Anvil Stainless Fermenter

[brew703]

@WBB I get your point. And I honestly didn't think these fermenters would arrive problem free. I figured there would be surface marks but not so much scratches that you can feel. Will these issues cause problems with a batch, IDK but I don't want to take a chance. Maybe it's OCD, maybe it's just being cautious. TBH not sure what is acceptable and what's not.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

One is being delivered to me today - I'll let you know what condition it arrives in.

 

[augiedoggy]

Unboxed mine. Did have a rubber stopper so that's good.
Upon inspection I did notice some scratches on the inside. Some appear to be the process of manufacture but there are a couple that you can run your finger over the scratch and feel it.
I have not contacted Anvil yet. Coming here for an opinion. Should we honestly think that a fermenter like this could be made with zero imperfections? How deep of a scratch would be deemed unsafe to use for fear of bacteria growth, infections etc?

Wanted to add the 2nd photo is one from the bottom. Almost the entire bottom portion on the inside of the fermenter is somewhat rough, some is in the stainless.

I'm just worried that these imperfections could be spots for bacteria to harbor.

keep in mind these are blichmanns economical chinese made product line.. They may not be perfect as far as fit and finish but they should work well to get the job done at a reasonable price.
That said if the scratches are really deep enough where your finger nail catches on them it might be a place that will forever require additional attention when cleaning or sanding out... in that case Id send it back and exchange it. from the pics they look like they will sand right out with some fine sandpaper easily enough (like the 400 grit the OP mentioned in the first post)..

 

[WesBrew]

A deep scratch or gouge I would send back. Lighter scratches , I would email concerns to Anvil , and get them to knock off some money for me to keep and fix it. some 400 grit then 600, your halfway to mirror

 

[augiedoggy]

being these have a rough brushed surface my guess is he could stop at the 400 and have no trace of a difference in finish if that something hes going to worry about.. personally at that point I'd agree with the OCD comment above. Your simply not going to get polished perfection at this pricepoint.. Its a repurposed hot water urn designed to be step up from a plastic pail guys.

 

[MX1]

@WBB I get your point. And I honestly didn't think these fermenters would arrive problem free. I figured there would be surface marks but not so much scratches that you can feel. Will these issues cause problems with a batch, IDK but I don't want to take a chance. Maybe it's OCD, maybe it's just being cautious. TBH not sure what is acceptable and what's not.

What is acceptable is what YOU feel is acceptable. If you are not happy with the product then as a consumer you have the right to seek remedy. What that looks like to you, and the vendor may not be the same, but the "squeaky wheel gets the grease".

As for the you get what you pay for, there is some truth in this, but you still have the right seek a answer. Things happen, stuff gets missed, after all quality control is done by humans.....

However, if I wanted a fermenter with scratches (not surface blemishes) I would stick with my $10 plastic bucket.....

just this guys .02

T

 

[brew703]

I get this isn't a top of the line fermenter. I wanted to move away from glass and plastic and go with SS. I figured going with the Anvil would be the easiest and least expensive way to do that.

I wasn't expecting a perfectly smooth, blemish free interior. I do not want a product where the imperfections are deep enough that i can feel it when passing my finger over it.

I could pass some 400 grit paper over it and see if that helps. I just don't want to make it any worse than it is. Honestly I just don't think I should have to do that even with paying $130. Sure if i paid $500-1000 for a product then I would expect it to be flawless.

I am waiting for a reply from Anvil. I'm sure they will make it right and if they suggest to pass some sand paper over the scratches and knock off a few bucks then I will probably keep it. If not then it will be returned either for a replacement or a refund.

I am meticulous about cleaning my gear but I don't want to worry if every time I use the fermenter there will be a chance for bacteria growth or infections growing in my product. Maybe it's a bit OCD on my part but it's how I am.

FWIW, I could have went with a Chapman as their product appears to be the smooth finish and I would think the inside would be like a kettle. That's still an option down the line if i decide to return the Anvil.

 

[WesBrew]

@brew703
After some thought, I don't think its ocd. it wouldn't matter as much if it were a boil kettle, but you don't see this stuff on a boil kettle. It matters on the inside of a fermentor.
I have the same scratches around the bottom of the fermenter and they have grooves. I decided to email Anvil and see what they offer to do.

 

[brew703]

@brew703
After some thought, I don't think its ocd. it wouldn't matter as much if it were a boil kettle, but you don't see this stuff on a boil kettle. It matters on the inside of a fermentor.
I have the same scratches around the bottom of the fermenter and they have grooves. I decided to email Anvil and see what they offer to do.

I emailed them last night. Waiting for a reply.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Is the line around the bottom interior what you are referring to?

 

[brew703]

On mine, yes that's one of the issue points for me.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

On mine, yes that's one of the issue points for me.

Sorry, yes, on yours.

Judging from the other pictures, this "ring" seems common on the Anvil SS fermenters. Aside from that issue, everything else looks clean on the one I received yesterday. This is the 1st fermenter that I have owned where it has easy cleaning access and/or is not plastic. Therefore, I think I can do a good job of cleaning that ring area (BTW, I use PBW, which really does a great job at cleaning gunk). I'm going to brew with it tomorrow. If you get advice back from Anvil, please share. Thanks, Steve

 

[brew703]

Sorry, yes, on yours.

