Hello,

I am new here, but I have been reading for a few weeks now.... I am just
looking at getting starting making some wine, I think I have enough $$ put
aside now to pick up some equipment and a kit to start with. The problem
is that the area where I can store my starting bucket and carboys is a
little cool, I am wondering what is acceptable for keeping it warm, or up
to recomended temp. Would putting something like a fish tank heater in it
be OK, or "just wait longer"?

Or would an insulated box with a thermostat in it be something that I need
to look at?

Thanks!

~Brian

You don't day what the ambiant temp is where you would be fermenting,
but anything between 60 and 75F will work. If your environment is lower
than that you can purchase a brew belt which will wrap aroud the outside
of the container. If you use a heating device watch the fermentation
temperature closely as yeast will generate heat while working and you
don't want to cook your wine.
Larry


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Not knowing what the temp is where you'll ferment, or what temp you want to
achieve in your must, the easiest things are to
wrap a blanket or two around the fermentor, or you could also use an
electric blanket if you have one. Just be sure to monitor
the temp of your must as it ferments to not get it too hot. If you're
making a white wine, you might not want to warm it at all.

Ed


> wrote in message newsnjhc.191708$Ig.86115@pd7tw2no...
> Hello,
>
> I am new here, but I have been reading for a few weeks now.... I am just
> looking at getting starting making some wine, I think I have enough $$ put
> aside now to pick up some equipment and a kit to start with. The problem
> is that the area where I can store my starting bucket and carboys is a
> little cool, I am wondering what is acceptable for keeping it warm, or up
> to recomended temp. Would putting something like a fish tank heater in it
> be OK, or "just wait longer"?
>
> Or would an insulated box with a thermostat in it be something that I need
> to look at?
>
> Thanks!
>
> ~Brian

> If you use a heating device watch the fermentation
> temperature closely as yeast will generate heat while working and you
> don't want to cook your wine.
> Larry
>
Better aquarium heaters are regulated by a built-in thermostat, so if you
set one to 75F and the temperature hits the mark, it will just turn off.
Good for "fire and forget" heating. A good heater is kind of expensive,
though.

- Matt

One word of warning. If you use a heat pad or electric blanket, put it
around the outside of the carboy, do NOT put it under the carboy. A carboy
of wine is heavy and can cut the wires causing a fire hazard. You do not
want to smoke your wine. Whites can be fermented down into the 50's and
supposedly cold fermenting improves whites. That is just not an option for
me in Houston Texas.

Ray

> wrote in message newsnjhc.191708$Ig.86115@pd7tw2no...
> Hello,
>
> I am new here, but I have been reading for a few weeks now.... I am just
> looking at getting starting making some wine, I think I have enough $$ put
> aside now to pick up some equipment and a kit to start with. The problem
> is that the area where I can store my starting bucket and carboys is a
> little cool, I am wondering what is acceptable for keeping it warm, or up
> to recomended temp. Would putting something like a fish tank heater in it
> be OK, or "just wait longer"?
>
> Or would an insulated box with a thermostat in it be something that I need
> to look at?
>
> Thanks!
>
> ~Brian

I wrap my buckets and carboys in an electric blanket set at a very low
setting. I place a mercury thermometer on the outside of the vessel to
monitor the temp. That's in the winter.....I haven't seen a spring/ summer
in this location as I am new to the area. What temperature do you expect
your wine to be exposed to?

--
KB


> wrote in message newsnjhc.191708$Ig.86115@pd7tw2no...
> Hello,
>
> I am new here, but I have been reading for a few weeks now.... I am just
> looking at getting starting making some wine, I think I have enough $$ put
> aside now to pick up some equipment and a kit to start with. The problem
> is that the area where I can store my starting bucket and carboys is a
> little cool, I am wondering what is acceptable for keeping it warm, or up
> to recomended temp. Would putting something like a fish tank heater in it
> be OK, or "just wait longer"?
>
> Or would an insulated box with a thermostat in it be something that I need
> to look at?
>
> Thanks!
>
> ~Brian
>

Okay, I've got the opposite problem, with my fermentation area in the house.
Since my wife won't tolerate 60 degree temps inside (I don't know why), the
room temps are around 75 and the must can reach 80 during active
fermentation. All the "room chillers" I've seen are expensive and need to
run a hose out of a window. Any other suggestions on how to cool down the
must?



