About to give up!

[Mutt98]

Anybody else ever feel like piling all your stuff up and setting it ablaze?

 

[worlddivides]

Not recently, but there have been a few times (a full glass carboy shattering, a full batch getting infected, bottle bombs, etc. etc.). I can imagine how frustrating that must have felt to find. Mind telling us the story of what happened there?

 

[mac_1103]

Blow off tubes. Shop vac.

 

[Mutt98]

Not recently, but there have been a few times (a full glass carboy shattering, a full batch getting infected, bottle bombs, etc. etc.). I can imagine how frustrating that must have felt to find. Mind telling us the story of what happened there?

Apparently the valve on one of the fermonsters was cracked. Once I kegged what I had I went to investigate and it broke off in my hand with minimal force. Ended up losing a bit during the kegging process as well as it was pouring out the bottom. Ended up with about half a batch. Probably wouldn’t have been as upset, but this going to a festival, and I hate being short.

 

[worlddivides]

I guess on the bright side, it could have been a lot worse. You still got half of the batch, so there's that. Still sounds pretty frustrating, though.

 

[Mutt98]

I guess on the bright side, it could have been a lot worse. You still got half of the batch, so there's that. Still sounds pretty frustrating, though.

Definitely could have been worse. My last two brew days have gone very well, so I’m guessing the universe had to even the score just a little bit. Don’t want me getting too much confidence

 

[Broken Crow]

Ended up losing a bit during the kegging process

Deepest sympathy! Since you have CO2 gear, maybe its time to consider the spigot-free fermonster and fully closed transfers with a floating diptube?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...lete-closed-transfer-system-for-cheap.680992/
I know it doesn't help right now, but whenever I've encountered disaster I've chosen to embrace it as a challenge to improve and future-proof.
Hope it still turns out ok,

 

[Mutt98]

Deepest sympathy! Since you have CO2 gear, maybe its time to consider the spigot-free fermonster and fully closed transfers with a floating diptube?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...lete-closed-transfer-system-for-cheap.680992/
I know it doesn't help right now, but whenever I've encountered disaster I've chosen to embrace it as a challenge to improve and future-proof.
Hope it still turns out ok,

I actually have one setup for that. This beer was going to get turned around and consumed within two weeks so I decided not to use up the CO2 since I wasn’t too worried about long term oxidation issues. I added a conical unitank to the shopping cart this morning during my frustration. But didn’t pull the trigger

 

[Skeeter686]

I think everyone has one of those days. I've had a couple recently, myself. They aren't fun at the time, but after a couple weeks, I'm now laughing about a recent mess.

 

[fluketamer]

plus one on the shop vac. they are great to have around
and these days pretty cheap on amazon etc.

 

[crazyjake19]

Stop using plastic fermenters. I've never had a keg leak.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I know it doesn't help right now, but whenever I've encountered disaster I've chosen to embrace it as a challenge to improve and future-proof.
Hope it still turns out ok,

Exactly! The 14 gallon Chapman fermenter that wouldn’t hold enough pressure to push gas out the blow off was replaced with a kegmenter; that thing is a TANK!

 

[BrewZer]

Stop using plastic fermenters. I've never had a keg leak.

15 years now with no leaks, cracks or spills...

 

[crazyjake19]

15 years now with no leaks, cracks or spills...
View attachment 858656

Good advice is free, but you don't need to take it. I can't think of a single way in which plastic fermenters are superior to stainless.

 

[mac_1103]

I can't think of a single way in which plastic fermenters are superior to stainless.

You can see inside. Plus, they're generally a lot cheaper.

 

[Skeeter686]

You can see inside. Plus, they're generally a lot cheaper.

I was going to say exactly this. I love my shiny fermenter, but I miss being able to watch my pet yeast.

 

[crazyjake19]

You can see inside. Plus, they're generally a lot cheaper.

There's no reason to see inside a fermenter and light ingress is a detriment, not an advantage.

All my corny kegs were $10-20 each. A 5 gallon PET carboy is $25-30.

