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Dubcut · 03-24-2009, 06:11 PM

Done and done. Mini Brew Fermenter + Keg system = half the work = Awesome.

Couevas · 03-24-2009, 07:00 PM

I grew up in Southern California. O'Shea Brewing Company was my LHBS. They are a legit store that is trying to supplement their business by using Ebay. They are a great bunch of guys and also have a phenomenal commercial keg selection for those that need to buy a keg of commercial brew.

RunNakeDnECU · 03-24-2009, 10:09 PM

Im still pretty new at this whole home brew thing, this question isnt meant to sound like a dick, but whats advantage of having this over just a normal food grade bucket, other then you dont have to auto siphon?

nutcase · 03-25-2009, 04:46 AM

looks awesome - but doesn't plastic end up having to be changed out every so often because cleaning will inevitably make some little areas where bacteria will find some little tiny places to hide?

Thor the Mighty · 03-25-2009, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunNakeDnECU

Im still pretty new at this whole home brew thing, this question isnt meant to sound like a dick, but whats advantage of having this over just a normal food grade bucket, other then you dont have to auto siphon?

as someone mentioned before, you can dump the trub/yeast through the bottom valve instead of having to siphon your batch into a secondary/carboy, therefore eliminating hundreds of potential infection points. its easy to maintain, clean, and instead of owning two containers, you own one, that will last forever.

plus they're dead sexy. i just got one off of craigslist for 175 bucks *7.1 gal* and it just FEELS like you own a brewery!

Thirsty_Monk · 03-25-2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutcase

looks awesome - but doesn't plastic end up having to be changed out every so often because cleaning will inevitably make some little areas where bacteria will find some little tiny places to hide?

I do not think this is a case because this is much harder plastic then one on plastic buckets

Beer_Pirate · 03-26-2009, 06:43 PM

My biggest concern with using plastic for fermentation is if over time the beer smell kind of soaks into the plastic, and then forces its "aroma" onto subsequent batches.

have you guys had any problem with this?

llazy_llama · 03-26-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beer_Pirate

My biggest concern with using plastic for fermentation is if over time the beer smell kind of soaks into the plastic, and then forces its "aroma" onto subsequent batches.

have you guys had any problem with this?

Not even a little bit. If that's happening to you, you need to step up your cleaning process. With PET, nothing should be left behind. Don't use a brush, which can scratch the plastic. Soak it overnight in oxiclean free or PBW, then rinse the hell out of it. For my Better Bottles, I also treat them to a heavy spray down in my jet bottle washer. Afterwords, they look and smell brand new.

For the "Why use a conical?" questions, it's simple. They look awesome, they allow you to take SG readings without risk of contaminating the beer, they allow you to rack without an siphon, and they allow you to dump the yeast cake out of the bottom, turning your primary fermenter into a secondary fermenter without having to move the beer. They're also available in stainless steel, which is easier to clean, and will outlive your grandkids. Also, they look even awesomer.

For me, when (not if) I make the move to conicals, they'll be big enough to handle 10 gallon batches. The added expense for a 5 gallon batch just doesn't make sense to my wallet.

Beer_Pirate · 03-26-2009, 06:59 PM

I'm actually looking hard at the 15 gallon minibrew... still have yet filed my taxes, but when that happens, i might pick one up with the money from the return.

Couevas · 03-26-2009, 07:07 PM

One thing to think about with conicals is the space they take up.

For me, this was the deal-breaker. Not that I can't find floor space for one, but that I can't fit one in my fermentation freezer. It seems that you would have a hard time battling temps with one. Or you would have to stick to seasonal brews only to account for effect of weather on fermentation temperature.