Hello everyone. Looking to get started in making 1 gallon batches of brew. Never tried any home brew, but have always been curious of the process etc.
I’ve noticed a lot of the recipes give a fermentation range 60-75 or so. This is from Northern Brewers site.
Down in the South, temps are hot in the summer. My house stays at 77-78 during the day as no one is home and kicked down to the low/mid 70’s at night. I would prefer to stay at the lower end of the range and in order to do that, I would have to either put my jug in an ice chest with ice or get a small fridge to maintain temps. The ice chest/ice method would probably be the hardest to keep a constant temp.
My question is which would be the best? and would it be ok to put my jug in a fridge or ice chest to maintain fermentation temps?
Lots of folks use a fridge or freezer with an external control to maintain a constant temp.
With a 1 gallon batch though, I would just use the “swamp cooler method.” If you google it, you’ll find tons of examples. Best way to do it is put the vessel in a bucket with cold water and wrap a towel or t-shirt around it. The evaporation will help it cool. You can put a couple of ice packs or a bit of ice in the water to enhance the effect, or use a fan nearby to blow air on it too.
Check the yeast your using for your beer, as each yeast can often have a different temperature range. Most ales will do well in the lower to mid 60’s, so if you aim for that you should be good. Also note that the internal temperature of the beer will be a little warmer, so don’t measure it off of the ambient air temp.
Thanks for the reply Templar. Not sure if the swamp cooler would get the temps down low enough. If it only drops temps 3-5 degrees that’s still over the max range for the yeast that comes with the kit.
I’m thinking my best bet is to get a small dorm fridge that I can use as a beer fridge when I’m not making beer. The only issue is I don’t know the temp range. Suppose if I turn the thermostat up, then the temps should fall close to the low end of the range.
Just to clarify, the temp range is the actual temp of the brew or ambient temp?
Actual temp of the brew. Use one of those stick on thermometers on your 1 gallon jug to determine.
You’d be surprised at the swamp cooler method and how well it cools. Before I got my fermentation chamber going, I was able to keep 5 gallon carboys at about 65 degrees with some water, a towel, a fan, and a few ice packs. I replaced the ice packs in the morning before work and then when I got home.
For what it’s worth, keeping the temps under control are most important at pitching then the first few days of fermentation. After about 4-5 days, you can ease up and let the temps rise a bit. By the end, you’ll want the temps around your ambient (mid 70’s) so the yeast can clean up and finish.
I would use the swamp cooler for the 1 gallon jugs for now, but when you eventually switch to carboys or buckets for larger batches (because let’s face it, you’ll be hooked), then spring for a larger chamber with a temperature controller.
[quote=“Templar”]Actual temp of the brew. Use one of those stick on thermometers on your 1 gallon jug to determine.
You’d be surprised at the swamp cooler method and how well it cools. Before I got my fermentation chamber going, I was able to keep 5 gallon carboys at about 65 degrees with some water, a towel, a fan, and a few ice packs. I replaced the ice packs in the morning before work and then when I got home.
For what it’s worth, keeping the temps under control are most important at pitching then the first few days of fermentation. After about 4-5 days, you can ease up and let the temps rise a bit. By the end, you’ll want the temps around your ambient (mid 70’s) so the yeast can clean up and finish.
I would use the swamp cooler for the 1 gallon jugs for now, but when you eventually switch to carboys or buckets for larger batches (because let’s face it, you’ll be hooked), then spring for a larger chamber with a temperature controller.
Just my 2 cents worth![/quote]
Thanks Again. I’m afraid I will get hooked. My wife will not like that. Oh well. If I would get away with getting the 5 gallon kit to make 1 gallon batches I would do that so I wouldn’t have to upgrade later. But for now the 1 gallon kits will work. And it’s not that much of a cost to upgrade later anyway. It will just give me the opportunity to make a 5 gallon batch and a 1 gallon sampler of a new brew.
Disclaimer: I’m a newb at brewing but I’ve been successful at managing temperature, so much so that I asked on the forum if I was over-cooling my brews…
ed: don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a simple swamp cooler.
I placed a large ice chest in a bath tub (we’re empty nesters so we have spares bathrooms).
