Plastic Big Mouth Bubbler

I saw that Midwest is advertising a new plastic version of the Big Mouth Bubbler in the latest BYO issue. I know a lot of people were asking for the Big Mouth to be made in plastic and it looks like they listened. These plastic Bubblers appear to be taller and more narrow than the glass version. As long as they're not too tall this might be a nice feature to fit multiple fermenters inside a fermentation chamber.

I primarily use Better Bottles so this new plastic Big Mouth Bubbler has caught my interest. I haven't seen it show up on any of the online retail sites yet.

Interested as well depending on price. I switched from glass to buckets since I have to carry my wort from the garage downstairs through a finished basement.

This would be fantastic! I am afraid of the glass ones for some reason but I've wanted one all the same.

you guys don't worry about scratching the plastic and getting bacteria in the scratches?
I switched to all glass for that reason?

but i saw that too right when i was getting ready to buy a glass big mouth - now i don't know which way to go...

Leukass said:

you guys don't worry about scratching the plastic and getting bacteria in the scratches?
I switched to all glass for that reason?

but i saw that too right when i was getting ready to buy a glass big mouth - now i don't know which way to go...

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Not at all. If you scratch a Better Bottle or the newer varieties you are doing something wrong in the cleaning process. I am close to 3 years and have no intention of retiring any of mine.

Carboy brushes are a no-no. A soak in Oxyclean then rinse, insert a washcloth and swirl, rinse more and done. It takes longest to fill with water/Oxyclean. Rinsing takes about 10 minutes.

I will never own glass because, IMO, it is far to risky.

I'd be very interested in this. Anyone want to scan the ad and get it on here?

passedpawn said:

I'd be very interested in this. Anyone want to scan the ad and get it on here?

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Here you go. I want 2. Now. hoping they're priced a bit better than the glass though.

how do you buy one?

I switched to buckets after I had 2 better bottles that would not come clean no matter what I soaked in there.

I would be interested in these if the price is reasonable.

so did anyone call midwest about them yet?

Must have. I looked/searched the midwest site with no luck. Waaahhh.

I want these too. I use better bottles right now but they can be a pain to clean. With a plastic big mouth you could get those tricky spots so much easier.

Just called. Guess they are closed. Will call tomorrow.

Leukass said:

you guys don't worry about scratching the plastic and getting bacteria in the scratches?

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Not at all, I can read the instructions and don't use cleaning methods that will harm the plastic. Regardless I'd rather toss a cheap piece of equipment and mitigate the risk of injuring myself with broken glass.

One of these might be interesting if I do more secondaries with fruit larger than cherries.

I don't understand why they don't make the outside smooth or at least similar to the glass version. Some people use heat tape to control fermentation temps which needs a relatively flat surface. This plastic version will never work in that application unless you use a really narrow piece of heat tape and wrap the smooth, center portion. Hopefully that's just a prototype picture and they end up smooth.

following...

I called. Unknown eta. Likely soon. But unknown.

these are on the northern brewer website and in stock. rocking.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...uth-bubbler-6-5-gallon-plastic-fermentor.html

$30 buh. Hm. Double Hm. I think I want.

kevink said:

I don't understand why they don't make the outside smooth or at least similar to the glass version. Some people use heat tape to control fermentation temps which needs a relatively flat surface. This plastic version will never work in that application unless you use a really narrow piece of heat tape and wrap the smooth, center portion. Hopefully that's just a prototype picture and they end up smooth.

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I imagine some of the indentations are strengthening gusset-ish design. The silly rough marbling is just...weird. I mean, are they TRYING to build areas that krausen will move into and make it fun to clean?

$50 if you add the harness which looks necessary. I want one.

They use standard carboy stoppers? I have a ton of them already

what is the point? its just a fancy bucket if its made of plastic. the glass better bottle is glass, which makes it different.

want a bucket style plastic fermenter with a twist off lid? throw a gamma seal lid on your bucket. done for less than half the cost of one of these.

Northern brewer already sold out. That didn't take long.


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I'll consider it when they make a ported version. I've got 3 ported Better Bottles and couldn't be happier...except for the price of the valve assembly. A less expensive alternative (and please note that I said "less expensive", not "cheaper") would be VERY welcome.

want a bucket style plastic fermenter with a twist off lid? throw a gamma seal lid on your bucket. done for less than half the cost of one of these.

