Speidel Fermenter and Solera

[lawbadger]

I'm thinking of starting a lambic solera and came across Speidel fermenters. After searching around the forum and MoreBeer website, it looks like Speidel Plastic Fermenters have generally gotten positive reviews. For MoreBeer site, see: http://morebeer.com/products/speidel-plastic-fermenter-60l-159-gal.html

Being able to do an initial ten gallon batch and have 3-5 gallon yearly pulls seems tempting. At least right now, a barrel is out of the question so this seems like a fairly good alternative. Does anyone have any experience or reviews on using Speidel's with sours?

 

[Matteo57]

It's an expensive solera container but I was actually thinking of the same thing as well! Nobody wants to weigh in on this? I would probably do more of an initial 13-14 gallons, maybe up to 14.5 so I would get close to the top, then let it right for a year or so then pull some off and put some back in....
Anyone? Anyone? Buller.... Buller...

 

[DoWBrewer]

I have never used them for a sour, but that is pretty much all I ferment in these days. I think they are one of the best options available.

 

[Matteo57]

I have never used them for a sour, but that is pretty much all I ferment in these days. I think they are one of the best options available.

Yeah, they are awesome, just wish they weren't so dang expensive!!

 

[Feurhund]

A little oxygen is ok for bulk aging a lambic, but from my own experiences with my spiedel I am not confident it is fully air tight. Too much O2 and you will get acetobacter and acetic acid which can get too prominent leading to vinegar.
I use a 25 gallon oak wine barrel that had the oak used up from wine aging. I also waxed the upper half to cut down on O2 exchange as well. A year in and it is tasting good from the samples.

 

[Matteo57]

Yes the 02 is what I was worries about also. I let something sit in one for about two months and I got something odd in it.... Never had an issue otherwise. I really want to get a 15-20g barrel of some kind preferably really!
Anyone know a place to get them for a decent amount?

 

[Feurhund]

Mine was from a brew club friend that was done making wine in it. If you have a local wine club or winery try them.





Here is my barrel with the stand I built. I'm adding 5 gallons of Bugfarm 6 to 20 gallons of turbid mash lambic wort.

 

[smokinghole]

I had two speidel fermentors. I don't think they'd be the best. They say they are resistant to oxygen transfer but I never got pellicles until I used a speidel. That would indicate a huge amount of oxygen compared to my other fermentors. I too a using a waxed barrel now I have an imperial stout/black ale of sorts in a 15 gallon barrel I waxed all the way except one head.

 

[Brewing_on_the_Internet]

I'm happy with these. Cheap, nice seal on the lid, thick plastic.
A guy on ebay sells them for $18. shipping is another $18 but you can buy two together. total price for two 14.5 gallon drums comes to about $54

 

[TravisT]

how about using a sankie keg? remove the guts/diptube/spear and replace it with a ruber stopper and air lock. I'v done a 10gl batch of a non sour and it worked really well. for a long term sour solara i bet it would do the job.

 

[nofootbreak]

how about using a sankie keg? remove the guts/diptube/spear and replace it with a ruber stopper and air lock. I'v done a 10gl batch of a non sour and it worked really well. for a long term sour solara i bet it would do the job.

Ive been thinking about doing this for a little while. Just trying to find some cheap or free kegs.

 

[Coff]

how about using a sankie keg? remove the guts/diptube/spear and replace it with a ruber stopper and air lock. I'v done a 10gl batch of a non sour and it worked really well. for a long term sour solara i bet it would do the job.

I'm doing exactly this right now, next month will be the 6 month mark and I am going to pull the first tasting and post about it. Take a look on my blog below.

IMO, there would be too much o2 exposure in the Spiedel but you might get away with it. I own one, and the real draw is for short fermentation beers, that racking port is too good to not use often.

 

[DoWBrewer]

While I am sure there is some oxygen uptake in a spiedel fermenter, I doubt that it is much. I would think it would be much lower than a wooden barrel. I fermented a barley wine in my Spiedel for an extended period (about 8-months). I had no issues with oxidation. I would think that as long as there is a positive pressure from the release of CO2 that you should be fine. Having said all of that, it is a risk with such a longterm project.

Worst case, if there was too much of an unwanted flavor profile, you could blend with another batch (which you should probably do anyway).

 

[FredTheNuke]

The Speidel's appear to be high quality HDPE - the kind that is thick and only passes a small amount of O2. Below is the excerpt from Wild Brews relating to heavy HDPE only passing 20 cc per year and small 10 gallon oak barrels passing 23 - AND the small barrels being acceptable for a solid brew!

 

[CadillacAndy]

how about using a sankie keg? remove the guts/diptube/spear and replace it with a ruber stopper and air lock. I'v done a 10gl batch of a non sour and it worked really well. for a long term sour solara i bet it would do the job.

I'm doing this as well. Actually just pitched last night. One of the orange carboy caps, dipped in some hot water, stretches and fits over the opening perfectly. You can purge with co2 thru one of the cap openings too.

I brewed 12 gallons last evening and have another 6 in a bucket that's been going for a week with my mixed house culture. I'm going to add the small batch to the keg and let it ride for a year.

I like the idea of using stainless over plastic or wood. I have a 60 gallon barrel Flanders Red solera going as well and the oak is pretty dominate - even with it being a well used red wine barrel. The more variables you can control, the better with this - oxygen diffusion, oak pickup, yeast/bacteria other than what you pitch, etc.

 

[TravisT]

I'm doing exactly this right now, next month will be the 6 month mark and I am going to pull the first tasting and post about it. Take a look on my blog below.

IMO, there would be too much o2 exposure in the Spiedel but you might get away with it. I own one, and the real draw is for short fermentation beers, that racking port is too good to not use often.

been reading your blog, cool stuff. It convinced me to do the same. I'm planning on filling a 60gl oak barrel next year, but a sanke keg solara i can do now.

I'm doing this as well. Actually just pitched last night. One of the orange carboy caps, dipped in some hot water, stretches and fits over the opening perfectly. You can purge with co2 thru one of the cap openings too.

I brewed 12 gallons last evening and have another 6 in a bucket that's been going for a week with my mixed house culture. I'm going to add the small batch to the keg and let it ride for a year.

I like the idea of using stainless over plastic or wood. I have a 60 gallon barrel Flanders Red solera going as well and the oak is pretty dominate - even with it being a well used red wine barrel. The more variables you can control, the better with this - oxygen diffusion, oak pickup, yeast/bacteria other than what you pitch, etc.

i was putting some thought into this and i think i will primary 10gl in carboys and secondary in a sanke keg. i have a really young golden sour that i might pitch along side to equal the 15gl sanke. this will eliminate the problem of fermenting 15gl in a 15.5gl sanke. you can never have enough sour beer. cheers