Lager fermentation - holding temp....

[Gus Boy]

Anyone got any good ideas for keeping my lager at 12c can't use a fridge it too cold outside in the garage, our temps in the uk range from -2c to 13c at the moment, my fridge works fine in the summer but come unstruck for the winter can anyone help?

[beer_bear]

How about a ferm wrap with a temp controller. Get one with the longer temp probe so you could put it in the beer.

[Gus Boy]

could you give me a web site with them......

[beer_bear]

http://morebeer.com/browse.html?category_id=1086&keyword=&x=1&y=1
That should have what you need to set it up. Just use the temp controller on the wrap and it will keep the heat up where you need it.

[Geistbier]

I use a plastic trash can I bought for strickly lagering. I placed a crystal themometer on the outside to have a rough idea of temperature inside. In the summer it's too warm so I had the brewing pail in a water bath and dropped in frozen water bottles to control temp. Now that it's winter I'll forgo the water bath, but I may put a heating pad inside to keep the air temperature in the correct temp. To help keep it constant I will probably get a probe themometer to monitor the air temperature.

I say I will because I haven't done a lager lately and I about to start on a Bock.

[Thirsty Mallard]

That seems like alot of work. I just turn on my temperature regulator on my externally cooled and heated conical... ah the good life...

[Geistbier]

That seems like alot of work. I just turn on my temperature regulator on my externally cooled and heated conical... ah the good life...

If you coul;d let me borrow that for a few months I appreciate it!

[chipmonk]

Assuming you have a dedicated fridge you use for fermenting, you probably have a Ranco or other temperature controller to control the temp. Since you need to heat your beer given your ambient temperature, just set your temp controller to Heat mode instead of Cool mode. Plug a 100 W. incandescent light bulb into the temp controller where you would normally plug in the fridge and then place the lamp inside the fridge. The temp sensor should be placed directly on the carboy or inside a thermal well.