Brew Cube Reviews?

Austin HB is selling a 'Brew Cube', for less than $50. Anyone used one? Would be nice to ferment 10g all at one go. I don't think I'm too worried about scratches b/c I can simply be super careful with the interiors.

Thoughts?

you don't need to worry about scratches if you practice proper sanitation.

I've seen people use it for grain storage. I'm sure you could ferment in it. It's the standard vittles vault, which is less with free shipping off amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJOOI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

you don't need to worry about scratches if you practice proper sanitation.

Click to expand...

The dominant theory is that scratches make proper sanitation nearly impossible to guarantee. Obviously a light scuff is less likely to hide an infection than a deep gouge. The thinking goes that the scratches prevent the sanitizer from reaching all of the bacteria and over a 3 week fermentation you get enough beasties to ruin the flavor of the beer.
If you're practicing the no-chill method often associated with 'cubes it might not be as much of an issue, but still something to be aware of. I also have no experience with no-chill so don't blame me if your brew gets infected.

Pelipen - Vittle Vault? No ****? Sweet, should be cheaper and easier to source that way.

Eastoak - The scratches would/might come from aggressive cleaning.

Leithoa - Looking at this b/c they look like they would be a better use of space in a fermentation fridge. So no chill is a no-no in my book.

I find that the 15 gallon food grade blue plastic barrels do a fine job if you want to ferment 10-12 gallons at a time. Easier to move around than a vittles vault, too.


EDIT: I suppose you don't have to get the blue ones, but I got mine for free which are blue...there are also white ones around.

EDIT 2: Here is what I'm talking about:

Delex 15 Gallon Closed Top Container

Leithoa said:

The dominant theory is that scratches make proper sanitation nearly impossible to guarantee. Obviously a light scuff is less likely to hide an infection than a deep gouge. The thinking goes that the scratches prevent the sanitizer from reaching all of the bacteria and over a 3 week fermentation you get enough beasties to ruin the flavor of the beer.
If you're practicing the no-chill method often associated with 'cubes it might not be as much of an issue, but still something to be aware of. I also have no experience with no-chill so don't blame me if your brew gets infected.

Click to expand...

i hear you and i agree that it's really only a gouge that might be a problem. all of my plastic fermentors are scratched, i ferment both sour beer and sacc yeast beer in all of my fermentors without ever having a cross contamination. the reason i started doing this was to see if there are bugs that can hide from proper sanitation, so far i have not found them. i'm not disputing that cross contamination or infections in general can happen, what i'm arguing against is the idea that a scratch is a death sentence for a plastic fermentor. many times people have posted an infected beer on these boards and the prevailing advice has been "throw out the bucket and all other plastics"

anyway, this is the wrong thread for my rant

weirdboy said:

I find that the 15 gallon food grade blue plastic barrels do a fine job if you want to ferment 10-12 gallons at a time. Easier to move around than a vittles vault, too.


EDIT: I suppose you don't have to get the blue ones, but I got mine for free which are blue...there are also white ones around.

EDIT 2: Here is what I'm talking about:

Delex 15 Gallon Closed Top Container

Click to expand...

What do you use to siphon the beer out? Seems taller than an auto siphon.

I haven't used an autosiphon in probably two or three years. I still have one someplace. A regular racking cane works, although you have to tilt the fermenter as you drain it...but I do that anyway even when I'm using a bucket.

I have one I use for ten gallon batches. Works fine.

Aight. Those blue drums are awesome, and here's why: First, buy the open top type drums as opposed to the closed lid drums (as mentioned by Wierdguy). Second, Leithoa, buy sanitary food grade DRUM LINERS. The liners for 50g drums (as I know from experience) are about $2.50 each.

Now you have a totally sanitary environment each brew, a completely open top so you can get right in there if you need to, standard fittings onto which you can fasten all kind of cool things. On our 55g blue drums, we do it exactly like this, and use a fitting we've hooked up to our co2 tank to push in, which we "siphon" out from a pex dip tube on the other side to an outlet which then goes into a kegs or whatever you have.

We're already sourced the drums and liners; they're on order. Once receive them, we'll use them at first for sample brews, and once we get a workable transfer "system", we'll probably be selling the whole thing retail to customers -- if you're like most of y'all here, you can source the parts and hacker it together yourselves...either way, it's really a GREAT way to do up to 15g batches (typical home brew) with easier to clean containers.

