What heating device should i use ???

challis86

i am on my 3rd brew now my last brew took a long time than my last 2 i think it was down to the temp was a lot lower thought out the brew obviously because of the colder weather so i decided to buy something to keep it warm anyone know whats best my set up is for 23l larger brew!

HBO_Staff

Hi challis86, glad to hear the brewing is going well, the temperature is a big factor in how long your brew takes, so always try and keep it warm. At lower temperatures it will still ferment, but will take longer, and too low and it will stop. We believe that the best heater for a 25 litre fermenting bin, is the TE25 heater tray - it is a simple device - just a tray which you plug in, stand the fermenting vessel on, and leave it to it! It is pre-set to a temperature suitable for brewing, and just simply does the job, you don't have to adjust it to alter the temperature like a brewbelt, although it does cost more than a brewbelt. We use the heater trays here, and recommend them to you.... http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/25l-fermenting-vessel-heater-tray

FXRS

I am now in the process of using a heater tray after a bit of a false start with a immersion 75 heater which goes in the liquid. Didnt get on too well with that althought the seller was very happy for me to return it.

I bought the heater tray shown in the link and it is definately "plug n play". Plug it in, stick the fermenting bin on top and let it get on with it. And it has done just that. Very happy with my purchase.

chaz1975

i'm only on my 4th brew so i am still a novice really ,  the place where i keep my beer while fermenting averges a temp of about 19'c , is this ok , i dont have a heater , do you think i need one??

HBO_Staff

Hi, it varies from brew to brew, some require a high temperature, but generally brews ferment at around room temperature so 19 degrees is perfectly fine for most. It is best if the brew is kept at a consistent temperature rather than fluctuating up and down, and if it is slightly cooler than the brew kit manufacturer recommends this would generally have the effect of making the primary fermentation take slightly longer. So for most brews 19 degrees would be fine, if you wanted your brews to ferment a little faster then you could consider adding some heat with a device, but you can do other things to help the primary fermentation such as use a brewing sugar or brew enhancer which dissolve more easily and claim to decrease fermentation times.

If opting for a heating device, BrewBelts are the cheapest, but do need monitoring and adjusting in position on the fermenting vessel to achieve the right temperature, heater trays although costing more, are simple to use, just plug them in and leave it to it.

One way to tell, is how long the 4 brews you have made so far took to ferment, compared to the manufacturers suggested timescale for the brew to get down to the right SG reading on your hydrometer. If the brew took quite a bit longer then it would benefit from some extra heat, but as long as they did get down to the correct SG reading it wouldn't be essential

chaz1975

thanks i use the 1/2 and 1/2 method 500g household sugar and 500g spraymalt in my brews and the ones i've done have been ready after 4 weeks , i just wondered if there was anything extra i could be doing , the beer is kept in an under stairs pantry in kitchen , so as long as door is shut the temp is constant , however a) its not always kept shut and b) the temp inside the kitchen lowers consideraby during the winter months i.e recently

HBO_Staff

It sounds like what you're doing is working fine, in this situation a heating device would help keep the fermenter at a constant temperature, particularly when it is colder such as winter, and would probably speed things up and ensure the temperature wasn't fluctuating, but 4 successful batches can't be wrong, which suggests that you are within an acceptable temperature range. You could use all spraymalt as they include fermentable sugars, and also prime your bottles or keg with spraymalt too for improved results

chaz1975

i do have problems with head retention (i keg my beer) anything i could do to improve that?

HBO_Staff

Spraymalts and brew enhancers improve the head retention and give the brew more body, so it would be worth swapping to 100% instead half and half sugar, and then using it to prime the keg as well. Some people find that it can condition better in bottles too, but either in a keg or bottle, leaving it to condition longer will also improve it, a few extra weeks will not only improve the flavours, but also the body and head

Crunchie

Do you know what? I've tried a heat tray and I've tried a heat belt and I've come to the conclusion that all you need is patience. I'm still a relative novice but I've found that as long as you put your FV somewhere where the temperature is reasonably stable and use your hydrometer as your guide you won't go far wrong.

hehe I am a bit of a hypocrite though. Once the brew is kegged I don't have the patience to leave it alone for long enough to condition properly. Don't you find that you have to keep "testing" it to check on progress?? :-) Either that or i'm just a plain ol' beer monster.

Here's a question for all you fellow brewers. When you pour a pint, whether from bottle or barrel, can you stop yourself holding it up to the light to check the clarity before taking that first swig?? I bet you can't!! I know I can't.

Cheers

Crunchie

HBO_Staff

It is hard to wait for a brew we know, a cheeky sample is the brewers' perk, and of course it is essential to make sure the brew is OK! You're just doing your job! Beers and lagers improve a lot with leaving to condition, but for the impatient amongst us we never get to drink it at it's best as we can't wait long enough....

Redlightning

I've just got my first starter pack on the go, but didn't think to order a heater tray. I phoned my local supplier, but they charge £40. So I thought I'd try my heated propagator base that I use for starting my tomatoes off in the garage in March. Seems to work a treat. The barrel is under the stairs, and the card thermometer is reading 24 degrees c. Instructions on the Cooper real ale indicate 21-27 degrees.

Great Forum by the way, Gaz 

Redlightning

Just an update on my first brew as above. 24 hours later, and at 24 degrees it's frothing like mad. I had an airlock half filled with water, which has now been pushed out. The barrel lid has buckled under the pressure. Is this normal?

 Does this have anything to do with the fact that I stirred the sugar in after I filled the barrel, as opposed to when the barrel was only quarter full with hot water?

challis86

that's normal and a good thing it means your yeast is working well just clean your air lock re fill it and let a bit of air go put your air lock back I was worried about the small things on my first few brews but as along as you follow the instructions you will be fine I have had 16 out of 16 successful brews and the main thing is make sure everything is clean then clean it again and time if you think your brew is done leave it another 4-7 days or try a little then leave it a few days you will notice the difference I know its tempting but you will get a better outcome

HBO_Staff

Heater trays at £40? You want to try that great store Home-Brew-Online.com where they're much cheaper!!!!!

http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/25l-fermenting-vessel-heater-tray

Sounds like the brewing is going well, a warm temperature may reduce fermentation times and can make the fermentation more vigorous too.

Redlightning

Thanks guys. Will keep you informed. She seems to have settled down today.