Brew Bucket by SS Brewing Technologies

Williams 728
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How are you guys aerating with these when you pitch yeast? I've always sat my better bottle on a towel and rocked it. I suppose I could invest in an aeration stone but that seems like a waste.
 
sillbeer said:
How are you guys aerating with these when you pitch yeast? I've always sat my better bottle on a towel and rocked it. I suppose I could invest in an aeration stone but that seems like a waste.
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I use a short piece of tubing attached to my kettle's ball valve with a siphon sprayer on the end. It works great.
 
sillbeer said:
How are you guys aerating with these when you pitch yeast? I've always sat my better bottle on a towel and rocked it. I suppose I could invest in an aeration stone but that seems like a waste.
Click to expand...


Initially with a mixing spoon.

Then I switched to this setup.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1424854366.438906.jpg

Eventually I couldn't be bothered and just poured the wort in a slow steady stream from up high through a colander (which acts like an air mixer found in faucets).
 
delete - duplicate message (bug in iPhone app?)
 
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(delete - duplicate message (bug in iPhone app?))
 
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sillbeer said:
How are you guys aerating with these when you pitch yeast? I've always sat my better bottle on a towel and rocked it. I suppose I could invest in an aeration stone but that seems like a waste.
Click to expand...

I pour into a plastic fermenting bucket, add water as necessary and then dump the whole thing into the brewbucket.
 
Mine arrived today. The screen printed logo is off but who cares, the inside is what matters. Can't wait to try it out.

P_20150225_202347.jpg
 
Did any of you follow the first time cleaning instructions? The instructions that came with the fermentor say to use Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) and hot water. I don't have any of this. Is there a household equivalent? Or do you think a good scrub down with Barkeeper's Friend would be sufficient?
 
Doed said:
Did any of you follow the first time cleaning instructions? The instructions that came with the fermentor say to use Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) and hot water. I don't have any of this. Is there a household equivalent? Or do you think a good scrub down with Barkeeper's Friend would be sufficient?
Click to expand...


I found the TSP at Home Depot.
 
Doed said:
Did any of you follow the first time cleaning instructions? The instructions that came with the fermentor say to use Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) and hot water. I don't have any of this. Is there a household equivalent? Or do you think a good scrub down with Barkeeper's Friend would be sufficient?
Click to expand...


They had it at my local Ace Hardware right next to the paint thinner.
 
Mine said soapy water, which worked great. Dish detergent is effective at stripping oils and grease. Just use free and clear detergent and some hot water.

While I wouldn't use it as a matter of course, particularly for plastic, rinse it well and it shouldn't leave any residue on stainless steel.

I'm curious how necessary the passivation step really is, but I did it anyway.
 
Shooter said:
I used my standard brewery wash mix of about 2/3 Oxiclean Free and 1/3 Red Devil TSP cleaner. However, I don't think the Red Devil TSP actually contains Tri-Sodium Phosphate these days.
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This -- it's essentially making PBW. I dunno if it's a dead ringer, but it gets the job done just as well as PBW and for a fraction of the cost, period.

3lbs Oxiclean Free (or generic grocery store -- it's gotta be the "free" version that doesn't contain chlorine or fragrances)

1.5 lbs TSP/90 Red Devil

Mix em and you've got PBW.
 
The one I received Wednesday has instructions that only call for soap and water. But, unlike the first one I purchased, this one does not have a coating of polishing compound all over it. Maybe they've changed their cleaning process at the factory.
 
This was wiped out of the bucket after the passivation step. This tissue paper. Yuck

P_20150228_214858.jpg
 
there is definitely leftover buffing compound all over the surface of these, so a thorough first wash is important.
 
mantooth said:
View attachment 176338

Took the ball valve apart...super easy. I'm glad I did before I fill it up tomorrow. There was some water inside and a slight smell of beer in it from the last batch.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Click to expand...

You don't happen to know the size of the threaded part of the barb do you? I'm looking to bump up to 1/2" tubing so I can go from my brew kettle up to my bucket and filling from the ball valve. It would be nice to swap out that small barb for a 1/2" barb or QD.
 
jackers252 said:
You don't happen to know the size of the threaded part of the barb do you? I'm looking to bump up to 1/2" tubing so I can go from my brew kettle up to my bucket and filling from the ball valve. It would be nice to swap out that small barb for a 1/2" barb or QD.
Click to expand...

Even if you added a 1/2" barb, you wouldn't get much more flow as the hole in the ball in the valve would limit flow. It's probably not much more than 1/4".
 