We're simply tired of getting spoiled fermentations in some kegs we've been using, and we're ready to pay a little more per batch to ensure total annihilation of all criters! Cheers.

I have a question about the Vittles Vault containers. I recently purchased one to start making larger batches and it has a very strong plasticy off gassing smell that I can not get rid of. The manufacturers website says that it is harmless and that it will dissipate but im concerned about the first few batches and picking up any kind of off flavor or aroma. I have tried washing with PBW, bleach solution, dish soap, and its still there.

Anyone else have this problem and notice anything in their beers?

Thanks

weirdboy said:

I find that the 15 gallon food grade blue plastic barrels do a fine job if you want to ferment 10-12 gallons at a time. Easier to move around than a vittles vault, too.


EDIT: I suppose you don't have to get the blue ones, but I got mine for free which are blue...there are also white ones around.

EDIT 2: Here is what I'm talking about:

Delex 15 Gallon Closed Top Container

Click to expand...

Do you know the exact dimensions on these drums?

After I couple more minutes of searching I think they are 14x26 is that correct?

Thanks

Leithoa said:

The dominant theory is that scratches make proper sanitation nearly impossible to guarantee.

Click to expand...

Dominant theories are often garbage. If you are worried, you can presanitize with bleach solution, rinse, then use a no-rinse. It will be dead. It will all be dead.

fearwig said:

Dominant theories are often garbage. If you are worried, you can presanitize with bleach solution, rinse, then use a no-rinse. It will be dead. It will all be dead.

Click to expand...

+1 If plastic were so prone to scratching/harboring infection-causing bacteria, I doubt plastic buckets would be so prolific in homebrewing as they are. I've used the same two plastic buckets for most of my brewing career, zero infections.

If you practice reasonable sanitation practices and are reasonably careful with your equip, you shouldn't have an issue with plastic buckets/carboys/conicals/cubes/etc.

@Fearwig
The concern with scratches is that there is not enough surface area to allow sanitizers to act on bacteria and contaminants. Especially in the 60s exposure of no rinse sanitizers. Hot caustics or long bleach soaks will likely kill everything, or at least weaken them to allow for yeast to take hold. The 'dominant theory' as you say is directed at the typical weekend brewer who may take shortcuts or be less vigilant in their efforts.

12 bucks for a new bucket vs losing +$15 in ingredients and a few hours of work. For most people the cost of replacing a bucket is worth the peace of mind.

The concern isn't totally nonsensical but it's vastly overstated, and it's made worse by the fact that the people who distribute this advice are often the people trying to sell you something made of glass or SS for 1000-2000% the cost of a food grade bucket. And then the people who repeat it already bought six carboys for $300 and are invested in their choice. The weekend brewer, especially the first-time brewer, is amazingly susceptible to this pitch. If they weren't, most brewers probably wouldn't know what an airlock is.

There are plenty of opportunities for a homebrewer to contaminate their batch outside of container sanitation, which is really pretty straightforward. I think exposure to grain dust or kitchen contaminants are probably #1 and #2 (in whichever order), and those are mostly coming from your hands, clothes and tools, not things you already sanitized. It's better practice to simply sanitize your equipment properly--don't just leave it in Star San for 30 seconds, go make a sandwich and come back. Then you can focus on real contamination concerns instead of dreaming about the microscopic crevices in your fermenter, so small sanitizer can't penetrate.

Brewing is not a sterile hobby, it is a sanitary one. It takes (relatively) big, established colonies of contaminants to overcome yeast. If you want to see sterile, grow mushrooms.

I'm using those blue drums,they work great. Actually closer to 17 gal to the top, they'll ferment 15 gal batches just fine. I have started making 10 gallon batches with higher gravity, and then adding water to hit my final SG@15 gal. EG to make 15 gal of 1.044 wort, make 10 gal of 1.066 and top off with 5 gal, voila 15 gal of 1.044. Great for making LARGE amounts of quaffable beer.

ETA - 15 gal REQUIRES a blow off. Wasn't paying too much attention and put my 3 no-chill cubes in....forgot they're over 5 gal....over flowed a bit. Doh! 15 gal is right on the raised ring on the top.