Cold weather fermentation

[YankeeShine]

Does anyone have any tips on how to keep a 20 gallon container warm enough for fermentation in freezing temps? Is there something like an acquarium heater that you could put in there and use? Thanks

[jholmz]

i use an aquarium heater 25.00 at wal mart

[Rastus]

its been -20f here so i just keep it in the house in a corner wrapped it with a light blanket, i am thinking of making a "reflectix" jacket for it, you know, the silver bubble wrap they sell at the hardware store. i watched the temp of my fermenter and when it needed heat i set a 65 watt light near it not touching it and in a few hours it warmed up gently. of course my ferment is in a 12 gallon translucent pail and i love watching the storm of yeast swirling around inside. good luck

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

After struggling with my ferment in cold weather, I bought a submersible aquarium heater from petsmart. They come in different wattages based on aquarium capacity. I use a 45 gallon fermenter, and went with the heater sized for up to 80 gallons.

I suspend it in the middle of the fermenter, somewhat close to the bottom since heat rises.

At -15c outside, with the heater set to 82F, the wash holds steady at 72F.

The heater was $39 I think.

[gonagin58]

I used the burner out of a defunct Little chief smoker. I mounted it in a can that I cut off and placed my 20 G plastic fermentor on a couple of bricks about an inch or two above the burner and wrapped the fermentor with an old flannel sheet and it stays around 88F. As the weather warms up I will shorten the sheet and then remove it.

[Doogie]

I have mine in a garage right now - around -1'C outside, 78'F in the mix, burping away like a kid drinking pop. wrapped it in bat insulation I had left over, that way if it barfs for some reason, I just toss the insulation. I am running a 100 watt aquarium heater - fully submersible one.

[Jimbo]

I wrapped my fermenters in insulation and shoved 60W lightbulb underneath. It kept the barrels (2 of them) at 81F in a 68F basement to keep the bakers yeast in my panela rum happy.

[myles]

If you have any sort of solids in the fermenter then I would say NOT to use the aquarium heater. They cycle on and off and the surface temperature gets quite hot. After a while the solids stick to the surface and not long after the heater dies.

I have been using ground heating cables. These are usually sold for greenhouses, seed germination trays etc. The ones I use have a very low watt density of about 75 watts / yard. They are waterproof so you can just dump them into the fermenter. Even when fermenting thick fruit pulp there is no problem. It is just enough to raise the temperature and with insulation on the outside works fine.

Off course you can use low temperature lager yeast for your rum, and just put up with slow fermentation times.

[Black Eye]

Tractor supply sells De-icers for animals, give that a try

De-Icer

[vinper]

de icers only come on at 32 degrees here http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sunbeam-Comfy ... e/21596956" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[acfixer69]

de icers only come on at 32 degrees here http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sunbeam-Comfy ... e/21596956" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

These auto shut off after a couple hour and must be restarted..

AC