Cypress v. Conical v. Conical with Jacket

[CountySeat]

We plan to use fermenters with the built in cooling coils and run water through for both crash cooling and maintaining fermentation temperature. The crash cooling is pretty easy, just turn it on and monitor temperature. What kind of systems do people typically use for maintaining fermentation temperature? We would just need something we can hook up to the coil with a thermometer so we could run the thermometer into the mash and have it automatically run water through the coils as necessary to keep temperatures down. We plan to use the open top cypress fermenters with a sift poly top (not airtight or with an airlock) to just pretty dust, etc from dropping in.

Thanks.

[Jake Holshue]

Going back to the cyprus discussion, who sells these? Does anyone have a good retailer?

I am from a cold climate, you wouldn't necessarily have to "heat" the building like comfy room temperature, you would however be compelled to keep the room above freezing. Fermentation is an exothermic reaction so as long as this said building could hold a temp my best guess would be to heat it to 40 to 50 degrees, you should be good to go. Plus have a VERY temperature forgiving yeast strain. You might also get subtle flavor differences in the winter ferment vs. the summer ferment. Is this building cooled?

Just some thoughts... good luck.

Jake

[3d0g]

CountySeat - Johnson Controls, Ranco, or even roll your own off a $15 eBay aquarium temp controller. Any of these can readily drive a 120V pump.

[Hypnopooper]

We have (3) 250 Gallon cypress fermentation tanks from Confederate Stills of Alabama. Each tank has 1/2" or 3/8" hard copper coils around the walls that keep our ferment at 75F in Houston with the use of our chiller. He was also making the cypress tanks that Hillbilly Stills was reselling as well as wrapping stills in a nice cypress finish until the two of them had a falling out.

[BouldinBourbon]

Hey Hypnopooper,

Curious for an update on your experience with the Confederate Cypress fermenters. We are looking at them over here in Austin. Could you let me know your thoughts on maintenance, sanitation, and flavor contribution?

Thanks