Looking for good fermenter for 1 gal. batches

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samsterism

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Hi Folks:

With two little kids and no free time I've decided to limit my cider-making to quick and easy one gallon batches. I plan to ferment just a few days, cold crash, and then rack to a single container I keep in the fridge.

To keep things as simple as possible I am looking for a fermenter that:

  • Can take an airlock
  • Has enough head space to keep cider out of the airlock
  • Has a spigot located an inch or so up from the bottom for easy racking to next container.

I've seen 2 gallon plastic buckets online but their reviews are not outstanding. I could go with glass but it needs the spigot.

Anybody know of something sold for another purpose that might work out well for this?

Thanks!
 
i use 1 gal glass jugs for my small test batches....i know it doesnt have a spigot but theyre pretty easy to work with and available at most LHBS
 
A mr beer keg is great for 2 gallon batches, but for 1 gallon batches of beer, cider, wine or mead, we tend to use gallon wine jugs.

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If you buy the Whole Foods store brand apple juice by the gallon, it comes in its own reusable fermenter. It will run you about seven dollars, but with my LHBS charging five for a nearly identical jug, consider it a great price on high quality fermentable apple juice. You don’t have to power through a bottle of Paisano. Once again, it has no spigot, but you can get a jug with juice, some food grade hose, and a siphon starter for less than a new Mr. Beer. Just add some yeast, agitate, pop in a sanitized stopper and airlock, and away you go. As for head space, I did fine fermenting the contents of the jug without any spillover. Some fresher local pasteurized juice did blow off a bit, but not enough to make a mess.
 
Thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Another criteria I should have added was to be able to float a hydrometer in the primary and see it from the outside. With such small batches I don't like to keep drawing off samples to check S.G.

So I think this eliminates plastic buckets and Mr. Beer (not enough headspace for the hydrometer, right?).

Perhaps I'm looking for one of those infusion jars people use for vodkas and such. But the ones I've found have glass lids which won't take an airlock, and the spigots are very narrow and would take forever to drain.

So a glass fermenter with airlock and standard home brew tubing diameter spigot.

Any body have a lead? Thanks again!
 
Modification appears to be your friend. Glass CAN be drilled (but very carefully with a diamond bit made for drilling glass).
 
i know my mom has these over sized mason jars that are used to dispense drinks like ice tea...theyre probably around a gal or 2( it think they come in different sizes). it is made of glass and has a metal spigot on the bottom..the only problem is that it has a large mouth with a screw on metal lid, but i suppose you could drill a hole and fit a rubber stopper in there....i believe they sell them at potterybarn....but that seems like sort of a hassle for me i would just use the one gal jugs
 
so this is the link to the mason jar http://www.potterybarn.com/products...th a jug and a glass drill bit....good luckkk
 
sorry guys for some reason i cant get that link to work...but anyway i dont think its a great option
 
Sounds like you will be building this one.
I wouldn't mess with glass for modification, it can be done but is a hassle.
While you are at the grocery store look for some 1 gal clear juice jugs. Look for the number 1 on the bottom meaning it is made of PET material (better bottle). I have a few half gallon ones that should work well (V8 fusion), but I am sure you can find 1 gallon ones with a little searching.
 
yes that is exactly it...well except that the lid is a screw on mason jar lid and has a metal spigot on the bottom

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How about one of the old sun-tea jars? They are usually made of glass, have a plastic spigot and a large screw on top.
I see a lot of them at the local second-hand stores like Salvation Army, etc.
 
Another criteria I should have added was to be able to float a hydrometer in the primary and see it from the outside. With such small batches I don't like to keep drawing off samples to check S.G.

I use glass 1-gallon juice jugs and glass 4-liter wine jugs. However, my hydrometer touches the bottom, so I have to pull off a sample.
 
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