Customer Reviews

This thing is awesome. Review by Gary

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I've only had this for a few weeks now, but it's working really well. The installation couldn't be easier and it's incredibly easy to operate. (Posted on 3/21/13)

Dual purpose unit - Heating/Cooling Review by BH

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Bought this unit initially to control NB's Electric Fermentation Heater (SKU: 40535) -- a must have with the heater.

After reading the manual (written for engineers, btw), it's obvious that the controller can be used in conjunction with a lagering fridge/freezer as well.

That's one of the next additions to our setup, so the slightly steep price seems appropriate given it can be used for a variety of brewing task.

Well constructed, professional quality unit! (Posted on 12/13/12)

easily convertible to 220V Review by Bob

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Though the instructions that come with the unit don't say, you can actually find the instruction with a search. You just take the wires on the right side of TB1 and move them to the left side.... the middle being AC common; works great. (Posted on 12/11/12)

Works great! Review by Guy

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I have worked in the service industry for awhile and I have always trusted Johnson controls, this controller works as well as any other JC I have ever used. I have had the best success using the cut-out setting. Probe placement is key to getting good readings, my current lager is fermenting at 54 degrees. I waited to start lagering until I had everything just right, this control was the final piece; a new world of brew awaits! (Posted on 11/3/12)

Works flawlessly Review by Andrew

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Holds it's range with accuracy and consistency.

Very easy to set up. (Posted on 10/16/12)

Two Thumbs Up! Review by XPLSV

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I bought this to use for lagering in my 7 cu ft freezer. Unlike many sellers, Northern Brewer sells this unit with the plug prewired, which allows for instant use upon arrival. The interface makes for easy temperature setting and I can easily adjust my lagering process from the fermentation temps and down through the temp drops to my final lagering temp. I also use it to fine tune my fermentation temps on my ales. I will soon buy a second unit to use with a second fermentation freezer. (Posted on 9/14/12)

Simple and effective Review by Joshua

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I spent my first year of homebrewing putting my carboy's in a closet and hoping they stayed withing temperature range. A few degree shift from morning to night was not a huge concern for me at the time. As I learn more and strive for reproducible results for standard brews temperature control has made incredible results in my brew. The temp controller made my life easy. Simple to install and use. Easy to adjust. Well worth the investment. (Posted on 7/5/12)

Brew system revolves around this. Review by Doug

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Compared to all other brew system investments this digital temp controller has become the center-piece of the whole 4 to 6 week process. Everything else can be executed perfectly, but temp control for weeks on end will help protect your results of time and money spent...not to mention better control of flavors. My first controller (and not my last) has been working flawlessly for 6 months and it is easy to use. (Posted on 5/11/12)

Good product Review by brandon

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This is great and easy t figure out, i thought you could actually make a freezer heat, but i don't think you can. I just put a small heater in the freezer, took the cover off the unit and moved the jumpers to jump and works great. changed and took the jumpers off for some lagers and still works great. that was with the freezer hooked up on cooling mode. THIS IS A MUST HAVE if your interested in making consistent brews. (Posted on 3/12/12)

Excellent Product Review by strizzlenuri

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Awesome! Well worth the $80 if you are a home brewer. There are many settings which are explained in the directions.

I used this product with a mini fridge that I "modified" to be able to fit a 5 gallon carboy with an airlock into.

No wire splicing. Just plug the Johnson Control unit wire into a 110 outlet and your fridge into the control unit... good to go. Set it and forget it... for about a month to 6. Worked perfectly for my Oktoberfest Lager. (Posted on 2/21/12)

trouble free set-up Review by amblansman@yahoo.com

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I'm using it in a chest freezer to provide me a place to cure pork and brew lagers. It is trouble free to set up as long as you have a good way of getting the thermistor inside the freezer. (Posted on 11/27/11)

Great Control Review by Ryan

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Very easy to use, all the above reviews are spot on. I am continually impressed with how little stress this places on the freezer it's controlling. The unit cycles on once every 20 min or so to maintain temps within a +/- 1 deg variance. Great product. (Posted on 10/26/11)

Couldn't be better Review by RJohnson

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I've used this for two years, not just for brewing but also for a concessions business. As the description notes, there's a digital display of my unit's internal temperature, which is handy. It even remembers its previous setting when left unplugged for months. After a time, I drilled the freezer wall and inserted the probe through it rather than closing it in the door. A little plumbers' putty and it's all good. (Posted on 10/20/11)

Hot in Florida Review by John

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Works great. South Florida is always warm and I have my freezer outside beside the bar. When the air temp is in the 90's it keeps my fermentarium at 65. You can't go wrong if you are having a problem controlling the brewing temp. (Posted on 8/28/11)

Easy to use and a must have. Review by Jerry

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Just finished a doppelbock and a Munich dark lager in my chest freezer. This controller never missed a beat and was very simple to set up and use. I had an ale fermenting on a counter in my basement and the daytime temps were a degree or two higher then I wanted. I brewed a few more ales and put all three carboys in the chest freeser and now my temps are perfect. Save yourself a lot of hassle and buy one of these. You will not be disappointed. (Posted on 8/28/11)

Excellent Investment Review by MJG

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Fantastic addition to my brewing equipment. Easy to operate, anyone can follow the directions and set this up. Good control over the temperature has turned my spare fridge into the perfect lagering control center! I can't wait for my Oktoberfest this fall (Posted on 7/3/11)

Okay I bought two more over the winter. Review by Matthew

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I bought two more of these and attached heating lamps. Now I have 4, two for cooling and two for warming. I use them with my two fermentation refrigerators.

