Aquarium heater in my primary...

Non-bitter answer: I like the control over the must temperature I can get with an aquarium heater -- it's in the liquid and automatically regulates to

64-80F, depending on where you set it, +/- one degree. I can drop it in and leave it for a few days without having to check to see if I'm over/underheating.

Bitter answer: I live in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where there's one brew shop that leaves a bit to be desired. Great guys, but not what you'd call well-stocked.

Practical answer: I already have the heater.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

- Matt

Matt, My apologies, I missed the part when you said you already had an aquarium heater. I'll try to slow down my reading.....:-) Al

You could use a heater belt instead and rig it up with a rheostat so you can vary the amount of heat. But in most cases I'm looking to cool down the must more than heat it up. Except perhaps in the first day or two or perhaps if I have a stuck fermentation.

Don

Don, Do you have any instructions on rigging up a rheostat to a brew belt? Would that make it function similar to a thermostat? Al

I'm not the fastest swimmer on the beach. To me, the Rheostatics are a great Canadian band with rhythm guitarist/hockey enthusiast Dave Bidini.

Would a dimmer switch be a rheostat?

- Matt

Why Yes!

Controls the amount of power going through the circuit. Would a heat belt have that much control? Most are either on or off depending on the setting of the non-adjustable thermostat.

Sean

I'd be worried about using an aquarium heater, they operate thermostatically in an on-off manner, i.e. when they're on, they're on full power. While this might result in good regulation of the temerature of the bulk must, the temperature around the heater will be quite high when it's on.

I'd be happier with the temperature moderated by a bulk [like a chunk of concrete] outside the must, rather than using the must itself.

Geoff, North Loburn New Zealand