Keeping your beer at the right temperature during fermentation is a key part of getting those delicious flavors. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution – invest in a temperature controller.
If you’re thinking of doing just that but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place!
If you don’t need wifi, you can get the INKBIRD ITC308’s functionality in a wired controller. And it’s about two thirds of the price of the wifi version ( INKBIRD WiFi ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller).
This is another controller that can be connected to both a heating and a cooling unit. And it will control the temperature across an impressive range, from -58 to 248 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s accurate to within two degrees Fahrenheit.
You can choose to display the temperature in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, as you prefer. The default is Celsius, but go to the settings menu and you can change it.
The display is exactly the same as the wifi version, showing both the current and target temperature. It’s nice and bright, so you won’t have to get up close every time you want to check it.
There’s only one temperature probe, but there’s an alarm to warn you if it malfunctions. And you’ll also get an alarm if the temperature strays outside the target zone.
You can also set the differential for heating and cooling separately. That will allow you to stop the temperature in the fermenter changing more rapidly than you want.
The maximum output load is 1,100 watts for the 110V supply voltage. Bear that in mind when choosing your heating and cooling units.
The instructions here aren’t particularly clear, but take your time with setup and you’ll get there. You may also want to calibrate the controller before its first outing, so you can be confident in its accuracy.
Pros:
-Bright, clear display showing target and current temperatures in your choice of Fahrenheit or Celsius
Alarm to alert you if the sensor malfunctions
-Set the differentials for heating and cooling separately to avoid sudden temperature changes
Cons:
-The instructions aren’t as clear as they could be Maximum output load of 1,100 watts.
As for the maximum output load, it is depending on the supply voltage used, when the voltage is 110V, it is 1,100 watts; while if the voltage is 220V, it will be 2200 watts.
Renegade Brewing website also recommends INKBIRD WiFi ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller for the homebrew 2023.