Fermentation collar

[Liam Callaghan]

I use chest freezers for my fermentation chambers as they seem really economical to run.  They can be a drag to lift in and out at times especially if you have a bad back but I'd definitely recommend them.

Mine are 1.3m long and usually run 2 fermenters and I can run a couple of kegs in there at the same time although I often condition the kegs in a big scope fridge as I tend to cold condition for a few weeks at a time and the scope holds a dozen kegs.  Great buying at $300 from Grays online.

Brew day is usually 2x 60 litre batches and fills 4 fermenters, sometimes I run a single batch (30 litre) between the doubles so have 5 fermenters which means running both fermentation chambers.

So I built a collar for my main freezer using ply and polystrene sheets, some gorilla glue to fix and a few screws to make it solid. 

Started by removing the lid and closing off the wiring to the light and control switch, keeping the screws so I could fix it to the sides of the new collar.  Cut all the ply and poly sheets (the thickness of these match the walls of my freezer to the mm).  I made an extra set of ply strinps to sit inside the freezer and allow me to fix the collar to this - so no fixing to the freezer itself.  Not a single hole in the freezer.  Mounted the lid to the collar and plugged her in.  

I then made a shelf using the same sized strips as the collar fixings and three small shelves to run across it.

Took about two hours to make and now runs 5 fermenters and still has room for 2 kegs.  I've not aded the heating source yet, will look at that on the weekend.

Photos off my phone so a bit shonky sorry, nothing wrong with the camera I just cant seem to take a clear photo with it...

 

 

 

 

 

Bit of ice build up as I accidentally set it to -6 instead of 6...  If you look closely you can see all the beer is frozen solid.  Took a few days to thaw before I could keg it but doesn't seem to have affected the beer.  I didn't keep the yeast :)

[Tilt]

Nice idea Liam.  Now you just need a block and tackle arrangement with lifting strops to remove the lower level fermentors while keeping your back in good nick.

[Grant R Baker]

Nice build and use of space. That is the biggest collar I have seen.

Really like how you sandwiched the polystyrene.

[Liam Callaghan]

My wife does all the heavy lifting, save my back.

I wish haha

Yeah its a bit of a big collar but I have the height and being a tall fulla its a good for me and I can still use the top as a bench when its closed.

Need to do the catches and latches on it but no need to something today when you can put it off until next week.  I'll fit all the gas and beer line holes at the same time along with a new fan and thermowell.

The sandwiching was really easy, gorilla glue around the edges and zig zag around the centre of each panel and load them all on top of each other.  Weighted down overnight with half dozen bags of sand - not sure I needed this but its all good excercise... 

I almost made another strip to cover the sandwich portion but decided I was going overboard with aesthetics.  Got the big thumbs up from Mike (a chippy mate) who usually groans when he sees my workmanship, especially when he had to sand out all my scratches down the side of the house.  Apparently you are not supposed to use belt sanders for everything :)

[Grant R Baker]

A fine effort. I'll have to remember some of this If I want to expand my conditioning fridge... in theory it would work fine.

I think yer mate might be a little fussy, belt sanders are great if they last longer than 3 hours.

[Ralph]

Ha... -6! Making an ice beer! Ice beers were all the rage in the late 90s!

Nice work on the fermentation chamber!