Bucket v.s. conical v.s. unitank

[OakIslandBrewery]

Also, many months down the road I haven't added a temp control or a CIP to my fermenter. I did buy the three-port top (standard now but not back then) but other than that I haven't added any big-ticket items. For cleaning you don't need the CIP. Nice feature but not needed. Search here and you'll find lots of posts on that topic.

 

[Moose_MI]

Just like Murph4231 and a whole lot of others out there, I've been brewing for several decades (1984) and started out with buckets then a converted half barrel. When I felt I could afford it I sprung for a stainless conical from Spike (2014). I have not ever regretted buying it. Sure my keg worked fine but the conical is so much easier to clean - those things are built just for brewing not something that was adapted. It's a big expense but it'll last forever and if you take break from brewing it'll still be worth something to someone else. A bucket, not so much. Buckets to me are a stepping stone to advancing your brewing style and experience. Not to plug Spike, but they do offer interest free payments over time and I'm sure other do to.

That’s awesome. Again, I think conicals are awesome and i want one and the cost isn’t why I’ve hesitated.
I dont consider conicals “advancing” my brewing. Advancing the cool factor of my set up…hell yes…and Im a big fan of being cool.
I also dont consider shifting from kits to all grain as “advancing”. It’s really more about experiencing different aspects of the hobby and process. Some do..some don’t….it doesn’t define your skill level

Live and let live..peace to all

 

[T Murph]

Moose_MI you are spot on. I have a friend who has been brewing over 30 yrs, owner of a homebrew shop and renowned homebrew book author who prefers extract over all grain for his personal brews. He has won a ton of awards using extracts. I mention him because it's not the equipment nor type of ingredients one uses that determines their advancement in this hobby, but the skills and practices they develop along the way. While some on here totally object to the use of a secondary that's their choice to limit their processes. To each their own. But rest assured a secondary fermentation is very beneficial with certain beverages. And the skill necessary to properly and safely use said secondary is indeed "advancement". Brew on friend.

 

[Bassman2003]

To me, unitanks and conicals are about convenience and pristine delivery of the finished product. You can find ways to get everything down by spending less money and be similar in quality, just more hoops to jump through. As far as yeast harvesting, I am moving to freezing yeast instead of harvesting. My brew schedule is erratic and keeping yeast in the fridge for a style I might not brew for months does not work. So I am shifting my efforts to growing up pitches.

I bring this up to say your brewing needs to determine what equipment is the best fit. Your time schedule needs to determine your approach as well. I like the idea of closing a unitank up when you pitch and not opening it until you clean it. If you have the bucks, treat yourself. You will be able to sell the thing for 30%-50% of what you paid for it some day in the future, so it is that much cheaper

 

[Dland]

A conical makes for easy trub/solids dumps & gravity samples without exposure to O2, this is good when getting the timing right for diacityl rests and spunding. Also, good for "cone to cone" fermenting, that is leaving some yeasty beer in sealed fermentor and adding new wort without unsealing it. It works great and is a heck of a lot less effort if brewing batches in succession, that would be more difficult to do well without bottom dump valve.

I'm a fan of stainless over plastic, but one can make good beer with any sanitizable container I suppose. Once plastic is scratched up, it is harder to sanitize though. I used to use glass carboys, but they have their safety issues.

I got my stainless conicals used, they are occasionally out there if one is patient and can't justify the expense of new.

 

[Broothru]

It's said that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Guilty as charged, Your Honor.

I've been brewing for more than 30 years. It's a hobby, and partly an obsession. OK, maybe the other way around. Been through buckets, carboys, Better Bottles, etc., eventually progressing to SS Brew Buckets, conicals, kegmenters and a unitank. Of the stainless gear, I still use them all. Different tools for different jobs. Your first step should definitely be away from plastic and glass, and into stainless steel. The only considerations should be whether you can truthfully afford it and whether you will actually use it.

Bling is way cool. Making great beer is 'fire'. BUT. You don't make great beer simply with bling. It takes ingredients, process, sanitation, temperature control, knowledge and experience. The only way you can 'buy' your way into better beer is to find a better beer store.

I know I'm making better beer now than when I was using buckets and bottles. It's not due solely to flashey equipment, though the gear gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I don't need to justify the expense and probably would just waste time trying to. Fortunately my situation is such that I don't have to.

