How do you keep your mash warm?

[foothillbilly]

I'm new and learning and want to say thanks. I do try to search as much as I can with the search feature but have not seen anything on this topic. I'm using a 5 gallon water tank that you find in many business'. You know the blue ones. I was thinking of sitting the full bottle into a storage tote and fill it up with warm water? Around 90 degrees.

Thanks in advance
Hillbilly

[T-Pee]

I use 10 gallon insulated water coolers to ferment in. They sit in the spare bathtub and if the temps drop too much I just wrap in an electric blanket.

tp

[Brutal]

I ferment in the kitchen year round. Right now I have my 10g hdpe round fermenter sitting on a folded up beach towel, and another beach towel wrapped around it and tied in place. This at least keeps it in the 70's liquid temp. Lately that's not enough and my yeast don't want to work unless I set a space heater near it for a few hours each evening. This gets the temps up to 84-86 by the time I'm done and they only fall to the high 70s by the next day. My ferments are still going slower than normal lately and its frustrating. I am going to either find my electric blanket soon or just get a cheap one for it.

[westchesterDistiller]

I use a 10 gallon Rubbermaid orange cooler from Home Depot. Cost $45. Keeps my mash at a pretty sold temp for about 90 minutes. You can buy a false bottom and spigot attachment for it for great lautering.

[Bushman]

I use an aquarium temp control, see link below:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=25475

[snooka]

I use a brew belt. Put it around your bucket plug it in and leave it alone. You can find them at your local brew shop or ebay for $25.00-30.00

[aquavita]

The yeast that I have selected to use like my 65 degree basement (thanks Jimbo).

I chose a longer ferment time over dealing with wraps, heaters and such.

Easier for me - I just double up/alternate on the ferments. Make sure that there are multiple ferments going at the same time.

[NZChris]

I use a couple of old fridges heated with lamps controlled by thermostats.

My biggest fermenter is insulated and standing on blocks so that lamps will fit underneath it. Wrap it old duvets for extra insulation after the heat from the early fermentation dies down. Never did get around to putting a thermostat on it, so have been using a 24 hr timer during extreme weather and adjust it daily, but I just found a useful looking thermostat and will try it out next grape harvest.

Cheap digital thermometers with a yard of lead to the thermocouple are great tools and I have them everywhere important.

[Windy City]

The yeast that I have selected to use like my 65 degree basement (thanks Jimbo).

I chose a longer ferment time over dealing with wraps, heaters and such.

Easier for me - I just double up/alternate on the ferments. Make sure that there are multiple ferments going at the same time.

Have to agree with Aquavita
Choose the right yeast for your temps if you have to rely on ambient room temp. A ale yeast may cost a couple of dollars more but is much cheaper then throwing out a stuck ferment that went bad.

Windy City

[spinner328]

I use for my 6 gallon buckets a foam box made with 1" foam board with a sheet metal box for a base so the buckets can sit on. Inside the sheet metal box are three 75 watt light bulbs on a light dimmer switch to control the heat. it works great you can adjust the size to meet your needs i have another that fits 3 buckets. I felt like it might be safer to me than electric blanket on for a week or two.

[Coyote]

I used to have a milk barn style heater in the ferment room,
but I kept having an issue with them burning out.
So this winter I switched to one of the small oil filled heaters,
about $ 30 bucks. My ferment room is 3' X 8' X 8', the rolling racks will
hold 16 - 7 gallon tubs if I ever get that many. On the way,way low setting
during our recent cold snap it held at 77 degrees no problem.
My best calculation is it costs about 8 bucks a month to heat the room

Coyote

[bellybuster]

I use a temp controlled fridge when it's necessary. I ferment in the basement and it is mid 70s all year.

great box there spinner!

[foothillbilly]

Great so I thought about asking about lights because I have those. Last question, if I place the container upstairs will the c02 that the airlock lets out stink? My first one. Sorry. Thanks.

[ol mcCoy]

Keep mine next to the wood stove

[foothillbilly]

Just had a revelation!I have a chest freezer in my basement that dosent work! I put a light bulb in it and a thermometer and bam, took 20 minutes and it's 85 degrees! Basement is 60. Looks like I've found it!

[foothillbilly]

Put a timer on it, 30min on, 30 off. She's dead on 85 degrees and staying. I've found some warmth for my mash!

[foothillbilly]

Put a timer on it, 30min on, 30 off. She's dead on 85 degrees and staying. I've found some warmth for my mash!

Great thinking. Funny how once you enter the world of distilling everyday items take on whole new uses.

Been wanting to toss that freezer but it's so big lol. I think I'll keep it now,