Heat for primary fermenter

[redderthebetter]

I started my first kit two nights ago (merlot). 24 hour later wasn't sure there was enough warmth in the closet where I have the fermenter. It was bubbling about once every 30-45 seconds. I put a heating pad on low on the side of the fermenter and withing a few hours it was percolating about every ten seconds, and is still going strong this morning. I'm pretty sure I'm not over heating it. The fermenter is cool to the touch on the far side, and right next to the pad. Does anyone see any concerns with having the pad on one side or should I regularly switch sides? did I get the batch brewing too fast? I am probably going to pick up one of those little contact thermometers today just in case.

 

[masta]

Welcome redderthebetter,


I would think it is fine and there is no need to keep moving the pad from side to side. I have a simple analog thermometer I use to get a instant reading on the actual liquid...cost roughly $6.00...using to make great wine, beer, and mead "Priceless"

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

What Masta recommends is perfect for checking temperature of a primary -
just sanitize it and dip it in the must. You will find that as fermentation gets
going, the must temperature will maintain itself or most likely rise. For a red
wine, try to keep the temp at 70-75 degrees. I, too, use a heating pad since
the house is on the cool side. My wife also made an insulated fabric jacket to
slip down over the fermenter with a slit at the top for the air lock. A down
jacket or blanket can work just as well. Just monitor the temperature, don't
let it get too high. Good luck, let us know how things go.

Bill

 

[Waldo]

I tried a heat pad on a kit recently redder and it worked great. The only difference is I set my fermenter on the pad which was covered with a towel. Kept the temp around 74 degrees on the low setting.

 

[rshosted]

I have a very cool house (cold that is). Anyway, I keep the temp around 60 in the winter when I sleep. I took a heating pad and leaned it against the side too, then wrapped a blanket around it (I really do love my wine). After a day and a half it started to perk very good. I felt the side and it was warm (a little too much), so I removed the pad. I left the blanket. The carboy stayed warm for six days while it was perking.

I suspect that the growing yeast may have created it's own heat becuase the house was very cold. I'm sure the blanket helped it to retain some heat too. I thought it was interesteing.

 

[masta]

The fermentation is exothermic and produces heat and the blanket as you said helped hold the heat in.


Wineries have to maintain temperature in their large fermenters with a cooling medium such as cold water or glycol since the large volume produces quit a bit of heat from the exothermic fermentation.

 

[PolishWineP]

I took a heating pad and leaned it against the side too, then wrapped a blanket around it (I really do love my wine).

It's good to see people really caring for their loved ones!


I never thought about the fact that the yeast, expending energy, would of course throw off heat. Great observation! Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[peterCooper]

I wish I could find soething that would throw off cold instead of heat. I'm
getting mighty tired of 70 degrees and sunny down here in Texas

 

[MedPretzel]

I wish I could find soething that would throw off cold instead of heat. I'm
getting mighty tired of 70 degrees and sunny down here in Texas

Grrrrrrrrr

It's warmer than usual here, but it just makes the spring seem so out of reach at this point.

 

[rshosted]

I wish I could find soething that would throw off cold instead of heat. I'm

getting mighty tired of 70 degrees and sunny down here in Texas

Yeah, but imagine if you could cold stabilize any number of wines at the same time.... Just set them outside and wallah, you have natures refrigerator.

(sometimes you have to look for the silver lining... espcially when you're freezing your *** off.

)

 

[PolishWineP]

Yeah! Just imagine if you could do that!


I biffed it on the ice today, landing on my bum. I bet I just laid there for a good 60 seconds before I figured I could start to get up. At least it was warm out there! We've really been enjoying our warm winter. There's not much for ice fishing unless you're using a boat!

And I guess Lake of the Woods doesn't need to be plowed, they just drive right on out! Such luxury!

So Peter, we are jealous, but not too much at this time. Didn't even need a coat today when I was out. Sure could have used some studded shoes though!

 

[NorthernWinos]

We live fairly close to you PWP, and drive out on the lake every couple days, [we never said we were smart]....
There is about 15 inches of ice from the early December cold spell, then we got 15-18 inches of snow before Christmas...the weight of the snow cracked and sunk the ice and flooded the lake...so there was about 6-10 inches of water on top of the ice...the snow is a great insulator, also a great sponge, so there is slush on top of the ice...some of it has since frozen.
We drive out on the same tracks every time, so have built a great ice rut out to the fishing shanty....Our rut has frozen and driving out there is like driving a slot car...just stay in the slot....All this for a few fishes...but..it's worth it!!!
If you don't hear from us again...It was nice knowing you...You'll see us on National News.
GONE FISHIN'