Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

So with my glasser going tits up, and the cold weather stalling all my washes, and having nothing better to do today, I've started to knock together a new fermentation chamber. My fridge wasn't cutting it, only being able to house 1 30L fermenter at a time. The new one will hold 2x 60L fermenters. Not a massive improvement, but good enough for the time I can spare.

Went to bunnings, got a little too excited and bought some 9mm ply without really thinking it through. Built a box with it, and started to see the issues.
9mm ply is not structural, despite what the pretty sticker on it says. It's warped and flimsy. So, back to bunnings. Need to build a frame to hold it all up. Decided while I was there, it'd be pretty convenient if it was all on wheels. So I bought some wheels, some timber, and home I went.

Knocked together the base, and attached the wheels.
Then built the frame to slide inside the ply box.
And finally got the doors on. They aren't framed, just the ply. But the ply is warped :angry-banghead: Tried soaking it with hot water while it was hinged on, didn't work. I'll need to dismantle and soak it on the ground with some weights on it.
Bought some hard insulation (knauff multi purpose) to line the inside. Also got a STC1000 off eBay, and some computer fans for circulation. Not sure what heating method I'm gonna use yet. Maybe globes, maybe an electric heater. Maybe something completely outside the box :think:

Anyways. EBay says postman will be here by Wednesday, so hopefully I'll have it all varnished up and ready to be wired by then :dance:

No time this weekend though. There's a few bottles I'll be staring through the bottom of :obscene-drinkingchug:

Trying to straighten ply that has a built in warp could be a frustrating waste of time, you'd be better of getting some 3" x 1 1/2" (75 x 30) pine and framing those doors using the pine "edge on" ie: the 30mm towards the cabinet.

For heating I use a "heat pad" that sits between my two fermenter and I just attach the probe of the STC to one of the fermenters (this is for beer but same thing).

Seems to do the trick and I feel it one of the safer ways to go about it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I use heater belts connected to a temp controller. I ferment inside so just put blankets around them.

HiString wrote:Trying to straighten ply that has a built in warp could be a frustrating waste of time, you'd be better of getting some 3" x 1 1/2" (75 x 30) pine and framing those doors using the pine "edge on" ie: the 30mm towards the cabinet.

I consider building framed doors, but ill have an issue with depth inside the chamber. I'll try my best at straightening the ply, if I fail, then I'll have no other option but to frame it.

Sam. wrote:For heating I use a "heat pad" that sits between my two fermenter and I just attach the probe of the STC to one of the fermenters (this is for beer but same thing).

Seems to do the trick and I feel it one of the safer ways to go about it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I did consider heat pads. Seen some flashy looking beer chambers that used them. I'll keep that in mind for my heat source. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Wobblyboot wrote:I use heater belts connected to a temp controller. I ferment inside so just put blankets around them.

I ferment in my garage. Been getting down to 5 degrees of a night. Already using heat belts and blankets. No controller on it though, just got a standard timer that keeps power on through the night, and staggers during the day. It's not working well enough for my liking. Plus, my new box will have drawers on top filled with foam for all my glass meters, and a locked cabinet for all my ageing privilege :happy-partydance:

I should also mention I use aquarium heaters for bigger washes and wrap in a blanket :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Sam. wrote:I should also mention I use aquarium heaters for bigger washes and wrap in a blanket :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Nice work as usual Captain :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Sam, do you use a pump or similar to circulate the wash?

Doubleuj wrote:

Sam. wrote:I should also mention I use aquarium heaters for bigger washes and wrap in a blanket :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Nice work as usual Captain :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Sam, do you use a pump or similar to circulate the wash?

Nah never bothered with that, would probably help I guess but you don't want to be aerating it after the initial phase.

Sam. wrote:

Doubleuj wrote:

Sam. wrote:I should also mention I use aquarium heaters for bigger washes and wrap in a blanket :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Nice work as usual Captain :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Sam, do you use a pump or similar to circulate the wash?

Nah never bothered with that, would probably help I guess but you don't want to be aerating it after the initial phase.

:oops: might be why my 200L has stalled. Better turn it off.

I use a 40 watt halogen light inside an old extract tin to heat the chamber. I always find, after a bit of mucking around and a lot of testing of the washes, the wash temperature is usually just above the air temperature. Usually if you're asking for 8 degrees (like for a lager) the wash itself will be between 8 and 9 degrees so I stopped bothering with wash temp.
Mine can do a 100 liter fermenter or 2 x 30's (with short airlocks). The two in there in this pic are older style 25's in the final lagering phase after a diacetyl rest. Working down to 8 degrees again over a few days.

A fermentation chamber is a worthy pursuit in my book. Everything I've read suggest the yeast like there creature comforts, stable temps are the go.
I use a heat pad originally intended for reptile enclosures. I bought two 20 years ago and until a few years back the second sat unused in a succession of cupboards (power horder :music-deathmetal: )
As to the doors could you build an external frame?
Best of luck with it Cpt :handgestures-thumbupleft:

@ Warra, you put a lot of faith in that plastic shelf mate :scared-eek: :laughing-rolling:

Sam. wrote:@ Warra, you put a lot of faith in that plastic shelf mate :scared-eek: :laughing-rolling:

Yeah mate. I'm very careful loading that top fermenter in. Bends like a banana when I put more than 25 liters but still holds. Bottom one can take the heavier 100 liter weight as it bends down and is supported by the little plastic crisper. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:laughing-rolling: warra that's having a lot of trust in the old fridge racks! Classic!

Hey res, not really interested in externally framing the doors. Wanna try keep it pretty looking. So it would be internal frame if anything.

Got a book off tomorrow, so I should have it finished and ready for wiring.

Is there such a thing as a digital hydrometer? Would be cool to be able to control/ log temp and gravity during fermentation..

bluc wrote:Is there such a thing as a digital hydrometer? Would be cool to be able to control/ log temp and gravity during fermentation..

Maybe a little off topic but google 'beerbug'. Bit outa my price range for what it does though. Be a nice toy for those with money to throw around though.

bluc wrote:Is there such a thing as a digital hydrometer? Would be cool to be able to control/ log temp and gravity during fermentation..

I've never seen one, but that would be super cool! I like statistics and all that sorta bs, so if there was something like that, I'd probably have to get it just for the wank appeal.

warramungas wrote:

bluc wrote:Is there such a thing as a digital hydrometer? Would be cool to be able to control/ log temp and gravity during fermentation..

Maybe a little off topic but google 'beerbug'. Bit outa my price range for what it does though. Be a nice toy for those with money to throw around though.

That leaves me out lol. Will check it out. I thought there my be a cheap sensor for an arduino.