To brewbelt or not to brewbelt?

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TikiWine

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When u started making kits the guys at the store talked about the Brew belt as a required piece of equipment. But is it necessary?

I am going on vacation for 9 days and this seems to be perfect if I start the day I leave and get back 9 days after to check the progress. The AC will be off giving the house. A warmer climate. But the belt can only be used for 8 days.

If this was fresh juice I'd want to look everyday at the progress. But this is a kit and my previous kits have cooked through nicely with no need to bother.

Verdict? Wait for returning or let it ferment without the belt?
 
Yeah, I agree. I'm in SF so temperatures here don't go crazy in either direction, but I've not regretted my lack of a brewbelt. If you live somewhere that the temperature would get out of control and you've then got a lot invested in this kit, then maybe.
 
As long as the kit does not have skins (which you need to punch down/stir every day), I'd say you are ok, based on advice from a guy at the local wine makers supply. He said he has never fermented wine kits at anything other than room temp. If the AC is off, I would definitely NOT use the brew belt.
 
Unless the room temp is consistently below approx 60 degrees - A brewbelt is a waste of time and effort. Once a fermentation is started most yeasts have decent tolerance of lower temps. With a couple of exceptions the only yeast varieties that are listed with higher temp needs are those sold by Vintner's Harvest and White Labs.
 
Agree with all that’s been posted so far. I do have a brew belt and use it occasionally in the dead of winter and temps in my work room drop to the really low 60’s. A cooler temp will slow your ferment, which is great for a red wine kit with skins... but like DIY said, you can’t leave a skins kit alone for 9 days - you need to punch the skins down 1-2x a day.
 
I ferment in a cool basement that runs in the 50s or 60s in the winter. If it's in the 50s, I use the brew belt which brings he temp up maybe 8 degrees. And I've had no problems with using it for more than 9 days with a timer that shuts it off for a few hours at night. If the temp is in the 60s, I only use the brew belt until fermentation gets going. I've only done WE kits with no skins and EC-1118 yeast which has a wide temperature tolerance.
 
Thanks y'all. I left it with no belt. Started it 2 days before I left. Ill let you know how turns out.
 

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