Plastic Conicals

I've been thinking about procuring a couple of these...

- Plastic-Mart -

...5 gal HDPE conicals from Plastic Mart for primary fermenters. The next size up is 10 gallons, but since I am doing 5 gallon batches, that seems excessive headspace.

So my question is this - for 5 gallon batches, which would be better, the 5 or the 10 gallon conicals? In one case possibly too little headspace, in the other possibly to much. Any opinions?

 

Head space is pretty desirable for primary fermentation. Prevents blow off and the resulting mess. The whole thing with head space is you want the least surface area exposed to air - but in primary the beer puts off so much co2 that any air in the conical will get pushed out. Most/A lot use 7+ gallon buckets for their 5 gallon batches. Others use 6-6.5 carboys. 5 gallons will lead to a lot of blow off loss in a 5 gallon batch.

I'd say get the 10 gallon if you can swing it.

 

I say get the 10 gallon and move up to 7 gallon batches.

 

wow. thanks for the link! i think i need to get one of those 15 gallon ones for 10gallon fermenting!

i would go with the 10g for 5g batches by the way.

 

I'd like a 4 gallon for 2.5 gallon batches, but the price is too high for me. I'm cheap. It would be cool though. Just add a spigot or two.

 

Ya know what one of these plastics manufacturers need to do? Find a certain brand or two of mini fridge and create a 10 gal that will take the hump into consideration!

Like a "7" shape, that allows the door to close ! I want 2 !

 

Ha, that's funny you mention that because I was just looking at these tanks for that exact purpose. I have the Sanyo 4912 and I'm 90% sure this tank will fit in there.

- Plastic-Mart -

I've measured before for this purpose. I need to remeasure when I get home.

I'm pretty sure this one would fit too.

- Plastic-Mart -

 

Well 10 gallons it is. And the 7 gallon batch idea is intriguing. I am pretty sure that if you fabricated the stand properly, one of these would definitely fit into a mini fridge. Whether there would be sufficient room in there for a heater is questionable, so maybe it wouldn't be best for attenuation, but the cooling would work great for conditioning and cold-crash.

 

If you used a dual stage control, a simple heating pad taped to the side of that fermenter, or a brew belt, would provide the heat.

 

Totally valid point.

New plan - Kenmore Mini Fridge, 10 gallon HDPE conical, heating pad, dual stage controller (Love brand, in all likelihood).

Everybody needs one of these.

 

I have them here as well:
Ace Specialty Rinse Tanks
Plus, if you use the code HOMEBREW at checkout, you get another 5%off.
Good luck!

 

do you have bigger ones? the biggest i saw on your link was 10g

 

Yeah, they do I have been debating on one for a long time now (2 years)

Tank Depot Search

This is the one I have been eyeing, 15 gallon full drain
http://www.tank-depot.com/productdetails.aspx?part=A-INFD15-19

 

Go big or go home, boys...
- Plastic-Mart 11,500 gallons -

 

Just google "inductor tanks" and you will find a better price and different sizes

 

And with that size you would need a group brew the size of all of HBT to put it together!

 

no one knows of a 7.5 ish gallon inductor tank yet do they?

i have seen alot of these threads pop up and i havent seen anyone that has come across a 7-8 gallon that would be perfect for 5g batches.