Shall I use a heat belt?

[thestingers]

My house seems to be pretty cold as I dont use central heating (hate it), but as a result it can be cold and then warm up, I just never know, and even the airing cupbaord seems much the same. As this is the case would you guys recomend adding a heat belt for good measure just to be safe for all of my winter brews? Im doing kits and nettle beers this year.

thanks,

[MightyMouth]

You could use a heat belt but if you haven't yet got one then I would recommend a fully submersible aquarium heater. You can control the heat to within a degree from about 18c upward which is perfect for ales. I use one in the garage in the winter and it keeps the beer at exactly 19c.

[JayBee]

I`m not keen on belts because of the lack of control and I agree a thermostatic aquarium type heater would be much better. However, I would use one if I had one of those cheap plugin timers so that I could set it for say, 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off through the night as a type of basic temperature control. I used one once and forgot to switch it off in the daytime and ended up brewing at around 28 degrees and had some dodgy flavours as a result.

[thestingers]

So you have to turn them off in the day? Can they be left on all the time?

[MightyMouth]

Just to clarify I think JayBee means you need a timer on a brew belt not a Aquarium heater. You don't actually need one but they are quite difficult to control the temperature on. They can make the beer to hot quite easily. The aquarium heater however can be left on all the time as it is thermostat controlled.

[Ditch]

TheStingers; As is being said, mate. Just get a fish tank 'Heater/'Stat'. The modern ones are a Heater and Thermostat combined inside the same, water proof, glass 'test tube'.

Best of all is, they have a little dial / knob on top which operates a slide bar. Bar indicates the temperature setting. (They used to just be marked with +/- and it could take days to find ye chosen temp'!).

Ye'll be paying about the £15 mark, in any pet shop. Be sure to point out it's for a 5 Gallon 'aquarium' as they vary in wattages and one will suit you best.

I always like to test run a newly bought one in a small bucket of water, before I commit 5 gallons to its care.

Beats the hell out of a Heat Belt. Those things are more akin to " Putting it in front of the open fire. " More superstition than temperature control.


Oh, and; Never run a 'Tank Heater dry. And Never grip the thing, to see if it feels warm! Some of them can become a bit tasty, quite fast, held in the hand

[thestingers]

I have to say this fish heater talk sounds pretty good. Are they OK being sterilised? So, basicly you plonk them in, set for about 20 and leave on until fermented and jobs a gooden? If so, I may just get one of those bad boys. thanks.

[Mauri]

Yes they are OK being sterilised. I suggest you do a calibration run with just water first though, just to check, with a thermometer, that the thermostat scale is not too far from its stated values.

[Ditch]

Here ye go, lads. My Supplier has just this minute left, having brought me a few bits and bobs. We had a good chat and fish tank heater / stats will now, shortly, be available from The Homebrew Company here in sunny Eire!

Meanwhile, I'm off into town to get a couple more as I have a bit of brewing to get on with now. I'll post about all that presently .....

[jonohanson]

OOOO I think i'll be getting an aquarium heater, I was going to go with the belt or a heat controlled cupboard, but as I only ferment one at a time would be alot easier than sorting out and insulating an appropriate cupboard.

EDIT:are the expensive to run??

[Pav]

yeh avoid heat belts etc! I used a pet heat pad on low and ended up with a brew fermenting at 28c!

Re. the aquarium shop. It may be worth getting one of those stick on thermometer strips that change colour. Could stick on outside of bucket for quick check without having to sterlise a thermometer every time you wnat a reading. Not sure if it would work through the bucket plastic? I am sure someone has tried it??

[MightyMouth]

Could stick on outside of bucket for quick check without having to sterlise a thermometer every time you wnat a reading. Not sure if it would work through the bucket plastic? I am sure someone has tried it??

Yep, tried it and they work ok, they are not very accurate though they give an indication, better is a floating thermometer - Sanitise once and leave it in