Speidel Plastic Tanks

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I know someone else asked this, but does anyone have the 3.2 gallon size? As the other poster stated it doesn't look like you could move these by the handle with an airlock on. Is the 3.2 gallons accurate or does it likely hold more? I emailed morebeer to see how much volume is left behind if you transfer on a level surface through the spigot. Debating between these and 3-5 gallon better bottles for 2.75 gallon batches (leaving behind around .25 gallons for 2.5 gallons into keg or bottle).
 
I have the 20L and I have no trouble moving it with the airlock in place. The fermenter is not flexible enough to cause suckback.. if that is what your concern is.. at least that's my experience. Also, when I transfer to the bottling bucket, I tilt the container with a wedge and put my autosiphon into the deepest part.. the part on the table.. not the wedge.. I get all but about 2 cups of liquid above the trub. I don't use the spigot because I'm never sure I get it clean enough.. but I do use it for gravity tests. Plus, when I rack to the bottling bucket.. I don't like to have trub transfer.. but, that's just me.

My concern is that the handle on the 3.2 is on top where its on the sides of the bigger fermenters:

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Makes it looks like it would be difficult to move for cold crashing with the airlock on. Morebeer responded that it would leave roughly a quart behind when racking from the spigot - that part is perfect for me, just not sure if there .45 gallons is sufficient headspace for 2.75 gallons...might just go with 5g better bottles.
 
leaskbrewing said:
wow nice. that thing is huge. you might need a dolly to move it around when its full,but damn sweet though

Yeah, forklift...dolly....biker gang...sumpthin! ;)
 
I have two 60L and they're tough enough to move around when they're full. I doubt the handles would be able to withstand the weight associated with that volume of beer. If I'm doing two brews to fill one of my 60L then fill it with my first brew and bring my second brew to the fermentor in another container because I'm not about to carry 14-16 gallons of a full fermentor through my house. Only way would be to have it on wheels if you wanted/needed to move it.
 
Received my little 1.2L Speidel today. It holds 3.5 gal right up to rim and if you let it drain out it leaves 1 qt which should be just about right to keep the left over yeast and trub out.

Concerns I have, the top lid has scratches on the inside and don't know if it will hold any nasties.

The handle is in the way if I were to put an air lock on top. I'd have to remove the air lock before moving the fermenter around. I'm thinking maybe not even use an air lock and just loosen the top a bit? In theory the co2 blanket should keep it safe right?

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I have one of my two 60l rockin' with 10 gallons of my house IPA. It just fits in my fermenter and it does bug me a bit that I can't see in like with my better bottles but with a single yeast pitch and the ability to rack directly to a keg is awesome.

I modified the stock cap to take a thermowell and a standard airlock. So far so good.

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I recently received my 60L Speidel and am struggling with how to remove the beer from my fermentation chamber. I figure with a 10 gallon batch, there's no way I'm lifting the Speidel out of the chest freezer without a very strong friend or a pulley system of sorts. Would it be smarter to try and pressurize the fermenter to push out the beer (will it take 3psi well?) or is it possible to hook up a pump to the spigot to pull it out? Thanks for any ideas!
 
I recently received my 60L Speidel and am struggling with how to remove the beer from my fermentation chamber. I figure with a 10 gallon batch, there's no way I'm lifting the Speidel out of the chest freezer without a very strong friend or a pulley system of sorts. Would it be smarter to try and pressurize the fermenter to push out the beer (will it take 3psi well?) or is it possible to hook up a pump to the spigot to pull it out? Thanks for any ideas!
I was thinking just that, why not a CO2 push, surely these would stand up to the pressure needed to move the beer? Really only one way to tell for sure!
I am still wondering what makes these any better than a modified, larger bucket? Cost/benefit still eludes me.
Two mods I was pondering was a caster base for moving it around, and and additional hole in the lid for an aeration/co2 loop in the bottom?
 
I was thinking just that, why not a CO2 push, surely these would stand up to the pressure needed to move the beer? Really only one way to tell for sure!
I am still wondering what makes these any better than a modified, larger bucket? Cost/benefit still eludes me.
Two mods I was pondering was a caster base for moving it around, and and additional hole in the lid for an aeration/co2 loop in the bottom?

It's alot of little things that I like. First, handles. 10 Gallons is heavy and handles that support the full weight is nice. There are also handles on the bottom for pouring. Second, the bottom is tapered to the sides which allows the yeast to settle away from the racking port. Third, the locking mechanism at the top creates a really nice seal.

In all fairness though I had a gift certificate so my 60l cost as much as a better bottle.
 
Thanks Scoundrel I have been looking at these since they first got them, kept hemming and hawing over them. Might be able to afford a conical by the time there is a decent supply!
 
I have the 30 liter and am getting my first use out of it. So far so good but 5 gallons looks like only half of the container. Can these things hold a lot more than 7.5 gallons or are my sight glasses' measurements way off?



