Big Mouth Bubbler-Plastic - Any Good?
- Thread starter Jiffster
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
actionjackson905
I brew what I like to drink. Don't tell me I cant.
I just bought one to lager in. Works great, kinda like a carboy/bucket in one.
FatCat11cz
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2015
- Messages
- 86
- Reaction score
- 9
Yup. Replaced most of my buckets with these. I have 4 bmb all with carrying straps. Still use my old buckets for holding milled grain, or sanitized items. I love them. Treat them well, the plastic is thinner than a bucket, but still tuff. Love the volume markings as well.
WarrynPeace
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2014
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 6
I have a glass, not plastic, one. I love it. Much easier to clean and take hydrometer readings with. I love it.
Do you just take a hydrometer reading right in the fermenter?
KartRacer54
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, stay away from glass! The plastics are great, easy to clean! Have 5 would purchase again if needing more fermentation vessels.
WarrynPeace
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2014
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 6
Yes, just screw the lid off and put the sanitized hydrometer right in there.
filthyastronaut
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2015
- Messages
- 529
- Reaction score
- 152
I bought a 6.5 siphonless at their introductory price, plus 10 percent off. Decent deal, my original plan was to use carb tabs and bottle straight from the carboy, but I barely ever use it for transferring, let alone bottling. I don't trust the spigot enough to not introduce infections, and the one time I used it despite the trub being underneath the port, the suction pulled a lot of sediment with it. Took a long time to clear in the bottle. An autosiphon is better for minimal sediment into the bucket.
Still, less fragile, volume markers, and the wide mouth made it a worthwhile purchase. I just wouldn't bother getting it ported.
Still, less fragile, volume markers, and the wide mouth made it a worthwhile purchase. I just wouldn't bother getting it ported.
svenness
Well-Known Member
I have one of each style of plastic and love them both. They are so easy to clean and you can sanitize most of your equipment in it while you brew! Plus the periodic bloody glass carboy accident pictures on here were freaking me out.
My first one requires some effort to get it screwed on tight enough to form a good seal. That said when I cold crash the bottle collapses on itself a bit indicating that the seal is holding.
My first one requires some effort to get it screwed on tight enough to form a good seal. That said when I cold crash the bottle collapses on itself a bit indicating that the seal is holding.
Dr_Horrible
Well-Known Member
I've seen some bad reviews about its inability to create an airtight seal. If it doesn't seal properly, then it is effectively useless?
I have one, seals fine, maybe I got lucky. Big mouth is convienient.
Personal choice, but I would not buy one with a tap on it.
I still prefer my 35 year old fermenters, but eventually they will need replacing. I will happily replace them with these.
Personal choice, but I would not buy one with a tap on it.
I still prefer my 35 year old fermenters, but eventually they will need replacing. I will happily replace them with these.
I'm sure somebody will correct me but I'm not sure it's that critical. You want to avoid letting bad stuff in but how is some funky microbe going to get past the screw top? Plus, fur the most part you will have fermentation pushing out of the carboy. After fermentation is over the pushing stops but it doesn't just switch to sucking in air unless you cold crash it and build negative pressure.
I suppose without a perfect seal there is a chance and zero chance of infection is better than some chance. But I'm not sure it's enough to worry about.
Fwiw I have used plastic better bottles for years and love them. Had these been around I might have bought them instead.
chisena
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,170
- Reaction score
- 231
I have been using both glass and plastic models for about a year. The benefits far out way any negatives in my experience. The only complaint I have is the screw cap on the glass one doesn't thread on very well. Screw to hard and it skips a thread and gets loose again.
Most plastic buckets don't have a good airtight seal but seem to work fine for the vast majority of people who use them. I view my BMB in much the same way as a bucket, in that it will keep any physical contaminants out but not prevent the free exchange of gas. Since mine doesn't seal I'm more worried about exposing my beer to excess oxygen. I used it a few times for primary fermentation and never experienced any infection problems.
I currently use a 6 gallon PET carboy that seals perfectly with a rubber stopper. The opening is a bit larger than a standard glass carboy and it's also lighter than it's glass counterpart. The only downside is that the opening isn't big enough to reach into so you can't wipe it down from the inside, you have to use an alkaline cleaner like PBW.
chisena
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,170
- Reaction score
- 231
You gotta remember that if you are gentle with your active fermentations, I nice pillow of CO2 should remain above your beer and protect it quite well. Being heavier than air, it creates an excellent protective barrier.
If it's exposed to the atmosphere (i.e. not sealed) the CO2 will be driven to an equal concentration with the surrounding atmosphere. It's why a coke bottle will go flat a day or two after you open it even though the lid is on tight enough to prevent liquid from leaking out.
chisena
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,170
- Reaction score
- 231
If this were true, we'd all be dead.
brb let me get my ladder so i can breath o2 cause blanket of co2 is on the ground.
gasses don't stratify.
frydaddy81
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2015
- Messages
- 67
- Reaction score
- 3
I have a couple Big Mouth Bubblers and i love them. Easier to sanitize and safer to work with. I also like being able to take gravity readings by dropping a sanitized hydrometer in the the top.
I have 4 (Midwest had a deal of buy 4 for the price of 3...) and I love them all. Yes, there is no airtight seal but I don't use mine for long-term aging.
Pros: Dryhopping is easy. Gravity samples are easy. Carrying is easy (I use the same brew hauler I bought for my 6.5gal glass carboy). No breakage risk.
Cons: less than airtight seal.
I've done 6 batches and have 3 more fermenting/waiting for transfer right now and have not had any off flavors or infections. I would gladly buy 4 more if I needed them.
Do it.
Pros: Dryhopping is easy. Gravity samples are easy. Carrying is easy (I use the same brew hauler I bought for my 6.5gal glass carboy). No breakage risk.
Cons: less than airtight seal.
I've done 6 batches and have 3 more fermenting/waiting for transfer right now and have not had any off flavors or infections. I would gladly buy 4 more if I needed them.
Do it.
lol i quoted the wrong post. dont get all worked up man. there i fixed it
HAHA at least i'm not ignorant.
Munster51
Well-Known Member
I have several BMBers that I use. I have not had an issue with them being airtight. But then again, I make sure after seeing signs of active fermentation that I give the lids a quick check to make sure they are on tight.
chisena
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,170
- Reaction score
- 231
Post #4
Post #35
WTF cgfjy?! You did this on one of my post too in another thread....
Post #35
I have two. They work good. Easy to clean and light.
WTF cgfjy?! You did this on one of my post too in another thread....
Last edited:
