Fermentation temperature control – controllers, heating mats and fermentation chambers

Yeast produces off-flavours when the temperature is too high or swings. Here you will find the equipment that keeps fermentation temperature stable: controllers that switch cooling and heating, heating mats for fermenters, the Fercubator fermentation chamber, pump kits for jacketed tanks, thermowells and digital hydrometers that measure the temperature of the brew itself.

Choosing temperature control

Fridge and heating mat: The Inkbird WIFI ITC-308 has one probe and two outlets, one for cooling and one for heating. Plug in a fridge and a Project Brew 30 W heating mat, and the controller holds the temperature and can be adjusted from your phone for a diacetyl rest and cold crash. The 100 W XL heating mat suits larger fermenters.
Fermentation chamber: The Fercubator, formerly Ferminator, from Brewolution in Denmark is an insulated chamber with a cooling and heating unit. In a 20 °C room it can bring the temperature down towards 0 °C and up to 50 °C. The Fercubator Connect is controlled over WiFi and Bluetooth, and the Fercubator Basic is the base model. The extension module adds 22 cm of height.
Jacketed tanks: The Temp Control Pump Kit combines an Inkbird WIFI with a 12 V submersible pump rated at 800 litres per hour. The pump circulates cold water from a glycol chiller or a water bath in a fridge through the jacket. The Quantor SB Control Kit is an equivalent kit for the Quantor MiniChilly.
Measuring the brew: A thermowell puts the probe in the middle of the brew. The Tilt hydrometer and thermometer floats in the brew and reads temperature to ±0.5 °C and gravity to ±0.002.

The options compared

Setup	Cools	Heats	Suits
Inkbird + fridge + heating mat	Yes, via the fridge	Yes	Buckets and fermenters that fit in a fridge
Fercubator fermentation chamber	Yes	Yes	One fermenter, no fridge needed
Pump kit + glycol chiller	Yes	With a heating element in the tank	Tanks with a cooling jacket or coil

Temperature control FAQ

What temperature should beer ferment at?

Follow the recommendation on the yeast packet. Ale yeast usually ferments warmer than lager yeast. Fermentation also produces heat, so the brew can run warmer than the room.

Can I use an ordinary fridge for fermentation?

Yes. With a controller like the Inkbird, the fridge runs on the temperature of the brew rather than its own thermostat. A heating mat inside the fridge lets you raise the temperature as well.

What is a cold crash?

A cold crash means chilling the beer towards freezing after fermentation, so yeast and particles drop out and the beer clears. You need equipment that can cool, such as a fridge or a glycol chiller.

What is a thermowell?

A thermowell is a closed stainless tube that reaches down into the brew. The temperature probe sits inside the tube and reads the liquid temperature without touching it.

Read more (in Norwegian) in our blog article Gjæring av øl: Derfor er temperaturkontroll viktig.