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Just FYI, I had a gamma seal on a couple of my fermenters.....I just took the rings off and noticed a nice crusted gunk-ring all the way up underneath where the gamma ring sat.

JoeSpartaNJ said:

Northern brewer already sold out. That didn't take long.


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I put one in a cart last night, I waited so I could buy from my computer and not my cell phone...bummer. I hope they're in stock again soon.

Thedutchtouch said:

what is the point? its just a fancy bucket if its made of plastic. the glass better bottle is glass, which makes it different.

want a bucket style plastic fermenter with a twist off lid? throw a gamma seal lid on your bucket. done for less than half the cost of one of these.

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??? AFAIK Better Bottle only makes PET bottles. Plastic not glass.

How do you clean the under side of the ring that stays attached to the bucket?
I find the ring almost impossible to remove without damaging it.

I prefer Better Bottles and find them even easier to clean than my buckets. Oxyclean soak, rinse, insert a washcloth and a quart of hot water and swirl, rinse more and done. Maybe ten minutes after the soak.

If I ever start adding stuff that makes the wide mouth desirable I would certainly want one. I like that it is 6.5 instead of 6 gallons.

For me, I went to buckets for cease of cleaning. I do still miss watching things happen in there.

Midwest has them but by the time you add shopping, not worth it. If my LHBS eventually gets them, I may pick one up.


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JoeSpartaNJ said:

For me, I went to buckets for cease of cleaning. I do still miss watching things happen in there.

Midwest has them but by the time you add shopping, not worth it. If my LHBS eventually gets them, I may pick one up.


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I agree with your entire post. I had two in my cart and $13 shipping kills the deal for me right now

JoeSpartaNJ said:

For me, I went to buckets for cease of cleaning. I do still miss watching things happen in there.

Midwest has them but by the time you add shopping, not worth it. If my LHBS eventually gets them, I may pick one up.


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30Bones said:

I agree with your entire post. I had two in my cart and $13 shipping kills the deal for me right now

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This. I got an email, ran over there and $13 shipping kills it. Sounds so much worse than $7.99 to me.
Then I went back to Northern Brewer and they show back in stock. I continue to give them my business for things that I cannot get locally. Based on what my LHBS said, they won't have these for some time as they're still having issues getting the glass ones. I realize it is a fancy bucket with a $20 harness (which is $10 too much already) but I want one so now I have one coming. I really hope the harness prices come down to where the ones for the BB are. I like having multiple ones for my multiple Better Bottles and "Bubblers".

NB Is $7.99 flat rate shipping. I just ordered 2

I'm still doing fine with my buckets for now, but if I need a new fermentor, I might go with one of these. $20 for the harness seems excessive, though.

Kurtosis said:

I'm still doing fine with my buckets for now, but if I need a new fermentor, I might go with one of these. $20 for the harness seems excessive, though /

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I am not getting rid of my buckets. I like to get gamma lids and use those to get my grain at the lhbs. This way I don't have to mess with those f'ing brown bags. I mill my grain directly into my bucket, close it up tight and all is right in the world. Gamma lids can be had for around $10-$13 depending upon color it seems.

One bucket will be retired and the second one will be used probably until I replace that with a plastic big mouth. I only ordered one to ensure I was in love with the idea of them. Just not a fan of the harness price but I feel it is necessary. Not sure how I'd manage lifting this with the short and wide neck.

I ordered 2 of the 6.5 gallon last night


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Just got an email from Northern Brewer, my plastic bubblers not shipping until the 30th


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Leukass said:

Just got an email from Northern Brewer, my plastic bubblers not shipping until the 30th


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Yeah me too. I also ordered a firestone liquid post that I really wanted to make a DIY beer line cleaner but I opted to let them hold it all until it ships. I was bummed, they said they were in stock but that is okay.

I am fine with the delay, but if the charge my card today that will irritate me.

They just sent a email blast out- that is kind if annoying if they don't have them in stock


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Wish these had been available when I decided to trash my glass carboys and switch to NB plastic bubbler bottles. Bought 3 of those just a few months ago. Oh well, had to buy at least 1 new big mouth to compare. Can't wait to check it out.