 Fermentation fridge. The probe on the back wall is for a thermometer; the probe on the inside of the door is for the external thermostat. The receptacle on the side wall is for a ceramic heat bulb. |
Fermentation is done in glass carboys in a lagering fridge.
The fridge is set to the coldest setting and controlled by an external Johnson Controls A319
thermostat. I drilled a hole in the door of the fridge to run the therostat probe and a power
line into the fridge. The power line is for a ceramic bulb - manufactured as a reptile cage
heater. There's a dimmer switch that the heater is connected to outside the fridge so that it
can be set very low. Whenever the target temperature is above 60 or so, I use the heater.
The fridge is big enough for a 7 gallon carboy and a 5 gallon bucket for primary fermentation
(with the bucket used as an airlock in conjunction with a blow off tube). It's also big enough
for two carboys. Lately, I've started experimenting with fermenting a small batch mead or cider
in the primary while the beer is in the secondary.
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 Thermometer on the outside wall of the fridge. On the floor, the thermostat and a dimmer switch for the heat bulb. 
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