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I bet if the calibration of the sight glass doesn't take into account the shape of the bottom it will be off. Did you check to see what the dead space was on it?
 
Thanks Scoundrel I have been looking at these since they first got them, kept hemming and hawing over them. Might be able to afford a conical by the time there is a decent supply!

Ya seriously. It takes forever and had I not received them with the last shipment I would have cancelled.
 
Yeah there is pretty much nothing left after I transfer out of the BK and I may lose a half gallon in the pumps and hoses. Pretty new system and new fermenters. I assumed these things could hold a lot more and I didn't only have 3.75 gallons but worth asking I suppose
 
Only way to tell for sure is to do a precise measure on the sucker. Weigh the water too, I know picking gnits, but I have heard lately that some common measuring devices aren't marked correctly.

I had a grain absorption issue this last Monday that really messed with my mind. My numbers were on the money though, good thing I always keep more water on hand!
 
Brewindruid said:
Only way to tell for sure is to do a precise measure on the sucker. Weigh the water too, I know picking gnits, but I have heard lately that some common measuring devices aren't marked correctly.

I had a grain absorption issue this last Monday that really messed with my mind. My numbers were on the money though, good thing I always keep more water on hand!

Yup- I'll find out after I clean these things out and mar my own gallon markers on them. They sure are pretty!
 
geer537 said:
I have the 30 liter and am getting my first use out of it. So far so good but 5 gallons looks like only half of the container. Can these things hold a lot more than 7.5 gallons or are my sight glasses' measurements way off?

Same with me. I know I had 5 gallons in but it sure doesn't look like it.
Another thing, the rubber bung doesn't seem to fit so great as the first night, it blew off.
 
On my 30L speidel, the stopper didn't seem to be snug either. I'd push it down and it'd slowly ease itself back up. I'll have to try the dry twisting method that HopSong mentions.

I noticed that geer537 has his different than what's on the morebeer picture. I had mine the other way, with the plastic threaded piece pointed up.

I also noticed that I had a lot of extra room with 5 gallons. I plan on scaling the recipes larger for it, but am here looking to see if I should be scaling for 7 gallons, since it's advertised to hold 7.9 gallons.
 
hillbillyjones said:
On my 30L speidel, the stopper didn't seem to be snug either. I'd push it down and it'd slowly ease itself back up. I'll have to try the dry twisting method that HopSong mentions.

I noticed that geer537 has his different than what's on the morebeer picture. I had mine the other way, with the plastic threaded piece pointed up.

I also noticed that I had a lot of extra room with 5 gallons. I plan on scaling the recipes larger for it, but am here looking to see if I should be scaling for 7 gallons, since it's advertised to hold 7.9 gallons.

I tried it both ways. Seemed to fit better upside down but I'll try flipping it again

I haven't bottled my brew yet but when I do, I am going to mark the gallon lines and that should tell us how much you can scale the recipes to if no one chimes in.

Steve
 
noob question: Is there any downside to buying the 30L if all I brew is 5 gal. batches? I do plan on doing imperial stout so for those the extra headspace would be nice but for other beer type is it going to be a problem?
 
ggriffi said:
noob question: Is there any downside to buying the 30L if all I brew is 5 gal. batches? I do plan on doing imperial stout so for those the extra headspace would be nice but for other beer type is it going to be a problem?

I brew 5 gallon batches and haven't had any issues. The extra headspace is a bonus. The only downside is that I can't fit 2 30L Speidels into my fermentation chamber at the same time because they are wider than my better bottles. I can fit one better bottle and one Speidel together. The ease of cleaning and the built in handles offsets this IMO.
 
I brew 5 gallon batches and haven't had any issues. The extra headspace is a bonus. The only downside is that I can't fit 2 30L Speidels into my fermentation chamber at the same time because they are wider than my better bottles. I can fit one better bottle and one Speidel together. The ease of cleaning and the built in handles offsets this IMO.


Thanks, pulled the trigger on 2 of them.
 
Mine arrived today. It seems to be a quality piece and I may just order another if there are any left :)

Damn, I just went to MB and they're all out...again!
 
I've got a couple of those 13 gallon tanks from that same ebay seller as well as a Speidel 30 liter. The 13 gallon ones are pretty nice. I'm using them for grain storage, but they should make fine fermenters.

I prefer the Speidels though, because of the molded threads for the spout on the bottom. It never leaks. Also the wall on the Speidel are somewhat thicker than the ebay tanks.
 
They are back in stock on MB today for those of you who missed out.
 
A quick update on our Speidel Plastic Fermenters:

We now have every size other than the 60L fermenters in stock. We're expecting to have a fair number of the 60L coming in on our next container, which we're hoping to have within the next week. If you'd like to be automatically notified when this size is available again, please click on this link, and then click the red "Email me when this item is back in stock" button. We'll send an automatic email once these have been removed from back order.

Cheers!
 
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