Swiss Hills Ferments announces the release of the Cave: a fermentation control unit that controls temperature and humidity wirelessly for fermenting beer, aging cheeses, dry curing meats, or just about any other fermentation project.. Prices for the Cave start at $175 and can be found on Kickstarter.com. (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1087382592/the-cave-fermentation-control-unit)
Over a million homebrewers in the US alone have taken up the mantle of creating their own craft beers. With surprising fervor, dedication, and precision, homebrewers are crafting beers with increasingly better results. They have overcome obstacles to brewing with the creation of equipment and gadgetry and an encouraging homebrew community.
Yet there is still a limit to what can be brewed in one’s own home. That is because many yeasts or recipes demand specific temperature requirements. Lagered beers require slow cooling to near freezing temperatures. Some yeasts perform best at temperatures higher or lower than room temperature. And daily temperature fluctuations in a five-gallon carboy can be enough to produce undesirable off-flavors in the finished product. Temperature is the limiting factor for home brewers.
Until now.
Because on May 9th, The Cave became available for any person interested in fermentation. The Cave is a fermentation control unit produced by Swiss Hills Ferments. It can be installed on many different types of refrigerators or freezers to create a fermentation chamber with the appropriate temperature for fermenting beers as well as humidity and airflow conditions needed for dry curing meats, making yogurt, proofing bread-even aging cheeses. Home brewed lagers (not to mention salamis, cheeses, or prosciutto) are finally attainable for the average do-it-yourselfer.
The Cave includes a heating element that can heat the chamber up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit to give the chamber both heating and cooling capabilities. In addition, a cool mist ultrasonic humidifier can be plugged into the interior port. Sensors in the unit determine when to give power to the refrigerator, humidifier, or heater. Wireless controls allow the user to access The Cave from computer, tablet or smart phone, in addition to the touchscreen controls located on the unit.
The ultimate beer can only be made when attention is paid to fermentation temperature. Says co-owner Karen Christian, “For those looking to brew their best beer, temperature is a critical factor.” She adds that, “The Cave can both heat and cool, which allows for complete control of environmental conditions.”
Swiss Hills Ferments is a startup company located in Kalispell, MT. They hope to raise the necessary funds through their Kickstarter campaign to fund an initial production run and pay for tooling costs. Look for their Kickstarter campaign at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1087382592/the-cave-fermentation-control-unit
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