Brew Fridge

[Pale_Ale]

That's a help, thanks Chris. I'm gonna try and get a 120L without a freezer, that should do the trick and it doesn't take up too much room either.

[morgs]

That's a help, thanks Chris. I'm gonna try and get a 120L without a freezer, that should do the trick and it doesn't take up too much room either.

I haven't got one in front of me but is'nt the freezer unit on a bar fridge simply held on with a few screws? They are more of a claytons freezer than anything.

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Given the end of year sales and the like, I put a little bit of effort into looking around at fridges. I don't have a lot of space available, so I thought the bar fridge styles might work.

Rank Arena and Mistral are distributed if not made by Mistral. They appear very similar in the flesh and the little fridges are not big enough unless you want to do *really small* batches.

I've looked at the chest and vertical freezers and the smallest Mistral isn't big enough unless you have a Runway Model fermenter. You have to go to the 150 litre to fit a decent fermenter, I believe.

There's a really nice-looking Conia refrigerator which looks like you could put two fermenters in there, except that the cooling elements are interspersed between each drawer the entire height of the fridge.

I toyed with the idea of the round drink coolers, but figure a fridge would be best. The wine storage things seem a lot more expensive than fridges or freezers.

I'm eager to save the right amount of money, but given my space requirements and the possibility of buying a dud off eBay with no recourse, I am taking my time about the whole thing.

Fortunately, my wife tried a Bohemian Pilsener at the pub last night and really enjoyed it, so I have a vector for pushing the fridge thing. This morning she asked if the kitchen fridge could be used for the purpose. I had to say no...

[scblack]

I'm eager to save the right amount of money, but given my space requirements and the possibility of buying a dud off eBay with no recourse, I am taking my time about the whole thing.

Fortunately, my wife tried a Bohemian Pilsener at the pub last night and really enjoyed it, so I have a vector for pushing the fridge thing. This morning she asked if the kitchen fridge could be used for the purpose. I had to say no...

I was of the same opinion - did not want to end up with a dud. It also seemed any fridge under 5years old went for $250plus. Then had to hire a trailer to collect, or pay delivery.

I bought my Samsung 228litre fridge from GoodGuys for $500 (and my dads pension card got me free delivery). That took me nearly a year saving up all the shrapnel in my pockets each day. Then used my birthday/xmas money to buy an Adloheat thermostat.

Be patient, it will get there.

[OldBugman]

What I'd do for space, I got a 5 door bottle cabinet at work I could get

[velophile]

<snip>
I've looked at the chest and vertical freezers and the smallest Mistral isn't big enough unless you have a Runway Model fermenter. You have to go to the 150 litre to fit a decent fermenter, I believe.

<snippity>

Spills

A Kelvinator 140 litre fridge fits a tall 30 litre fermeter with airlock for height & a shorter fatter Wander job for width.

I've taken out everything, shelves, door shelves, veg drawers etc. This all came out when I cleaned it & I wanted to check the fermenter fit before replacing anything.
I want to try jamming a fermenter & jerry can secondary in there. It might work if the jerry will sit on the compressor bulge behind the fermenter.

[rwh]

And there are a couple of those for like $70 on ebay in Melb ATM.

[OldBugman]

stay away from the one in sydney though it's mine!

[beernut]

i think my pail type fermentors would fit. I won't look stupid dragging it in to the shops with me will i ? lol

I've done it.....

It's the only way u can be sure it fits.
Who cares if u look stupid.

[scblack]

i think my pail type fermentors would fit. I won't look stupid dragging it in to the shops with me will i ? lol

I've done it.....

It's the only way u can be sure it fits.
Who cares if u look stupid.

You'll look a hell of a lot MORE stupid if you get it home, and the fermenter does not fit.

[Pale_Ale]

Agreed, better to look like an idiot for a couple of minutes and avoid dissappointment.

[lethaldog]

How about maybe using a tape measure to get the measurements of the fermenter then measure the fridge to see if its ok, may be a little less embarrising than taking along the fermenter

[gregb]

I've lost track of the number of shops I've stood in with the tape measure and note pad.

Cheers,
Greg

[morgs]

How about maybe using a tape measure to get the measurements of the fermenter then measure the fridge to see if its ok, may be a little less embarrising than taking along the fermenter

Yes very funny. It was going to be a tight squeeze. Might wait till i get more space and buy a fridge

[James L]

I got a 330L Kelvinator for 40 Bucks from the Quokka (trading post). These fridges are good because they are tall and thin.

All it needed was a new seal.

Picked up a aftermaket thermostat for 50 bucks from All Controls; that has a range of 0-40C, and the bastard connected straight up and even fit in the same thermostat housing as the original, so no loose wires and potential shock hazards..

I didnt like the idea of turning off the fridge on and off all the time from the powerpoint (fridgemate). so a different thermostat was the way to go...

bought an inside/outside thermometer from dick smiths, so i dont have to keep opening the door to see the temp...and waa laa...

Its is the easiest possible way that i had of making a brew fridge...

Its always at 12C, and can be adjusted back to 4C if i give up lagering for a while... and all it cost was 130 bucks...

I had this idea that rigging up a brew fridge was gonna be a killer.. but wasnt to be... the only thing i suggest is if you arent electrically minded, dont try and install the thermostat yourself, or you could hurt yourself, our short out the house (like i did).

Sorry guys i had to tell someone.... It was just too easy...

James

[rwh]

Conrats mate, sounds like a tidy job. I've got a fridgemate myself... and boy, having controlled fermentation temperatures sure makes a massive difference to your beer, I'm almost looking forward to those sweltering summer temps this year (they killed a few batches last year ).

Oh, and it's voilà from the french "see there", and is defined in english:

there you are: used to bring somebody's attention to something, especially in order to elicit appreciation or approval

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[drsmurto]

Oh, and it's voilà from the french "see there", and is defined in english:

there you are: used to bring somebody's attention to something, especially in order to elicit appreciation or approval

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Who said us brewers aren't a cultured bunch? Nice one rwh!

[James L]

yep you got me.....

brain is swtiched off today...

James