So simply ask yourself, can you afford it, will you use it, and will it bring you joy? If any of the answers are "no", then you probably should not. Of course you could always sell it later....

 

[T Murph]

Very well put @Brooothru very well put.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I didn't mean my words of "advancing" to be anything other than moving from one type of fermenting vessel to another. Having a shiny, expensive stainless conical doesn't make for better beer. I bought it for easier cleaning and the trying pressurized fermentations or possible adding temp control in the future. Just like others have commented great beers can be created using whatever works best. For me it was an upgrade from what I had and for the most part it hasn't changed the flavor of my beer, just made some aspects of brewing easier.

 

[monkeymath]

You don't need a bunch of shiny **** to make great beer. I fermented in plastic buckets for 20 years. Last year when I had some disposable income I bought a couple Anvil stainless fementers. My beer tastes the same. Only difference is I don't have to buy new plastic buckets every year or so.

You replaced your buckets each year?! Is that a common practice? Should I have been doing that?

(I'll come forth as a disgusting pig that's been using the same Speidel plastic fermenters for six years now.)

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

You replaced your buckets each year?! Is that a common practice? Should I have been doing that?

(I'll come forth as a disgusting pig that's been using the same Speidel plastic fermenters for six years now.)

Buckets can last a long time even if they are stained from beer. I'd recycle them if they get scratched as that could hide a possible spot for some crud. Also the top should be replaced if it's cracked - the top gasket should be replaced if it's damaged but replacing the entire cover might be best and most cost affective. Keep old buckets for cleaning purposes and just storage of cleaning items.

 

[bwible]

I think its alot like cars. One guy drives a BMW, another guy drives a Chevy. In the end they are both vehicles that function similarly and over 99% of the time both vehicles will get you where you want to go. One is more of a status symbol and may have a couple nice features the other does not. It’s all relative to the person and their budget.

 

[bwible]

In my opinion there are four levels of making beer... Making beer, making good beer, making really good beer and making RFG beer. SS Unitanks fall in the RFG category. Add in the temp control function and ability to more easily harvest yeast and wallah you have RFG beer that is actually saving you money

Only in America do we justify spending thousands of dollars by saying we’re “saving money”.

 

[T Murph]

And I think the BJCP needs to include RFG as a description of beers on score sheets.

 

[Gus_13]

There are so many reasons for or against something like this. Yes it's money spent, but it's a hobby I've been doing over 10 years now and I wanted to make the jump. I've been through all different kind of vessels but 2 years ago I went to SS Brewtech Brewbuckets and absolutely loved how easy it was to clean and the ease of use. This year I've added a Flex+ and a CF10. CF10 was just delivered this weekend and I got it for 10 gallon batches that I split with a friend. Being able to have an entire batch in one vessel with one yeast pitch and keg straight from it already carbonated really interested me. That along with the glycol chiller I feel like it will streamline a lot of my process for my hobby that I plan on staying in for a very long time. I'll continue to use my 30L spiedels for my Saison brews and my 7 gallon brewbucket is going to primarily be used as a dedicated Hefe tank.

It all comes down to how much you want to spend on your hobby. If you want to keep from spending money, there's no reason you have to move away from buckets or something similar. Even the small jump to SS could be perfect for what you need. Be it an Anvil or SS Brewbucket. I look at it as an investment into a hobby I have already invested a lot of time and money into. Will it make me brew better beer on equipment alone? Nope. But it does give me possibilities of improving my process. The glycol chiller alone is worth it to me being in MS and not taking up more room with a larger chest freezer. Plus it makes me feel good to walk out and see shiny SS in my garage when it's all said and done.

 

[bwible]

There are so many reasons for or against something like this. Yes it's money spent, but it's a hobby I've been doing over 10 years now and I wanted to make the jump. I've been through all different kind of vessels but 2 years ago I went to SS Brewtech Brewbuckets and absolutely loved how easy it was to clean and the ease of use. This year I've added a Flex+ and a CF10. CF10 was just delivered this weekend and I got it for 10 gallon batches that I split with a friend. Being able to have an entire batch in one vessel with one yeast pitch and keg straight from it already carbonated really interested me. That along with the glycol chiller I feel like it will streamline a lot of my process for my hobby that I plan on staying in for a very long time. I'll continue to use my 30L spiedels for my Saison brews and my 7 gallon brewbucket is going to primarily be used as a dedicated Hefe tank.

