Igloo Cooler Fermentor Box

[JonGoku]

I modified my "fermentor box" for this last batch of Scotch Ale and thought I would post some pictures. Ideally I'd like a deeper igloo cooler, but for the moment I'm stuck with what I already had.

Original Setup

Original Setup

Fermentation Setup.jpg (148.79 KiB) Viewed 2391 times

New Styrofoam top

New Top

Fermentor Box 1 copy.jpg (201.7 KiB) Viewed 2391 times

Top Part Assembles for Better Insulation

Fermentor Box 2 copy.jpg (216.51 KiB) Viewed 2390 times

[JonGoku]

Fermentor Box 3 copy.jpg (217.5 KiB) Viewed 2387 times

Fermentor Box 4 copy.jpg (208.44 KiB) Viewed 2388 times

Maintaining a fermentation liquid environment temp of around 66-67*F

Temp Reading copy.jpg (210.69 KiB) Viewed 2388 times

Well it gets the job done a little better then my last setup and only cost me about $2.50 in styrofoam. Best of all I'm a lot less worried about extreme temperature swings in my garage.

I'd really like that 165quart Igloo I saw at costco today...

however at $79+tax costco price ($140-$190 elsewhere) I could probably manage a real lager fridge for around that

Cheers!

[backyard brewer]

Nice work

[kevinham]

Nice work. I used something like that for a while that Rezzin had built, worked good. Now I have a fermentation fridge outside for that.

[brahn]

I did something like that for a while, then I started using foil instead of an airlock and closing the lid of the cooler. I had some mildew problems with both methods and now I just don't use a lid at all. For me it doesn't seem to make much difference, but I haven't tried it during summer without a lid yet.

[JonGoku]

I did something like that for a while, then I started using foil instead of an airlock and closing the lid of the cooler. I had some mildew problems with both methods and now I just don't use a lid at all. For me it doesn't seem to make much difference, but I haven't tried it during summer without a lid yet.

Well my main drawback with the current system is that my water level is only up to about half way on the fermentor so the effectiveness is not as good as it could be. I'd love to get more water mass to increase the stability. The 165 quart igloo would hold loads of water and would be ideal, however even if I did have the large igloo I think I would still make a false top just so I could keep the airlocks outside of the setup.

[bwarbiany]

Ooohhhh....

That 165 qt cooler would make a heck of a mash tun... I could mash some BIG beers in that sucker!

[backyard brewer]

Ooohhhh....

That 165 qt cooler would make a heck of a mash tun... I could mash some BIG beers in that sucker!

I was looking at the one sitting in my back yard a while back and thinking the same thing.