POLL: What type of fermenter do you use?

Ale Pail for primary, Better Bottles carboy for secondary, another Ale Pail with spigot for bottling.

4 plastic 6.5 ale pails. 5-3 gallon buckets 3-2 gallon buckets and 2- 2.6 gallon buckets. Got rid of all the glass.

I'm all 3 (until I find someone to buy my glass) but since the poll isn't multiple choice I chose my favorite, BBs.

I find myself using 2 plastic buckets (the 8 gallon BrewCraft to be precise) with spigots most often... but like others, I've used glass many times as well. I can't tell a difference and I really like the ease of well cared for plastic, especially for drawing samples and harvesting yeast. I also like that plastic shards can't kill me

H-ost said:

I'm all 3 (until I find someone to buy my glass) but since the poll isn't multiple choice I chose my favorite, BBs.

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I traded 2 glass carboys for a cornie a couple of weeks ago. Posted the trade idea on here and had a local taker in about 15 minutes. So glad they are gone!

Bucket for primary, glass for secondary (if needed)

I answered BB cause I have the most of those. I have and use Buckets, Glass and BBs.

"Repurposed" my buckets, now use BB's. Two sixes, two fives and a three. I'd like to have about five more three gallon better bottles for split 5-gallon batches!

I've switched to Better Bottles exclusively. I ferment downstairs from where I brew, and the lighter weight and unbreakable nature of them make it preferable to me.

My preference is to start using the Speidel fermenters, but won't be doing that until the fokkers at MoreBeer get them back in stock (argh!).

jpc said:

I've switched to Better Bottles exclusively. I ferment downstairs from where I brew, and the lighter weight and unbreakable nature of them make it preferable to me.

My preference is to start using the Speidel fermenters, but won't be doing that until the fokkers at MoreBeer get them back in stock (argh!).

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I want a 60L Speidel so bad for 10 gallon batches. Unfortunately, as soon as MoreBeer gets them in stock they sell out within hours, and I can't access that website from my State job computer. Argh...

All of the above with a plastic bucket and spigot preference. Easier to move, cheaper to replace and I can watch my bubbler for fermentation action although listening is easier.

BUCKET

anyone who needs to "see" their beer can just hang a sign that says "NOOB" around their neck.

cheezydemon3 said:

BUCKET

anyone who needs to "see" their beer can just hang a sign that says "NOOB" around their neck.

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You're missing a lot of fun there cheeze.

Look at these beauties. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/pellicle-photo-collection-174033/

I don't even have time to watch TV!!!!lol.

also dry hopping, or throwing whatever in secondary (or after primary) is easire with a bucket. Clean up is easier (I know, soak it overnight BUT I DON'T WANT TO)

Buckets are it for me.

Three buckets. Broke my glass carboy after its first use while cleaning. Might get a BB someday so I can watch the fun.

BBs..

Cornnies for primary, better bottles for the occasional secondary and / or aging.

All glass carboys.

cheezydemon3 said:

I don't even have time to watch TV!!!!lol.

also dry hopping, or throwing whatever in secondary (or after primary) is easire with a bucket. Clean up is easier (I know, soak it overnight BUT I DON'T WANT TO)

Buckets are it for me.

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I can see how they would be easier to clean and add stuff to. I've never used one though.

Glass and Stainless. 6.5 gallon carboys for most batches, stainless conical when I intend to harvest yeast, and sanke kegs for double batches.


Keyth

Sanke kegs are the only way to go if you brew 10+ gallons at a time!!
Pros-
1. Stainless....virtually indestructible
2.Push beer out using C02....less chance of oxidation
3. Light can't get in
4. Easy to clean....build a cheap keg washer and it is just as easy as cleaning a carboy
5. Easy to sanitize.....to be on the safe side I boil some water in mine......nothing sanitizes better than steam..in fact you are actually sterilizing. When the water cools I add star-san.
Cons
6. Relatively cheap...
1. Heavy when full.....if you plan your fermentation chamber out right not a big deal. You can put it on a furniture dolly to wheel around

I have both glass carboys and buckets. If a bucket is free I will use that over the carboy any day. Buckets are easy to move around, easy to clean, they are cheap, and best of all they do not break.

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

Mostly glass carboys but i have a bucket for wine/mead.

amandabab said:

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

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Some of us have that problem-- we just do stupid things. Like smacking the carboy into the edge of the sink, or having it slip out of one's hands when they are well-lubricated with cleaning solution.

I've seen far too many pictures here of what can happen when the unexpected occurs, and much prefer plastic to glass. I've been using plastic for about 100 batches with no ill effects, and will continue to do so. I'm sure I would have broken at least one glass carboy in that same time.

For my beers, it's all converted sanke kegs. For my other fermentations, most of the time it's other converted sanke kegs (smaller). I do still have one or two better bottle carboys, but those are used infrequently at best (maybe once a year). I simply have enough converted kegs to have what I want fermenting, or aging, going. I even have a couple of 25L kegs for aging bigger brews. The 50L keg is for my 10-12 gallon batches. :rockin:

Buckets Rule...Buckets Forever!

amandabab said:

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

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I'm sure we can all agree that accidents are stupid, for what that's worth. And, unfortunately, accidents are inevitable.

I don't believe in accidents. Mishaps yes. There is generally a difference.

2 gallon buckets, splitting batches all the time every time!

Dan said:

I don't believe in accidents. Mishaps yes. There is generally a difference.

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I may choose not to believe in cancer, either, but it seems people die from it. Oh, and I don't believe in failure. It's only a disguised step on the road to success. So, sage, without getting all Hallmarky, what IS the difference between accidents and mishaps?

passedpawn said:

I can see how they would be easier to clean and add stuff to. I've never used one though.

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I lied. I have now primaried and secondaried in a corny. Very bucket like, with the added value of gas transfer.

My last batch sat in the corny 4 months....(long story)...it had MOLD!!!

I transferred to another corny, deluding myself into believing it was leaving all mold behind.

It turned out great!!!!"

How much anxiety did I save myself not seeing the beer until absolutely necessary?

Thank you corny keg! I'll never look at my beer again!

cheezydemon3 said:

I lied. I have now primaried and secondaried in a corny. Very bucket like, with the added value of gas transfer.

My last batch sat in the corny 4 months....(long story)...it had MOLD!!!

I transferred to another corny, deluding myself into believing it was leaving all mold behind.

It turned out great!!!!"

How much anxiety did I save myself not seeing the beer until absolutely necessary?

Thank you corny keg! I'll never look at my beer again!

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I didn't even know you brewed beer?!

Glass, Plastic and Stainless Conical. Am my preference is in the reverse order! Never had a problem with sanitation for plastic but always scared gonna break glass.

All buckets, all the time - other than long secondaries for big beers (which go in glass carboys). Have some V-vessels that I don't use anymore.

cheezydemon3 said:

BUCKET

anyone who needs to "see" their beer can just hang a sign that says "NOOB" around their neck.

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<------ NOOB

I don't get anxious about my beer unless it comes to blending a three-year gueuze project. I prefer visual data to augment physical measurements. Lag time to kraeusen formation. Time to kraeusen collapse. Clarity. I like to track these things so that I can correlate changes in flavor in a tried and true recipe back to some anomalous event or process error, eliminating the guesswork. It also tells when me to take measurements such as FG - if the beer is still cloudy, there's no need to disturb it... But to each their own. I am pretty content to ferment in conicals or buckets when I need to. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.

I don't need to see my beer fermenting. I don't need to brew my beer. I like to do both.

Bucket then Glass

3 Mr Beer LBK's. 2 for fermenting, the other for batch priming