It all comes down to how much you want to spend on your hobby. If you want to keep from spending money, there's no reason you have to move away from buckets or something similar. Even the small jump to SS could be perfect for what you need. Be it an Anvil or SS Brewbucket. I look at it as an investment into a hobby I have already invested a lot of time and money into. Will it make me brew better beer on equipment alone? Nope. But it does give me possibilities of improving my process. The glycol chiller alone is worth it to me being in MS and not taking up more room with a larger chest freezer. Plus it makes me feel good to walk out and see shiny SS in my garage when it's all said and done.

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Well yeah thats one of the issues with the conicals. Its not enough just to buy the conical. You also need temp control. So you either have to buy the glycol chilling upgrade for the conical and then a glycol chiller which costs as much again as the conical - or you have to have a dedicated spare refrigerator that it will fit in. And you still can only do one batch at a time.

I like that fancy equipment and all. I get that you plan to do it for a long time. Me, I’m over 60 and it doesn’t make sense for me. I don’t have the years left or the budget. Too many other things I need to be spending money on.

 

[Gus_13]

Well yeah thats one of the issues with the conicals. Its not enough just to buy the conical. You also need temp control. So you either have to buy the glycol chilling upgrade for the conical and then a glycol chiller which costs as much again as the conical - or you have to have a dedicated spare refrigerator that it will fit in. And you still can only do one batch at a time.

I like that fancy equipment and all. I get that you plan to do it for a long time. Me, I’m over 60 and it doesn’t make sense for me. I don’t have the years left or the budget. Too many other things I need to be spending money on.

I totally get that. It's different for everyone for sure.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Me, I’m over 60 and it doesn’t make sense for me.

I'm over sixty too and I think twice or more about any big dollar purchase, but I figure if I can afford it why not. It's a great hobby and it provides a good end product for me to enjoy alone or with friends. But I get it, as we get older other things in life do and should be where we spend our money.

 

[T Murph]

I'll be 70 in a few months. All I want to do is brew and fish. So one way or another I'm gonna get the few toys I want to enhance my hobbies. I enjoy brewing beer as much as drinking beer. Plus all the bling sure makes me happier when brewing and drinking with family and friends.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I'll be 70 in a few months. All I want to do is brew and fish. So one way or another I'm gonna get the few toys I want to enhance my hobbies. I enjoy brewing beer as much as drinking beer. Plus all the bling sure makes me happier when brewing and drinking with family and friends.

See, you give me lots of new hope that this hobby will provide me with many more great years of enjoyment. Reading from many of the others out there I get the impression a lot are well over 50 and still brewing strong. I love the brewing aspect too and all of the history behind it as much as the drinking part just like you. Brew On!

 

[Broothru]

I like that fancy equipment and all. I get that you plan to do it for a long time. Me, I’m over 60 and it doesn’t make sense for me. I don’t have the years left or the budget. Too many other things I need to be spending money on.

I'm over 70, and still spending like a drunken sailor....

Oh, wait! I actually just said the silent part out load while perfectly and succinctly describing myself. Ooops...

 

[bracconiere]

HELP ME…PLEASE…I‘M BEGGING YOU

well it's only ~$1500? and it is stainless, so it won't tarnish your bank account?

 

[bwible]

My dad is 92 and he was still cutting his own grass until he was 87 or 88. I don’t know about lifting any 5 gallon buckets of anything though. I do hope to be doing this for years to come. I know a couple guys from our club who hung it up in their early 70s. The one guy had been brewing for almost 40 years and is a very very high level bjcp judge who still judges competitions. I don’t think he quit by choice. We do what we can do. I’m just more aware of this recently.

I imagine retirement will be different once that comes around. Up til retirement we make money but have limited time. Once we retire we have time but more limited money.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

My dad is 92 and he was still cutting his own grass until he was 87 or 88. I don’t know about lifting any 5 gallon buckets of anything though. I do hope to be doing this for years to come. I know a couple guys from our club who hung it up in their early 70s. The one guy had been brewing for almost 40 years and is a very very high level bjcp judge who still judges competitions. I don’t think he quit by choice. We do what we can do. I’m just more aware of this recently.

