Open top fermenter

TDRacing13 · 06-14-2006, 04:56 PM

Just got the latest BYO and theres an article on how to make an open top fermenter. Basically it works on the theory that a low wide fermenter is better than a tall narrow one. They say to use a true top-cropping yeast that will give you a vigerous ferment soon after pitching, this way the krausen and CO2 will protect the brew from oxygen. Anyone ever heard of this or tried it, it kind of makes me a little curious. Supposedly allot of big brewers use this type of fermenter.

Glibbidy · 06-14-2006, 05:02 PM

They call it open fermentation.
Sierra Nevada does it as well as many, many other breweries.

**Baron von BeeGee** · 06-14-2006, 05:09 PM

It caught my eye. Hefeweizens are traditionally brewed this way (open fermentation).

However, I wonder if the scale of most homebrew batches (5g) really allows for the benefits that a commercial brewer sees from open fermentation. I don't think heat or pressure build up nearly as much in a bucket/carboy as in a large conical fermentor.

TDRacing13 · 06-14-2006, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glibbidy

They call it open fermentation.
.

I kinda grasped that idea since I read an article on in then posted a thread to see what everyone else thought about it.

Kaiser · 06-14-2006, 05:34 PM

Home brewers don't see the geometry difference that commercial brewers see between a tall conical and a wide open fermenter. For home brewers, open and closed fermentations are usually less than 3ft deep, which is much shallower than commercial open fermentation.

Kai

**John Beere** · 06-14-2006, 06:15 PM

This is kind of what I was getting at with my post lat night (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/bout-give-up-my-minibrew-gasket-airlock-10284/). I'd still use the provided lid, but remove the gasket and just plug the airlock hole. No one has replied to that thread yet - but I think its an OK idea and will just stop worrying about it.

Fatabbot · 06-14-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRacing13

I kinda grasped that idea since I read an article on in then posted a thread to see what everyone else thought about it.

10 characters

MattMacLeod · 06-14-2006, 08:20 PM

[QUOTE=TDRacing13]Just got the latest BYO and theres an article on how to make an open top fermenter.QUOTE]

I brew like this quite often. I often use a plain old plastic pail for my primary, with a loose-fitting lid to stop anything crawling in. As long as I aerate my wort, and pitch a decent amount of healthy yeast, things get going pretty quickly and there is a protective "crust" of krausen. You need to keep an eye on it because when that krausen starts to settle back into the wort, you know it's time to rack.

Secondary occurs in a closed fermenter.

This is, I think, pretty old school brewing, but if you pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene, quality of your yeast, and aerate your wort, it works very well.