Place fermenter in ice chest. Mine was 5 gallon big mouth bubbler.
Add enough water to cover 6" of fermentor. You may need less with one gallon fermentor.
Every 12 hours daily I swap out a one gallon frozen water bottle in the ice chest water.
I also took some of the foil back insulation and covered the water and most of the fermentor.
I was able to keep primary fermentation in the mid-high 50’s. Water bath temp was at 50-52.
Outside temp was in the 90’s and ambient temp was around 74.
Temp control is the single biggest thing you can do to make good beer. Without it, all your other efforts and expenses go to waste. And keep in mind that the yeast cos. generally list ranges that are higher than optimal. IMO, you’ll make better beer at or below the low end of what they tell you.
Don’t know what style beers you like but Belgian yeast works fine in the 70’s I’ve fermented us 05 at 70 and the beer came out fine. You should be able to hold that no problem in a swamp cooker even in FL
Well, I’ll give the swamp cooler a try. I want to try a variety of beers but most of the instructions show low 60’s to mid 70’s. I would like to be in the low end. Kit will be ordered this week.
These will be in my package.
German Blonde
Cream Ale
Honey Pilsner
American Wheat
and either the Red Irish Ale, West Coast Radical Red or Caribou Slobber.
Have not acquired the taste for IPA’s, however there is a local brewery that makes a pilsner that is not very bitter but it would take a little getting used to.
I normally drink Heinekin and a local brew, Abita Amber but I’m wanting to try something different and I’m trying to please the wife with something she might like. She normally drinks Ultra but she will drink Dos Equis with lime.
I like trying new, different beers so I’m looking forward to trying these and eventually graduating to the 2.5 gallon or 5 gallon batches.
I also ordered How to Brew. Should have it on Wednesday.
I usually don’t brew in the summer, but I have tried in the past putting the fermenter in a Rubbermaid bin with a bunch of old Starsan water. I would say at least 75% of the fermenter was submerged. I think I might have gotten a 5 degree drop. I didn’t use a fan, but I hear you can get a 10 degree drop doing this. Put the fan over the bin, and let evaporative cooling do its thing. Very similar to the swamp cooler with the towel. I did ruin my stick on fermometer due to the submerging. I imagine wet towels could do the same.
This list has given me some good advice regarding fermentation temps. The first 3 days are the most critical for the diacetyl and fusil alcohols. So I wonder if you could start on the cold side to dissipate the heat of the aggressive fermentation stage and try to keep it in the low 60's and then after that, maybe just try to keep it in the high 60 to low 70 range? Remember that the warmer your wort, the greater the chance of bacterial growth. Yeast like it cool. Bacteria like it body temperature. The colder you brew, the more likely yeast will take over and crowd out the bacteria.
Well today was only 96 ° and my NB hefeweizen order will arrive Thursday so I started reading about Fermentation temps, Lot’s of Good ideas on how to do it but living in an apartment leaves me with little room, I do like the swamp cooler method. The instructions call for 55°-66° and at best my AC only goes down to 70° . Will I have a problem ?. And what would be a summer beer brewing recommendation.
I really don’t want to wait until the cooler months to brew. The south is brutal in the summer. Not as much as AZ and parts of TX but it’s still bad. Today high was low 90’s.
My goal for the first batch is to try and keep the fermentation temp in the low 60’s. I think in order to do that, I would have to use some ice, either in the form of ice packs or frozen water bottles.
No one is home during the day so I would have to figure out how many ice packs and / or water bottles will last for 9-10 hrs and keep the temps between 60-62 degrees.
I do have several ice chests I can use or I can get a Rubbermaid tub and place in the extra bath tub. If I were to go that route, would I still use a blowout tube for 3 or so days then add the airlock or just go with the airlock?
Just trying to get everything right before the kit arrives.
[quote=“Templar”]Actual temp of the brew. Use one of those stick on thermometers on your 1 gallon jug to determine.
You’d be surprised at the swamp cooler method and how well it cools. Before I got my fermentation chamber going, I was able to keep 5 gallon carboys at about 65 degrees with some water, a towel, a fan, and a few ice packs. I replaced the ice packs in the morning before work and then when I got home.
