all) of these have a thermostat which switches them on at around 0C or 32F.

At least the brew-belts only use about 20w, so they might be worth their initial cost.


LL
Having fun stillin' seriously..... This antique engine runs best on high octane.
nevadadrifter
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by nevadadrifter »

Crap, I didn't even think about the automatic thermostat. Good call, LL. Thanks!
Daddy made whiskey and he made it well
Cost two dollars and it burned like hell
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Bushman
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by Bushman »

Maheel suggested a temp controller you can buy on ebay. I purchased it and am currently using it on a birdwatchers recipe (works great). Search the following thread! "Temperature control while fermenting"
You can see pictures of my set up in a shower (small bathroom) on one of the last pages of the birdwatchers recipe in the Tried and True section.
nevadadrifter
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by nevadadrifter »

Thanks for the advice, guys. I ran by the home brew shop this afternoon, and they didn't even have the tape in stock, he had just looked through his catalog and quoted me a price to order it. He told me it might be cheaper to run by an RV shop and get some heated wrap. Back to the thermostat issue there...

Next stop was Wally World. $13 a piece for two aquarium heaters. As a former home brewer, it made me a little nervous to have to lose the air lock, but it seems that most folks around here haven't had any problems, so we'll see how it works out. If all goes well, maybe I'll do a little cutting on the lid for the heater, so i can go back to the air lock if I want to.

I love how picky home brewers are about what equipment they use (ingredients, cleaning supplies, etc.) and we seem to obtain most of our supplies from grocery stores, Wal Mart and feed lots! You just gotta love it!
Daddy made whiskey and he made it well
Cost two dollars and it burned like hell
maheel
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by maheel »

if you are using the 30L barrels to ferment throw the lid and air lock in the cupboard and use cling wrap / cling film to cover the hole

easy

co2 just finds a way out :) and you can look in easy to see whats happening
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Samohon
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by Samohon »

rockchucker22 wrote:Aquarium heater works great and cost only about 10$
Works for me Rockchucker, especially in the winter months... :D :D :D
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rtalbigr
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by rtalbigr »

I really like the brew belts. Got 5 and see the need for a few more.

Big R
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myles
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by myles »

I like soil heating cables. Usualy 75w for about 15 foot, so ultra low density. Bought from any garden centre quite cheap, with thermostats if you wish or run them on a timer. I use them in the barrel, and even with thick fruit pulp have had no problems. (Put an aquarium heater in a thick mash and it will not last long.)
nevadadrifter
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Re: Heating your fermenting vessel

Post by nevadadrifter »

Well the aquarium heaters certainly seem to have done their job! I checked the birdwatchers this afternoon and it was just below 1.000, so I racked it over into another bucket, popped the lid and airlock on, and left it alone for an hour. Came back, and was getting one bubble every two minutes or so. good enough for me, especially for a sacrificial cleaning run. I sat it outside for the night to clear a little. Cleaning run tomorrow afternoon!
Daddy made whiskey and he made it well
Cost two dollars and it burned like hell
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