We had a colder than normal winter in Texas. Two more controllers worked great for when my unheated brew room was dropping below optimal fermentation temperatures. I have gotten all of them dialed in so I am always within plus or minus 2 degrees of my target temperature.

Summer is here so now my other two used for cooling are kicking in.
(Posted on 6/2/11)

Excellent product Review by Bryn

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Does exactly what it says it will. Very easy set up. Changing from cold (default config) to heat is a matter of changing a pin configuration. Its a no brainer purchase that will allow me to be able to brew all year. (Posted on 5/16/11)

Bought 2 and couldn't be happier! Review by John C.

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Incredible piece of equipment! Really does work wonders for fermentation temps. Comes pre-wired for cool setting, but with in 5 minutes and little tech knowledge you can have it running in hot mode. (Posted on 3/1/11)

Great Product!!! Review by c-brew

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cant really say enough about this product. i use it in the summer to control the temp of a fridge and in the winter with a heat blanket. easy to use just plug in. if you want to precisely control your temp then i highly recommend purchasing this. cheers. (Posted on 2/27/11)

Easy to use, works great! Review by Aaron

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This controller is great. I actually have two of these (one for each fermentarium (fridge)). My only complaint is that to switch between heating/cooling mode, you actually have to open up the unit and change some shorting pins. Not too difficult, but cumbersome. (Posted on 1/26/11)

A must for a proper fermentation Review by blackoutdodge

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I received my A419 3 days after I submitted my order with NB. Item arrived double boxed and very secure. The setup of the unit requires moderate attention. Be sure you understand how to use the jumpers. I have the A419 controlling a 10 cu. ft. freezer chest and it has been holding 53* +/- 1* for almost a week now. I will be brewing a traditional bock (for Bockfest '11 in Cincinnati) tomorrow. I highly recommend spending a few extra bucks for a digital temp controller as it take all of the work out of regulating the temperature of your fermentation. Thanks JC and NB! (Posted on 1/17/11)

Set it and forget it. Review by Matthew

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I have two I use for two Sanyo Fridges for fermentation in an un-airconditioned room. Ales and lagers both are no worry or hassle to keep dialed in at the right temprature in Texas summers.

Most beneficial for Ales since most ales ferment at a higher temp than than the fridges I have will maintain. Just adjust the set point to 68 keep the fridge's control on MAX. Not so much an issue in the winter, but a beer saver in the summer! (Posted on 1/10/11)

Ive gotta eat. Review by Michael

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It does its job. Sure it does. It does a great job

But I understand this type of equipment.

$80 is steep. Thats all Im saying. (Posted on 1/6/11)

slicker than snot Review by tom sawyer

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After three years of fighting to keep my temps down with swamp coolers, my lagers are finally coming out good. (Posted on 1/5/11)

One of the best pieces of equipment I invested in for homebrewing Review by Mhawkins

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Having this digital controller which is super easy to program and adjust temps if needed, is one trully one of the best investments I have made since becoming a home brewer almost a year ago. I live in AZ and for home brewers without a product like this controller, the summer time heat stops your brewing completely.....Sure their are tricks like an ice bath in a spear bathroom but nothing beats a controlled cool box to where all you have to do is brew it, frement it (leave it), and then drink it! (Of course drink it after either bottling it or kegging it)

So all an all the investment into this digital controller is well worth the price tag. (Posted on 10/23/10)

Best temp. controller out there. Very user friendly. Review by T.J.

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This controller is very user friendly and very accurate. I have been using it on my fridge for lagers for some time now. Much more accurate than a dial controller and has other perameters to dial in exactly what you want it to do. It can also been configured to use on a HERMS or RIMS system as well. For the money you cant go wrong. Thanks NB. (Posted on 9/9/10)

Works well-- worth the price Review by Jeff

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Northern Brewer takes care of all of the wiring. The manual can be downloaded on-line. It is pretty much plug and play. I am using it on my kegerator now, but will definitely use it for controlling fermentation temps as well. I disconnected the probe wires, ran them through the drain hole on the fridge, wired it back together and put the probe in a container of freezer pack gel. Great product. (Posted on 7/8/10)

Spot on, Effortless, Accurate, Tingly feeling in tummy! Review by Brewman1957

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This thermostat is by far the most accurate device I have used in a long time. The device can be set to +/- 1 degree. I set mine to +/- 3 degrees to avoid constant turn around on my freezer. NB has also done the wiring job for you, as these come from JC without any cords attached. While it is very simple to wire one up yourself, a novice may get a little nervous about poking around in 120v. Besides, the additional cost of buying wires and connectors is a bit of a pain, unless you happen to be an electrician or EE.

The addition of a controller and a cheap fridge or freezer really can make or break your brewing. So, spend a little more for the digital version and have one less thing to worry about.

I really prefer this device over the analog, although the analog device works well and is almost as accurate. I just like having a little more control over the top and bottom ends of the temp scale.

5 stars to NB and JC for a great controller.
(Posted on 6/29/10)

Great product! Review by Pat

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A little tricky adjusting the set point and having it that actual temp in the fridge, but that's easy enough to figure out. Great product, definitely recommend it for lagers or even ales when the temp in your house is too high. I live in Phoenix, so it was a must!!!! (Posted on 6/29/10)

Great product Review by Suthrncomfrt1884

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I have two of these. One for each kegerator. I use the store bought kegerator for a fermentation chamber for the most part, so this thing works great. The store bought one came with a thermostat, but it wasn't very accurate and would fluxuate a lot. This thing holds my temp within a degree or two. (Posted on 6/15/10)