Anyone use the 3 gallon Brewdemon conical?

[linusstick]

So I’ve been doing 1.5 gallon all grain batches for a while and my beers are getting good enough that I’d like to do more volume (but not 5 gallons because I don’t drink enough to go through it fast enough due to brewing once a week). I have a bunch of 2 gallon buckets I got from the LHBS that even when putting 1.75 into them, I get beer coming up through the airlock all the time. Instead of looking for odd bigger sized buckets (still have my big ones from the 5 gallon days), I thought a 3 gallon conical would be perfect. I could do a little bigger batches and acquire a new piece of equipment. I’ve heard mixed reviews of these but wanted to hear from someone who used them (or give recommendations on different ones). I like the price point because I usiY have 1-3 beers fermenting at a time so it wouldn’t break the bank. Also and pros and cons would be great. Sorry for the long post

 

[Shwagger]

I hear they can crack at the cone.

Look at fastferment 3 gallon coming next month

 

[madscientist451]

If you really want one, go for it, its only $40. There are some reviews from users on their website.
I like my 3 gallon better bottles which run about $25. You can get a no-name plastic carboy that comes with a spigot for less than $30:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/plastic-carboy-3-gal-spigot.html

I'm not sold on the notion that there's much of an advantage to using a conical to ferment 2.5 gallons of beer.

 

[Shwagger]

Wider mouth is why I prefer them. Easier for me to clean which is 90% of brewing

 

[McKnuckle]

The idea is great, but the execution is poor. I had to return one because it cracked along the seam where the spigot is installed. I have no patience for that kind of unreliable equipment - it’s penny wise and pound foolish.

Note that I brew 2.5 gallon batches either in a 5 gal corny keg or a 5 gal plastic carboy. I’m actually going to give one of my ball valve-equipped kettles a go as a fermenter very soon.

 

[Toadies]

May be a bit pricey, if you need 3, but I picked up an ssbrewtech 3.5 gal brew bucket. Easy to clean and storage and I'll know it will last forever.

Avila makes a similar product that's a bit cheaper.

 

[pagrider]

I use the 3 gallon brew demons. they work great. The new ones have a better spigot that wont create the cracks in the seam.

 

[nicksim86]

I just purchased one of these fermeters and have a batch in there now. I like that it seals better than the regular buckets.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/plastic-bucket-4-gal-lid-spigot.html

 

[Splyntr]

I just purchased one of these fermeters and have a batch in there now. I like that it seals better than the regular buckets.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/plastic-bucket-4-gal-lid-spigot.html

Wow! I never saw that before, thanks for sharing. It looks like a great little fermenter and you gotta love the price!

 

[Cevan65]

I've brewed six batches so far and it does work. I replaced the two rubber seals at the spigot with o-rings and no leaks. My only complaint is the location of the spigot is too low so when I am transferring to my bottling container, I get a fair amount of trub along with the beer.

For my next batch, I've installed a small elbow to raise the level of the output by about an inch.

 

[Gonzo_Don]

Been using my BrewDemon 3 gallon conical for 2 years exclusively for hard cider and it's just now developed a pin hole drip in the seam at the bottom of the cone. It'll leak maybe one drop every few hours and as the trub settles, it self-seals and stops. After this batch finishes, I'll clean it out, let it dry well, and seal the seam with some food grade silicone which should keep it going for at least another 2 years. The best thing about this fermenter is that SWMBO lets me keep it on the kitchen counter since it's not bad-looking.
One thing I do recommend, though, is buying silicone seals and not using the cheap plastic ones that come with it. I made my own gasket with gasket material because I like a tight seal and I use an airlock rather than the little plastic plug they give you. I tried the plug and it worked fine, but I love to hear the "glug."

 

[TonyKZ1]

I've got a couple of these, they work great. A while back I had an issue with one of mine with a slight leak around the spigot opening, so I asked customer support on what sealant to use to help seal it up. They said they had some issues with some of their older fermentors and replaced my fermentor with a new one. I've made 5G batches and split them between the two fermentors. Their customer support is excellent.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Home depot sells 5 gallon food safe buckets with lids for like 6$.
13$ if you go for the air tight screw on lid.
A 3 gallon batch would ferment just fine in one of those.