For what it’s worth, keeping the temps under control are most important at pitching then the first few days of fermentation. After about 4-5 days, you can ease up and let the temps rise a bit. By the end, you’ll want the temps around your ambient (mid 70’s) so the yeast can clean up and finish.
I would use the swamp cooler for the 1 gallon jugs for now, but when you eventually switch to carboys or buckets for larger batches (because let’s face it, you’ll be hooked), then spring for a larger chamber with a temperature controller.
Just my 2 cents worth![/quote]
What do guys use to stay within the fermentation temps who brew 5 gallons at a time? You mentioned a larger chamber with a temp controller. You have a link so I can take a look?
Thanks.
A bigger swamp cooler. Living in an apt in Florida limits your options. Don’t bother with one gallon batches, you’ll drink them faster than you can brew them. It’s not much harder doing 5. Get your fermenter temp down around 60 like I mentioned above, every day throw in 4 or five frozen water bottles rotating out the ones that are thawed. After a few days you don’t have to be as vigilant. If the ambient temp in the house is 70 you’ll be fine. Don’t stress about it the beer will be fine. :cheers:
[quote=“ed_brewer”][quote=“Templar”]Actual temp of the brew. Use one of those stick on thermometers on your 1 gallon jug to determine.
You’d be surprised at the swamp cooler method and how well it cools. Before I got my fermentation chamber going, I was able to keep 5 gallon carboys at about 65 degrees with some water, a towel, a fan, and a few ice packs. I replaced the ice packs in the morning before work and then when I got home.
For what it’s worth, keeping the temps under control are most important at pitching then the first few days of fermentation. After about 4-5 days, you can ease up and let the temps rise a bit. By the end, you’ll want the temps around your ambient (mid 70’s) so the yeast can clean up and finish.
I would use the swamp cooler for the 1 gallon jugs for now, but when you eventually switch to carboys or buckets for larger batches (because let’s face it, you’ll be hooked), then spring for a larger chamber with a temperature controller.
Just my 2 cents worth![/quote]
What do guys use to stay within the fermentation temps who brew 5 gallons at a time? You mentioned a larger chamber with a temp controller. You have a link so I can take a look?
Thanks.[/quote]
I use a large swamp cooler. I keep about 20 1 liter bottles in my freezer and for the first 3 or 4 days I regularly swap them out. I’m able to keep the fermometer reading pegged right between 58 and 60 without too much trouble.
Other people use a chest freezer with an external controller which overrides the controller on the freezer. You can do the same deal with a fridge. The external controllers have a thermowell (I have a Johnson Controls unit but there are others) which can either be taped to the side of the carboy or dropped down into it.
Some people build a little insulated room and use air conditioners to keep the temp where they want it.
I have found a good ice chest and frozen gallon jugs with a little of the foil insulation will work fine if indoors. I wouldn’t consider a Rubbermaid tub in warm weather.
I whole heartedly agree on going with larger size batches. I did two of the 1 gallon kits and quickly moved to 2 1/2 gallons just by splitting a standard 5 gal. After a couple of those it’s all 5 gallon now. More efficient use of your time. With 1 gal you realize your beer is good but it’s gone !
Itish Red and Caribou Slobber are good starters. Caribou has helped many of my friends to start drinking decent beer.
Here’s another rookie question. In regards to the swamp cooler. If I use an ice chest with ice packs/frozen water bottles, how do I know what the actual temp of the brew is? Can I use a stick on thermometer and if that’s the route would be submerged in water affect the reading?
As for the 1 gallon batches, I agree with the posters that I will probably want to expand fast but I’ve never tried home brew plus have no clue as to a recipe for a particular type of beer and quantities for 2.5 gallons. The pre-made mixes are for 1 gallon or 5 gallons. I guess I could check out the recipe section and get the ingredients but I really feel like right now the 1 gallon batches are the way for me to get my feet wet and see if this is something I would want to pursue.
If you are doin extract it’s easy to divide up the ingredients from a fiv gallon batch. For all grain try the 3 gallon biab kits. Once you find a recipe you like just divide it and order the stuff separate.