Judging from the other pictures, this "ring" seems common on the Anvil SS fermenters. Aside from that issue, everything else looks clean on the one I received yesterday. This is the 1st fermenter that I have owned where it has easy cleaning access and/or is not plastic. Therefore, I think I can do a good job of cleaning that ring area (BTW, I use PBW, which really does a great job at cleaning gunk). I'm going to brew with it tomorrow. If you get advice back from Anvil, please share. Thanks, Steve

Will do. If they offer to knock off a few bucks I may keep it and pass some 400 grit sandpaper to smooth it out. I do use PBW or Oxy to clean my plastic and glass fermenters and it does a great job. The scratches and the ring at the bottom will require some scrubbing to make sure all the gunk is removed and doesn't cause any issues. I just feel Anvil should require their manufacturer in China to do a better job. Fermenters should be smooth to avoid any issues when the brewer uses it.

 

[brew703]

Finally received a reply. They will send out a new fermenter. Hopefully the new one arrives with no issues.

 

[MX1]

what is happening with the old one with the scratches?

 

[brew703]

Going back.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Going back.

So did they specifically address the ring around the interior?

 

[brew703]

So did they specifically address the ring around the interior?

No. Didn't address anything. Just said they will get with the production manager.
If the next one comes in with the same ring it's going back for a refund and I'll get either the Chapman o SSBT.
Not really looking to spend $200 for a fermenter so Chapman might win out.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

No. Didn't address anything. Just said they will get with the production manager.
If the next one comes in with the same ring it's going back for a refund and I'll get either the Chapman o SSBT.
Not really looking to spend $200 for a fermenter so Chapman might win out.

I'll write them about the ring thing and see what kinda response I get.

 

[brew703]

I'll write them about the ring thing and see what kinda response I get.

It took them 2 days to respond. I was about to call them and then the email showed up.

 

[MX1]

FWIW...

I know the $200 is a hard pill to swallow, and there are some design elements that I wish were different, but all in all the SSBT bucket seems to be a great piece of gear.

I hope to have something fermenting within the week

 

[brew703]

FWIW...

I know the $200 is a hard pill to swallow, and there are some design elements that I wish were different, but all in all the SSBT bucket seems to be a great piece of gear.

I hope to have something fermenting within the week

I agree the SSBT does seem like a nice fermenter but I'm not sure the additional $70 is worth it. It's still basically the same as the Anvil.
I'm not brewing until Sept 8th so I have some time to get the new fermenter in, cleaned and sanitized before I use it. Just hope there are no issues.

 

[augiedoggy]

I agree the SSBT does seem like a nice fermenter but I'm not sure the additional $70 is worth it. It's still basically the same as the Anvil.
I'm not brewing until Sept 8th so I have some time to get the new fermenter in, cleaned and sanitized before I use it. Just hope there are no issues.

except without the groove at the bottom right which is kind of the point... Who knows, its not likely but if anvil has the manufacturer change their manufacturing process to remove these tooling marks it may end up resulting in a price increase from them if more labor or a different process is required.

also not that it matters one bit for homebrewing purposes but the ssbt is 304 stainless and the chapman is 201 SS like most kitchenware.

 

[brew703]

except without the groove at the bottom right which is kind of the point... Who knows, its not likely but if anvil has the manufacturer change their manufacturing process to remove these tooling marks it may end up resulting in a price increase from them if more labor or a different process is required.

also not that it matters one bit for homebrewing purposes but the ssbt is 304 stainless and the chapman is 201 SS like most kitchenware.

Thanks for the info.
I wouldn't pay any more than $129 for the Anvil. I don't want to pay $200 for the SSBT unless I absolutely have to.
As for as the SS you mentioned, didn't realize the Chapman was 201. Their web site as well as other sites don't list what type of stainless is used.
As of now, I'm sticking with Anvil. If the replacement comes in with the same issues as the original one i received, it's going back for a refund and at that point will need to decide which route to go. Might just save the money and continue with the plastic carboy I have.

 

[shoo]

Posted this in the other thread, but another defect to pay attention to:



Also just got one, and definitely some QC issues here. In my case, the stamped out port hole for the ball valve is noticeably warped. It holds a seal, but it isn't happy about it, and makes metal-on-metal contact when rotating the valve. Contacted Anvil, they said they are looking to see if others in stock have the problem (and testing them). We'll see what if anything they do.

 

[brew703]

Obviously they didn't inspect these fermenters before sending out or if they did then they were hoping people would be satisfied.

 

[shoo]

Obviously they didn't inspect these fermenters before sending out or if they did then they were hoping people would be satisfied.

Mine has a big "QC passed" sticker, which I suspect means that it passed right through the QC department without any actual inspection.

Quick update from Anvil: They tried a quick fix on one from their end, using a couple nuts tightened on either side of the port to bend it flat again (which I had suggested to them as a test). Seems to have worked for them, will give it a go tomorrow for myself.

 

[brew703]

Hopefully it works for you. Sucks that you have to do that yourself. But if it works then good deal.

 

[WesBrew]

this is what I'm seeing at the bottom.

 

[WesBrew]

I sent an email to them as well. they took a day to respond but offered to replace right away instead of paying me to fix it. They sent them out already. got return labels for the 2 I have but I'll hold them until I see the condition of the new ones. we'll see if the issue was fixed. if not maybe go with chapman, I see they are around same price on amazon.

Re: Chapman, I worried about 201 as well, but having it here on display, its a non issue. nicely polished, looks great.