 

[Skeeter686]

There's no reason to see inside a fermenter and light ingress is a detriment, not an advantage.

All my corny kegs were $10-20 each. A 5 gallon PET carboy is $25-30.

I'm thinking that you picked up those cornies a while ago.

 

[mac_1103]

All my corny kegs were $10-20 each.

I'm thinking that you picked up those cornies a while ago.

Yeah, try getting one (that doesn't leak) for less than fifty bucks nowadays.

light ingress is a detriment

Who says a clear fermenter can't be protected from light 99% of the time? I take a couple of peaks during fermentation; I don't sit and stare at it for hours.

 

[crazyjake19]

I'm thinking that you picked up those cornies a while ago.

They were all used, if you couldn't pick up on that. Some purchased each year over the last 7 years.

 

[crazyjake19]

Yeah, try getting one (that doesn't leak) for less than fifty bucks nowadays.

Who says a clear fermenter can't be protected from light 99% of the time? I take a couple of peaks during fermentation; I don't sit and stare at it for hours.

All the kegs I've bought over the last 3-4 years were $20 at the most, some less. If you're buying new kegs then sure you're going to spend more.

And being able to look into your fermenter improves your beer quality by exactly 0%. Ever wonder why commercial breweries use stainless conical fermenters instead of giant carboys?

 

[day_trippr]

Ever wonder why commercial breweries use stainless conical fermenters instead of giant carboys?

Do better.

 

[mac_1103]

Some purchased each year over the last 7 years.

$10-20 for a 5 gallon keg in the past year is pretty surprising. I got four pinlocks, two racetracks and a cold plate jockey box for $60 a little over a year ago. But everything was filthy and the kegs all needed a lot of new parts before they would hold pressure. OTOH I also picked up a 10 gallon Blichmann G1 that looked like it had been used maybe three times for free, so it's certainly possible to get lucky.

 

[mac_1103]

All the kegs I've bought over the last 3-4 years were $20 at the most, some less. If you're buying new kegs then sure you're going to spend more.

I'm not talking new, I'm talking Craiglist, eBay, etc. $40 is a good price for used these days. Lots of people are asking $60. You should be more appreciative of your good fortune. Most folks aren't nearly that lucky finding such deals.

And being able to look into your fermenter improves your beer quality by exactly 0%.

It's fun. Which is a big part of why most of us brew.

 

[Skeeter686]

And being able to look into your fermenter improves your beer quality by exactly 0%.

I never claimed it improved my beer. I just really enjoyed taking a peek and seeing the "invisible hand" stirring my wort.

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has been known to talk to my yeast. Or maybe I am... my wife sometimes tells me I'm a bit odd.

 

[crazyjake19]

Do better.

Better than stainless? Enlighten me.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[Yesfan]

I never claimed it improved my beer. I just really enjoyed taking a peek and seeing the "invisible hand" stirring my wort...

Same here. Clear fermenters are like lava lamps for drunks...............

 

[Yesfan]

Anybody else ever feel like piling all your stuff up and setting it ablaze?

Going back to the topic......


I've felt like that many times. In your case, at least your keezer kept everything contained. That could have been a lot worse.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Not that it really means anything, but I bought 3 ½ barrel sankes last week for $25 each. I also got 3 sextels and one ¼ barrel for $15 each. I bought some corneys last year for $20 each.

 

[BrewZer]

A 5 gallon PET carboy is $25-30.

I paid $5 for my 7-gallon Mr Beer PET fermenter with included spigot at a yard sale. I think I got my money's worth.

When it's covered with terrycloth to soak for swamp cooling, no light gets in. And now that I use the Cool Brew cooler bag, it's even more darker until I change the Freeze Bags.

Going back to the topic......


I've felt like that many times. In your case, at least your keezer kept everything contained. That could have been a lot worse.

And another advantage -- if I do decide to set my rig on fire, the PET fermenter will melt into a blob of black plastic that can go into a recycle bin.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Back to the topic... again...