> wrote in message newsnjhc.191708$Ig.86115@pd7tw2no...
> Hello,
>
> I am new here, but I have been reading for a few weeks now.... I am just
> looking at getting starting making some wine, I think I have enough $$ put
> aside now to pick up some equipment and a kit to start with. The problem
> is that the area where I can store my starting bucket and carboys is a
> little cool, I am wondering what is acceptable for keeping it warm, or up
> to recomended temp. Would putting something like a fish tank heater in it
> be OK, or "just wait longer"?
>
> Or would an insulated box with a thermostat in it be something that I need
> to look at?
>
> Thanks!
>
> ~Brian

Matthew Givens wrote:
Any other suggestions on how to cool down the
> must?


Matthew,

A simple fix, which might or might not be accetpable in your case, is to
set your bucket/carboy in a shallow, water filled tray and wrap a towel
or sweatshirt around it. Then position a small fan to blow on it. The
evaporation will chill the container considerably if your ambient
humidity isn't too high. The downside is that you add some humidity to
the room.

--


Mike MTM, Cokesbury, New Jersey, USA

The solution I use is very simple - keep plastic milk jugs, filled 3/4 with
water to allow for expansion, frozen in the freezer. Put however many
you'll think you need into the must (it really doesn't take many) and
sanitize the outside of the jug before you put it in.

Ed

"Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Okay, I've got the opposite problem, with my fermentation area in the
house.
> Since my wife won't tolerate 60 degree temps inside (I don't know why),
the
> room temps are around 75 and the must can reach 80 during active
> fermentation. All the "room chillers" I've seen are expensive and need
to
> run a hose out of a window. Any other suggestions on how to cool down the
> must?
>
>
>

That's quite clever. Giant ice-cubes that don't dilute the must. Tell me,
how much does one 1-gallon milk jug reduce the must temperature in a
5-gallon (US) batch? And how long before it melts and needs to be replaced?



"Ed Marks" > wrote in message
...
> The solution I use is very simple - keep plastic milk jugs, filled 3/4
with
> water to allow for expansion, frozen in the freezer. Put however many
> you'll think you need into the must (it really doesn't take many) and
> sanitize the outside of the jug before you put it in.
>
> Ed
>
> "Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
> nk.net...
> > Okay, I've got the opposite problem, with my fermentation area in the
> house.
> > Since my wife won't tolerate 60 degree temps inside (I don't know why),
> the
> > room temps are around 75 and the must can reach 80 during active
> > fermentation. All the "room chillers" I've seen are expensive and need
> to
> > run a hose out of a window. Any other suggestions on how to cool down
the
> > must?
> >
> >
> >
>
>

I really can't tell you because I make larger batches than that. The jug
will probably partially defrost over a 24 hour period and you can replace it
with another one if you still need more cooling (and throw the original jug
back in the freezer). You're analogy is right on about the non-diluting ice
cube.

Ed

"Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> That's quite clever. Giant ice-cubes that don't dilute the must. Tell
me,
> how much does one 1-gallon milk jug reduce the must temperature in a
> 5-gallon (US) batch? And how long before it melts and needs to be
replaced?
>
>
>
> "Ed Marks" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The solution I use is very simple - keep plastic milk jugs, filled 3/4
> with
> > water to allow for expansion, frozen in the freezer. Put however many
> > you'll think you need into the must (it really doesn't take many) and
> > sanitize the outside of the jug before you put it in.
> >
> > Ed
> >
> > "Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
> > nk.net...
> > > Okay, I've got the opposite problem, with my fermentation area in the
> > house.
> > > Since my wife won't tolerate 60 degree temps inside (I don't know
why),
> > the
> > > room temps are around 75 and the must can reach 80 during active
> > > fermentation. All the "room chillers" I've seen are expensive and
need
> > to
> > > run a hose out of a window. Any other suggestions on how to cool down
> the
> > > must?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

"Ed Marks" > wrote in message >...
> I really can't tell you because I make larger batches than that. The jug
> will probably partially defrost over a 24 hour period and you can replace it
> with another one if you still need more cooling (and throw the original jug
> back in the freezer). You're analogy is right on about the non-diluting ice
> cube.
>
> Ed

I've used the jugs on the outside touching a carboy for some heat
reduction. I'm not sure about the non-dilution, when the ice melts, I
get some water on the floor, so I think the jugs leak a bit because
the freezing loosens the seams on the jug somewhat (even when it's
filled to allow for this expansion). It might not be that much but
you'll get some water in the must.