I imagine retirement will be different once that comes around. Up til retirement we make money but have limited time. Once we retire we have time but more limited money.

I retired early, the end of 2021, before that I worked part time for almost two years. Went from 50+ hours a week to 25 then to zero. I figured I had been saving all my life to retire one day so it was time. I can always make more money just can't make more time. But now I have more time to brew and not trying to squeeze it into maybe a couple days off. Before I retired I made sure I bought the big ticket items for brewing or had a way to extend payments out. If it gets me into my mid-seventies that would be great and I'll enjoy every brew day and every sip of my beer!

Thanks for more encouraging words!

 

[monkeymath]

As a dude in his early thirties, I'd just like to seize the opportunity and express my respect for all you guys that are brewing at twice my age. I look forward to the years ahead

 

[Ridenour64]

As a dude in his early thirties, I'd just like to seize the opportunity and express my respect for all you guys that are brewing at twice my age. I look forward to the years ahead

29 here. I love reading the stories as well, thanks for sharing.

 

[T Murph]

I have a suggestion for all younger brewers. Make all those large batches during your younger years. Work out your processes and fine tune your brew equipment to lessen the physical requirements as you grow older. Most of us older brewers have reduced our batch sizes to be more manageable. Our brew list consist of less varieties as our comrads and ourselves don't consume as much as when we were younger. On the flip side, by the time you reach retirement age you know what you like best and you know how to brew it. And by all means GET every piece of brewing equipment that you need to be that homebrewer you want to be. As you can see from testimonies above, this hobby provides many years of enjoyment and education that people who don't brew, will never experience. Brew on my friends we are a special group of people.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

It's very encouraging reading about everyone that's keeping the hobby alive. It's come to the point that homebrewers are churning out beer better than a lot of the craft brewers and certainly the mega breweries. As Murph says "brew on"!

 

[Broothru]

I have a suggestion for all younger brewers. Make all those large batches during your younger years. Work out your processes and fine tune your brew equipment to lessen the physical requirements as you grow older. Most of us older brewers have reduced our batch sizes to be more manageable. Our brew list consist of less varieties as our comrads and ourselves don't consume as much as when we were younger. On the flip side, by the time you reach retirement age you know what you like best and you know how to brew it. And by all means GET every piece of brewing equipment that you need to be that homebrewer you want to be. As you can see from testimonies above, this hobby provides many years of enjoyment and education that people who don't brew, will never experience. Brew on my friends we are a special group of people.

Preach it, Brother! Words of wisdom.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

i have 2 13 gallon vittles vaults with spigots on the bottom for fermenting 10 gal batches.
plus multiple brew buckets for smaller batches.

haven't had issues because i clean them well.
And when i say well i mean put some oxyclean in them fill it with water, let it soak over night, drain through spigot, rinse out with hose then spray sanitizer inside.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I have a suggestion for all younger brewers. Make all those large batches during your younger years. Work out your processes and fine tune your brew equipment to lessen the physical requirements as you grow older. Most of us older brewers have reduced our batch sizes to be more manageable. Our brew list consist of less varieties as our comrads and ourselves don't consume as much as when we were younger. On the flip side, by the time you reach retirement age you know what you like best and you know how to brew it. And by all means GET every piece of brewing equipment that you need to be that homebrewer you want to be. As you can see from testimonies above, this hobby provides many years of enjoyment and education that people who don't brew, will never experience. Brew on my friends we are a special group of people.

yep.
though i still make 10 gallon batches.
i keep those fermenters in a fridge in the basement on a stand.
brew outside then use a long hose to run the wort down to the fermenters.
at keg time hook hose up to spigot on fermenter and fill.
now when there is just a few gallons left i do need to take out the fermenter to get more elevation however after thinking about it i've ordered some fittings and a keg charger and plan to use that to push the remaining beer out of the fermenter.
i think. lol.
not sure it will actually work.

either way the most i'm lugging is a 5 gallon brew bucket down the stairs.
once i get basement brewing sorted out i won't even be doing that.