I would feel fortunate on that one. After moving a full keg 2,000 miles to a new house, it decided to spring a small leak at the most inopportune time and leaked half its contents all through the grout lines throughout the dining, kitchen, nook, and laundry room. Looked like the friggin' canals of Venice.

In case anyone was wondering, 2.5 gallons of APA can travel 3.7 miles of grout joints.

 

[bwible]

I have 2 Fermonsters. A 3 gallon and a 7.5. I don’t understand why they don’t make a 5 gallon size like everybody else. The thing with those is they are pretty thin. You need the strap to carry one of those with a batch in it because it buckles so much. Neither of mine has had any issues so far but I can see how one could get a crack.

If I were starting over now, I’d be investing in a few of those Speidel fermenters. I actually found one on someone’s trash. It was in great shape, just needed to be cleaned up. Really durable. I’ve even used it as a bottling bucket. Talking about something built like a tank.

Not my photo - off the net

 

[bwible]

There's no reason to see inside a fermenter and light ingress is a detriment, not an advantage.

All my corny kegs were $10-20 each. A 5 gallon PET carboy is $25-30.

The light in your house is really not going to damage anything. Sunlight is what you need to be more worried about. You can put it in a closet or a dark corner of your basement and I’ve always covered my clear carboys with a green trash bag too. Just poke a little hole in the top for the airlock to go through.

 

[Broken Crow]

The light in your house is really not going to damage anything. Sunlight is what you need to be more worried about. You can put it in a closet or a dark corner of your basement and I’ve always covered my clear carboys with a green trash bag too. Just poke a little hole in the top for the airlock to go through.

I was gonna come in with mentioning fluorescent lights, but thought I'd look online to find a good source and was surprised myself to see that even LED's can skunk your beer;
https://byo.com/mr-wizard/effect-of-light-on-beer/

 

[bwible]

The other thing with fermenting in a corny is how are you attaching your airlock? Those holes for the quick connect posts are tiny and can clog really easily.

 

[bwible]

I was gonna come in with mentioning fluorescent lights, but thought I'd look online to find a good source and was surprised myself to see that even LED's can skunk your beer;
https://byo.com/mr-wizard/effect-of-light-on-beer/

Like I said I alwas covered my clear carboys with a green trash bag too. For as long as I’ve been using them.

 

[Broken Crow]

Not that it really means anything, but I bought 3 ½ barrel sankes last week for $25 each. I also got 3 sextels and one ¼ barrel for $15 each. I bought some corneys last year for $20 each.

The other thing with fermenting in a corny is how are you attaching your airlock? Those holes for the quick connect posts are tiny and can clog really easily.

I say use anything that works and take appropriate precautions....I too hate gunk in the posts so I made this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...-fit-it-to-fermonster-sankey-whatever.704064/
..you can attach it to anything. I've got it on my beloved clear Fermosters and my sankes.
Just sayin'

 

[bwible]

I say use anything that works and take appropriate precautions....I too hate gunk in the posts so I made this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...-fit-it-to-fermonster-sankey-whatever.704064/
..you can attach it to anything. I've got it on my beloved clear Fermosters and my sankes.
Just sayin'

I don’t quite understand how that works but if its working for you great.

I guess the amount you ferment in a keg matters too. I personally would probably not ferment more than 3 or 3.5 gallons in a 5 gallon keg so it doesn’t get to the top. Split a 5 gallon batch between (2) 5 gallon kegs. Morebeer has 6 gallon kegs and I’ve seen where some guys like those for fermenters. Nobody is getting one of those for $20 though.

In my old neighborhood many years ago we had a member of our club who was a welder and he used to do stuff for us. I haven’t heard from him in probably 20 years. If I was going to ferment in a keg I’d get an extra keg lid and drill a hole, remove the pressure release or whatever. Make a hole in the lid big enough for the beer bottle sized stopper and an airlock. I used to have an account with Foxx - I know they sell all the keg parts.

 

[bwible]

Might not be an exact fit but would probably be good enough to use for a fermenter

http://www.foxxequipment.com/product-tank-lid-w-3-manual-relief-univ-a-e-b-15d04117