I'm being kicked out!!!!

[mocha]

Ok folks my husband has had enough, hes kicking me out of the office where I make my wine, he wants relocate me to my unfinished basement we live in the northeast, i can run a dehumidifier to reduce any chance of mold, and the temps drop to about 60 at night and maybe 65 days, will this be ok?

 

[Chuck E]

Ok folks my husband has had enough, hes kicking me out of the office where I make my wine, he wants relocate me to my unfinished basement we live in the northeast, i can run a dehumidifier to reduce any chance of mold, and the temps drop to about 60 at night and maybe 65 days, will this be ok?

Should be ok. Your fermentations might take a few days longer.

 

[mocha]

Does anyone know what the lowest acceptable temp is? I just measured at 57, during the daytime. I'm also concerned since it's an unfinished basement, should I be? I just purchased 4 kits to run 2 at a time.

 

[pillswoj]

Get a brew belt (or a heating pad) to get them started, but once rolling you don't have to worry too much. I start my whites at 70F but after 24 hours move them to my cold cellar, the last one was at 48F, took 2 months but it fermented dry no issues. This is especially true if you are using the standard EC 1118 included with 95% of the kits.

 

[Mkwine]

If you call beer and wine hobby, they have a patented thermal belt that you can use to maintain constant temps. We use it for all of our primary fermentation .... we live in Boston!

https://www.beer-wine.com/catalogsearch/result/?cat=0&q=Temperature+

 

[cmason1957]

I ferment in my basement all the time. Temps for me might be a little bit higher, but we are talking 63 to 68. I have never measured it. You will be fine, it won't even take any longer. The hard part for me is the getting reds from grapes up to a higher temp. I sometimes pull my fermenting buckets over by the door to the outside and let the sun warm it up to 80 or so.

 

[FTC Wines]

You can also put towels/blankets around the fermenters/ carboys, that will help keep fermentation temperatures in, and add a few degrees. Also will mediate the changes in room temperatures. Roy

 

[DoctorCAD]

Amazon has Brew Belts for $20 each. They work surprisingly well.

 

[mocha]

Thank you all, I'm getting a brew belt since December through feb are in the 40s. I'm afraid the brew belt cant warm up the cold shoulder I'm giving my husband for kicking my wine out, no worries I replaced the wine with my seed starting and grow lights, he will be keeping my seedlings company in the office!!

 

[Mcjeff]

Is he handy? Have him make you a temperature controlled box. Build a box to keep your fermentation bucket in. Just need a temperature controller and a light bulb in a socket. I had an old chest freezer that we use. It still works so I can also chill my whites before bottling to settle out the crystals. Not implying that you aren’t handy, just make him do it since he kicked you out!

 

[Rice_Guy]

Does anyone know what the lowest acceptable temp is? I just measured at 57, during the daytime. I'm also concerned since it's an unfinished basement, should I be? I just purchased 4 kits to run 2 at a time.

# I would rather run a 50F fermentation since low temperatures help preserve fruity flavors. I have set up a 50F / 5 gallon with the garage fridge — the primary was about 2.5 weeks (only got away with it twice (so far)).
# the yeast will not die if you cycle lower, it will become inactive, yes it can take more time. frozen bread dough has live yeast and I will guess that your local shop stores wine and beer yeast in a 40 F fridge. Some Beers are fermented at 40 to 45F.

 

[mocha]

Is he handy? Have him make you a temperature controlled box. Build a box to keep your fermentation bucket in. Just need a temperature controller and a light bulb in a socket. I had an old chest freezer that we use. It still works so I can also chill my whites before bottling to settle out the crystals. Not implying that you aren’t handy, just make him do it since he kicked you out!

My husband happens to also be an arson detective, we often worry about fires, is this safe bc it sounds great to be able to speed fermentation in a cool basement then chill to drop sediment, anyone ever heard of fires from these if not I'm game.

 

[mocha]

# I would rather run a 50F fermentation since low temperatures help preserve fruity flavors. I have set up a 50F / 5 gallon with the garage fridge — the primary was about 2.5 weeks (only got away with it twice (so far)).
# the yeast will not die if you cycle lower, it will become inactive, yes it can take more time. frozen bread dough has live yeast and I will guess that your local shop stores wine and beer yeast in a 40 F fridge. Some Beers are fermented at 40 to 45F.

I never stopped to think about bread doughs and storage, I was worried since the office is usually about 72, my primary was about 5 to 7 days, I'm not experienced enough so I was worried about stuck ferm and waiting too long in the primary without bringing up alcohol content and spoilage, besides impatience, I've got that too, but preserving fruitiness sounds good im trying f pac in my next batch, natural fruity flavors sound great.

 

[Mcjeff]

My husband happens to also be an arson detective, we often worry about fires, is this safe bc it sounds great to be able to speed fermentation in a cool basement then chill to drop sediment, anyone ever heard of fires from these if not I'm game.

Here is my setup inkbird controller on gfci circuit I’m cold stabilizing some Chardonnay now. Chest freezer. Light bulb when I need to warm up for fermentation. I don’t think there is any fire hazard other that typical electric risk.

 

[montanarick]

My setup is similar to McJeff's but I use three 60 watt bulbs. I do my fermentation out in the garage even though we live in Montana and it can get pretty cold. I make an incubator from 2" faced polystyrene foam board insulation that's readily available from your favorite home improvement center for around $20 for a 4' x 8' panel. I simply cut the panels to size with a circular saw and tape them together with duct tape. When fermentation is done, I simply cut the tape (better than peeling because the facing can pull off) and store the panel away for the next batch.

This has worked very well for me and it's easy to keep temps within a 1 degree range.

 

[BMarNJ]

The Wine for Dummies book recommends getting an electric blanket to keep reds warm enough during fermentation. I’m going to look for a used one, does anyone even use electric blankets anymore?

 

[Rice_Guy]

The Wine for Dummies book recommends getting an electric blanket to keep reds warm enough during fermentation. I’m going to look for a used one, does anyone even use electric blankets anymore?

For starting seed I set the tray on a heating pad. Since grandpa moved in the house we have collected a few more for his arthritis.
Like mcjeff setup, , , always pretty with a digital controller, , , but a line voltage heating thermostat does the same thing.

 

[mocha]

The Wine for Dummies book recommends getting an electric blanket to keep reds warm enough during fermentation. I’m going to look for a used one, does anyone even use electric blankets anymore?

Yes, there are still heated blankets out there, my local Kohls sells them, probably target as well, or walmart.

 

[kuziwk]

Ok folks my husband has had enough, hes kicking me out of the office where I make my wine, he wants relocate me to my unfinished basement we live in the northeast, i can run a dehumidifier to reduce any chance of mold, and the temps drop to about 60 at night and maybe 65 days, will this be ok?

just get some plywood and hoard in a little room, put an electric heater inside the enclosure. You can always get a brew belt I guess aswell... I do all my fermentations in the furnace room downstairs which tends to be warmer and is doesn't cost anymore to run. I also plumbed in a sink and built a workbench so I have a nice little setup downstairs in the furnace room. I finished the basement but the furnace room is obviously not finished. I used to ferment in the my office upstairs but there was no point and it got annoying cleaning up there...plus some wines give off a bit of H2S when they ferment which would stink up that area of the house.

 

[Mismost]

McJeff..... Has the bright idea Except.....get a bigger freezerfreezer, you will glad you did. You get more buckets or carboys in there

Still useable as a freezer or refrigerator or beer box or curing sausage..... Makes you wonder why they aren't built this way