12 gallon buckets for fermentation

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

nutcase

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
154
Reaction score
2
anyone use them? I'm getting tired of making 2 separate starters and splitting my 10 gallon batches in 2 primaries. I could just make a 1-2 gallon starter and pitch the whole thing. I'm just a little worried that I won't be able to easily move that sucker to crash cool in the fridge (over 100 lbs of beer :eek:). I'm interested in hearing experiences of anyone who does this. and how they might deal with the weight factor
 
Go and get the LME containers from your LHBS. Thats what I use

DSC00523.jpg
 
My LHBS was closing them out so i got them for 2 for $5.00. They didnt just want to throw them out
 
do you guys just move them to secondarys for crash cooling?
 
attitude you crash cool in one of those? How do you move it?
 
I move mine with a whole lotta a$$, I have a 30 cu ft chest freezer that I ferment in, I step up on a crate and can only use 1 hand because it has only one handle.

I don't cold crash, the first pint or 2 has some yeast but I don't mind.

I have 3 barrels I am using and wish I would have just started out using them.

I inquired at my lhbs, but they don't get their lme in big enough containers, or didn't have any.
 
chaos- the handle supports the weight of over 10 gallons of beer without breaking?
 
chaos- the handle supports the weight of over 10 gallons of beer without breaking?

Yes, no problem.

My company does some work in water treatment, and we actually purchase acid in similar (acid grade not food grade) barrels.

15 gallons of sulfuric acid is heavier than 15 gallons of water. The acid barrels weigh in at 220lbs.

The most if have had fermenting was 12-12.5 and have had no concern with the handle stability.

I don't go throwing them around, torquing them, or otherwise abusing them. Its always a slow controlled fluid movement. The only time I use the handle is when lifting in and out of my fermentation chamber, ottherwise I use a dolly. When I clean the I fill with hot water and oxylclean and siphon off at least 50% before moving them.

I use a #13 drilled stopper in the bung hole for my airlock.
1 of my fermenters has a #11.5 stopper in the bottom, bc I pushed it through the first time I used it. I have just fermented right on top of the cake so I haven't tried to get it out yet.

I have a lefthand milk stout clone in that barrel that is getting kegged this weekend.

Another advantage, no blow-off! I have a trippel that I used 6 lbs of jaggery on and it had probably 2-3 gallons of krausen and I stillhad a few inches of head space.

My barrels are opaque like the one above, so you can see thru them slightly (better with a mag light).

The biggest issue I have encountered is racking the into my kegs, my auto siphon doesn't reach real well, I had to fashion a holder for it so that I can hold the bottom portion when I am getting down to 2-3 gallons.
 
chaos thx so much for the detailed info!:mug: I hadnt even thought about the auto-siphon issue but that seems easily remedied.
 
Did you see the article in BYO maybe 3 issues ago about modding a rubbermade 20 gallon trash can as a fermenter???

Dig it up...it is sweet!

You can have it on wheels, and use clamps to make the lid airtight, then poke a hole and add a grommet for an airlock...

This one...
1607.jpg
 
I got one from US plastics there is no LHBS around me . I found that the orange cap from my better bottle fits the small opening perfectly.
 
Back
Top