Freddyj123 said:
Nj, I just ordered the chronical fermenter on Friday, what is the longest that you've fermented a batch in your bucket with the FTSs?
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Just bottled a black IPA after Two weeks , maintained 65 degrees the whole time . I use a five gallon cooler hall filled with water with half gallon jugs for ice I re freeze . Once its at temp I swap ice jugs twice a day
 
njpatg said:
Just bottled a black IPA after Two weeks , maintained 65 degrees the whole time . I use a five gallon cooler hall filled with water with half gallon jugs for ice I re freeze . Once its at temp I swap ice jugs twice a day
Click to expand...

Great info, love your set up.....going to be asking you more questions lol
 
Did a hefe yesterday with WLP300. 5.5 gallons in the brew bucket and used an air lock connected to a blow off tube. Noticed this morning lots of activity and actually some krausen coming out from the lid in a few spots. From what I've read this yeast is pretty active.

Went out and wasn't able to check on it for about 5 hours. Anyway, it appears that the airlock/blowoff tube got blocked. There was actually enough pressure that it bent one of the four latches and knocked it off the lid. Ended up having to do a big clean up job in my fermentation chamber, resanitize a bunch of stuff and set up a new blow off tube.

Tried to bend the latch back but didn't have a ton of success. It actually bent the other three latches but not as much and so had to bend them a bit to get them to clasp tight.

Now it's not holding pressure as well. Ended up putting a brick on top as the krausen was just running out the side in the spot where the bent latch is.

Any thoughts on how I can fix this? As for this batch, I guess it's a learning process, but I am little miffed that my Brew Bucket was damaged in the process and I am not sure if it can be fixed to be what it was. One on hand it's pretty impressive yeast. Fully expecting that this batch has yet to be done being a pain in the ass and awaiting another blocked blow off tube.

Thanks!
 
Contact the company and see if the can send you new clips, they can be pulled off the welded on latches.

Next time skip the air lock and use a 1/2 silicone hose directly pushed into the hole where thd airlock bung goes and insert thd other end into a coffee can or glass full of sanitizer.
 
dmcman73 said:
Contact the company and see if the can send you new clips, they can be pulled off the welded on latches.

Next time skip the air lock and use a 1/2 silicone hose directly pushed into the hole where thd airlock bung goes and insert thd other end into a coffee can or glass full of sanitizer.
Click to expand...

Yeah if I could replace the four clips it would be good as new. I looked at them earlier and they appear to be replaceable.

I'm also chalking this up to live and learn. The airlock I had on it (to which I connected my blow off tube) had the criss cross end or whatever, rather than just an unobstructed opening (no wonder they plug). I had another airlock with an unobstructed opening, which I put on instead and should make a big difference. Don't have any tubing right now, but I thought of that too, and it will definitely be the route I take next time.

Thanks for your response.
 
has anyone replaced the o-rings for the diptube? if so did you upgrade or just get replacements from SS Tech? I threw two of mine away yesterday. One was ripped and the other was very close to ripping.
 
Really wanting to order one of these for my sours here soon. Looking forward to reading more of this thread and seeing new experiences. Cheers!
 
I just got my second SS Fermenter and the first thing I noticed was the dimpled hole in the lid where the stopper goes. My older unit has a straight cut hole that cuts the stopper a little bit every time. I sent an email to the vendor to see if that is a new modification or if my previous lid just got missed.
 
sillbeer said:
I just got my second SS Fermenter and the first thing I noticed was the dimpled hole in the lid where the stopper goes. My older unit has a straight cut hole that cuts the stopper a little bit every time. I sent an email to the vendor to see if that is a new modification or if my previous lid just got missed.
Click to expand...

The one I ordered/received back in February has a rolled edge on the hole in the lid.
 
Has anyone seen significant changes in beer quality after they purchased the temp controller compared to using the brew bucket in a ferm chamber/fridge?
 
I've noticed a quality difference after doing some sort of temperature control. Before my chronical, I would ferment in a carboy only in the winter with it in my basement to remain cool. I almost ruined a pumpkin Ale this way and had to wait almost 2 months to clear up some undesirable tastes it had when I sampled. I then started using those cooler bags they make for carboys where you can put ice packs in it and noticed a difference then. So yeah, I would say if you never used a temp controlled ferm, you'll notice the difference with the FTSS.
 
Is there a way to connect a blow off tube to the BrewBucket? With the airlock I don't think it will fit in my fermenter. If I could do a blow off tube I might be in business.
 

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