Low tech fermentation temp regulation

How do you keep your fermentation at the correct temp without a dedicated fridge?  We are fermenting a stout.  Keeping it in bedroom currently at 70 deg. F.  Want to get it a little lower.

I put mine in a shallow container of cold water and wrap a damp towel around it, then put a fan blowing on high on it.  The fan evaporates the water in the towel drawing heat out.  The towel is hanging down in the shallow water and pulls water up into it, keeping it constantly damp.  If you have a rarely used spare bathroom, you can use the bathtub to hold the water.  You can usually keep the fermenting beer about 3 to 4 F lower than ambient temperature this way.

I have a nephew who uses the bathtub method.  Ice can chill it a little more than just water.

A better plan, if you have a few tools and a little cash is, "Son of a fermentation chiller".  Search google for the plans. It's a rigid insulation box with a household thermostat and a computer fan.  There are two chambers which hold frozen bottles of water and are routed so that when the computer fan is turned on it blows air over the ice and then into the fermentation chamber.  I've built two and have good success getting my temp down to 10F below ambient.

The insulation is about $25 a sheet and the thermostat is about $25 (in Reno Nevada).  Other than glue and wire that's the total cost.  A hand saw is the major tool you will need but a few clamps will be handy too.

KJHamel said:

How do you keep your fermentation at the correct temp without a dedicated fridge?  We are fermenting a stout.  Keeping it in bedroom currently at 70 deg. F.  Want to get it a little lower.

Click to expand...

KJHamel said:

How do you keep your fermentation at the correct temp without a dedicated fridge?  We are fermenting a stout.  Keeping it in bedroom currently at 70 deg. F.  Want to get it a little lower.

Click to expand...

I have tried all the methods including and not limited to
- Container filled with water and ice
- Wet towels on the carboy in the container of water and ice
- Fan blowing on wet towels on the carboy in the container of water and ice
- Pond pump swamp cooler with wet towels on the carboy in the container of water and ice
- Carboy on makeshift plate chiller with a pond pump swamp cooler with wet towels on the carboy in the container of water and ice

I have had limited success with all of them but these were never good ways to maintain a constant temp.  I eventually found an inexpensive dorm fridge without a freezer along with an inexpensive analog temp controller which have been working perfectly for 4 years.  Plus, when I am not fermenting, we have extra fridge space.

Cheers!