 

[GoodTruble]

I've brewed six batches so far and it does work. I replaced the two rubber seals at the spigot with o-rings and no leaks. My only complaint is the location of the spigot is too low so when I am transferring to my bottling container, I get a fair amount of trub along with the beer.

For my next batch, I've installed a small elbow to raise the level of the output by about an inch.

In case you are still around, what cleaning/sanitizing products do you use with BrewDemon fermenter? I like them, but the product info says not to use acid-based products (like starsan). It comes with One-Step, but is that good enough for cleaning AND sanitizing?

 

[TonyKZ1]

Yeah, I use one-step for everything, it works fine.

 

[GoodTruble]

Yeah, I use one-step for everything, it works fine.

Thanks. I had been One-Step fpr everything, but then wound up with something odd in one of the bottles (I think it came from bottling wand). So I was wondering if there was anything else to use (but the problem was probably just me not cleaning out the wand well enough).

 

[CascadesBrewer]

In case you are still around, what cleaning/sanitizing products do you use with BrewDemon fermenter? I like them, but the product info says not to use acid-based products (like starsan). It comes with One-Step, but is that good enough for cleaning AND sanitizing?

Their FAQ says:

Acid-based sanitizers,( i.e.: Star San ), are not recommended to sanitize our fermenters. Acid- based sanitizers will weaken and eventually eat through the plastic on the tap, plastic caps, and the fermenter.

It seems hard to believe that a proper Starsan solution would be bad for this product. I use Starsan for all my "plastic" stuff like my Fermonster fermenter, spigots, airlocks, etc. plus various items like rubber-ish stopper, vinyl tubing, etc. I leave a mixture of Starsan in an HDPE bucket for several weeks without any noticeable issues.

I am in the camp that there are products that are good for cleaning, and their are products that are good for sanitizing.

Idophor is another option. I used it for years with very good luck. It has several disadvantages though. It stains plastic, has a longer contact time requirement than StarSan (though that might depend on the concentration), it smells bad enough that I don't want any in my beer, and a mixed solution looses effectiveness pretty fast (vs a mixture of Starsan can last for weeks or months). Idophor seems to be a more effective sanitizer than Starsan from what I have read.

 

[NSMikeD]

I use oxy to clean and a food grade acid to sanitize on mine for about 2+ years now. Currently that’s Easy Clean and Star San. I use a spray bottle for the Star San only before filling with wort. No issues and for $40 (mine was a gift) what the heck. I haven’t used my bucket since going conical.
I like the clear plastic. I like being able to see what’s going on as well as being able to see the levels during transfer to my keg. The wide mouth also is convenient for dry hopping (I use sanitized mesh bags with fishing line).
I’m a dry yeast brewer so I’m not harvesting yeast. The conical design however is a bit awkward. Not a deal breaker but worth noting. Order extra gaskets for the lid.
I am in the process of converting to using one of my 2.5 gal kegs as a fermenter to do closed transfers as I am planning on brewing a NEIPA. That probably means less than a 2.5 gal final volume but if I can live with that I will likely out the brewdom on the dust shelf with my bucket.

 

[Elric]

I’m a big fan of the 3 gallon fermonsters. The lids are the same for all the models, so what you can see for tricking out in this great thread can be done for it as well Turning your Fermonster into a complete closed transfer system for cheap!

 

[NSMikeD]

I’m a big fan of the 3 gallon fermonsters. The lids are the same for all the models, so what you can see for tricking out in this great thread can be done for it as well Turning your Fermonster into a complete closed transfer system for cheap!

Thanks for linking. I think I am going to go this route and shelve my brewdom and scrap my plans to convert a keg. I have 2 gift cards sitting around and looks like that NEIPA I have been contemplating is moving closer to reality.

 

[GoodTruble]

There was a very thorough explanation from Rickdude of acid based sanitizer's (including starsan) effect on plastic in another thread

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/bottle-infection.691088/
In short, it will break down the plastic faster.

It seems many brewdemon users use one-step to sanitize, and it works. (My previous bottle infection turned out to be the new bottle, which needed more than a 'dip' in one-step).

For what it's worth, I really like the Brewdemon 3 gallon fermentor. And for $20, you can replace the main vessel. So if it does get too worn out, dinged up, or your attempted modification goes wrong - meh - mail me a new one.