Plastic Conicals/ Glycol Chilled- in a temp controlled fermentation room or not?

[jcmcdowell]

I'm TINY- like barely bigger than some mongo home brewers. No wholesale, no packaging- we just are planning (in TTB permit process) a tasting room to serve a town of 750.

We're starting with 110 gal plastic conicals. I know, I know- but I can buy 4 of them for the same price as one stainless. Right now that's a big deal to get the doors open. My budget is laughable comparably to others- but we own the building and we own the initial brewing equipment.

SO- I'm planning on insulating the conicals and running a stainless coil that is glycol chilled with a trunk line chiller. Our building is insulated but does not have any AC- only a HUGE wood stove for heat in the winter. We live on the South West corner of Montana and it can get pretty damn cold overnight. I intend to build a 8'x12' fermentation room as much to keep the temps UP versus down.

Is this overkill?

Will the insulated (1" closed cell black foam type) conicals with the glycol coils in them stay warm enough and conversely cool enough? Should I skip the ferm room and leave the fermenters out in the brewing area?

Will I be able to crash cool the conicals below 40 degrees with ambient temps around 65 in the ferm room?

Anybody with experience have feedback?

Thanks

[Mosquitobrewer]

I have some 10bbl plastic conicals that have the foil bubble wrap around the main body not the cone. Our inside temperatures during winter are usually range from the 50's to the 70's. Our taphouse is in the same open space. I have no trouble with fermentation temps and the only thing I get when chilling is condensation depending on the humidity in the summer. If you have a properly sized chiller you should be fine without building the room. My volumes are 3 times as yours so maybe someone with the smaller fermenters will chime in.