There be lagering in the grand plan, but… Controlled. So a small fridge that will hold a carboy. Problem is, all those cute little (cheap) fridges have a hump in the back of the bottom floor where the mechanics hide…
Sooooo, what is the smallest cheapest thing that will hold a carboy?
Most unit’s that I’ve seen modify the fridge by installing a shelf in line with the compressor compartment as shown here.
These are wine coolers equipped with a temp controller.
Pawtucket Patriot started this thread last week.
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=4545.0
-J.K.L.
I like the setup on the left with the bucket below the shelf… Problem is the wine coolers are not cheap… But then again, the glass door is VERY snazzy. One can crank it up to 60 to do the initial and see everything…then down to 45 for the lagering…hmmmmmmmm…
The box holds the fermenter on the hump. A five gallon carboy fits but not a 6.5. I’m not sure what size it its. It’s old and I got it for free. It will freeze in there.
I have several of these small refrigerators converted for lagering. If you remove the plastic panel with the molded shelves on the inside of the door you can fit a 6.5 gallon carboy on the floor of the refrigerator instead of up on top of the compressor shelf. Replace the molding with a sheet of cardboard to retain the insulation in the door. The cardboard will give a bit as the door closes to accomodate a wider carboy.
My ales, meads and wines are fermented in a dedicated-to-fermentation-only air conditioned bathroom kept at 68 F with a window unit AC.
This room also doubles as a beer/mead/wine cellar.
I have the Sanyo 4912. Love it. Perfect for two kegs. Conquer the hump and it’ll take a bucket or carboy. Wish I had two more.
Looked all over. Nothing’s really perfect or optimizes the space adequately as far as I can see.