Temperature Control

[Charlie]

I need to add a little heat to my primary and secondary fermenters. Any recommendations for an inexpensive heater with control? I make my wine in the basement and it is a little too cool (65 F).

 

[salcoco]

65 F is perfect for fermenting white wines. an electric blanket to cover the primary fermentor is good for red wine fermentation.

 

[Rice_Guy]

I ferment as cool as I can when preserving fruit aromas, last month a fridge was run with Chardonnay at 50F/10C.
Checking temps active fermentation is always 1 to 2 degrees warmer than incubator temp.

 

[Scooter68]

No need to add heat. Take the temp of the wine must. I bet you find it's anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees warmer unless you have a fan blowing over the fermentation container.

At that temp all you need is a thermal wrap to retain the heat created by the fermentation process itself. That alone should keep your wind yeast quite happy.

 

[NorCal]

The ferment may take longer to get going and overall time extended, but your'e in the window.

 

[jumby]

Toss in a cheap aquarium heater. That's what I use.

 

[mainshipfred]

I agree with the others that your temp is fine. If you are concerned I'd just wrap it in an old towel or blanket. The heat generated by the yeast should take care of the rest.

 

[Scooter68]

As NorCal indicated starting up a ferment may take longer at the lower end of the temp scale, once started it should be fine.

In winter times I have made an concerted effort to raise the room temp until the fermentation is established and then let the temp drop back into the range you are talking about.

If you ferment is already started - you should have no problem and as also mention that's a preferred temp range for White wines.

 

[Vinobeau]

I need to add a little heat to my primary and secondary fermenters. Any recommendations for an inexpensive heater with control? I make my wine in the basement and it is a little too cool (65 F).

This is one of the few times that I care what yeast I use. I use Premier Cuvee, which has a Temperature range of 45 - 95. You can find the temp range for most yeasts and most are below 65 degrees.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks for the help.

 

[Cellar Vader]

For my reds, I use a large cardboard box (22"x22"x24") with a small 15-Watt light bulb attached to the inside. I monitor and regulate my temp with an Inkbird temp controller I bought for $35 on Amazon. This way, as heat is generated from the AF itself, my controller will shut off the light bulb (at the "Max" temp I have programmed in) and monitor the temp. It will cycle back on if/when the temp reaches the minimum value that I have programmed. A cheap setup for a rather popular problem.
I do not use this setup with my whites, since the cooler fermentation temps are what you will want anyway (as others have already stated.)

 

[Cellar Vader]

Oh, and I failed to mention that I also incorporate a thermowell, so I am measuring the temperature of my must, and not the ambient temp.

 

[montanarick]

For my reds, I use a large cardboard box (22"x22"x24") with a small 15-Watt light bulb attached to the inside. I monitor and regulate my temp with an Inkbird temp controller I bought for $35 on Amazon. This way, as heat is generated from the AF itself, my controller will shut off the light bulb (at the "Max" temp I have programmed in) and monitor the temp. It will cycle back on if/when the temp reaches the minimum value that I have programmed. A cheap setup for a rather popular problem.
I do not use this setup with my whites, since the cooler fermentation temps are what you will want anyway (as others have already stated.)

Thought I'd chime in and with all due respect - that seems a little scary to me. I personally use a similar setup but not a flammable cardboard box. My setup utilizes reflector lined insulating panels out in the garage

 

[Cellar Vader]

Thought I'd chime in and with all due respect - that seems a little scary to me. I personally use a similar setup but not a flammable cardboard box. My setup utilizes reflector lined insulating panels out in the garage

I hear you, I'm big on safety as well. Good call, really. I failed to mention that my bulb is plugged into a porcelain socket-base, and besides, at 15-Watts it does not generate enough heat to cause a problem anyway. Temps never get above 84° so it's really a safe setup.

 

[montanarick]

I hear you, I'm big on safety as well. Good call, really. I failed to mention that my bulb is plugged into a porcelain socket-base, and besides, at 15-Watts it does not generate enough heat to cause a problem anyway. Temps never get above 84° so it's really a safe setup.

Good to know and happy wine making

 

[ibglowin]

Brew Belt.

I need to add a little heat to my primary and secondary fermenters. Any recommendations for an inexpensive heater with control? I make my wine in the basement and it is a little too cool (65 F).

 

[Rice_Guy]

For my reds, I use a large cardboard box (22"x22"x24") with a small 15-Watt light bulb attached to the inside. I monitor and regulate my temp with an Inkbird temp controller I bought for $35 on Amazon. This way, as heat is generated from the AF itself, my controller will shut off the light bulb (at the "Max" temp I have programmed in) and monitor the temp. It will cycle back on if/when the temp reaches the minimum value that I have programmed. )

I like the set up! ! temp controllers are as low as $15 and can do either heat or cooling. The better ones have extendable probes so the controller doesn’t have to be at incubator temperature.
ALWAYS monitor temp, the infra red detector lets me check product temp wherever I am working. With set ups i have used (heating as well as cooling) product stays warmer than the incubator till about 1.010 gravity