Buckets Vs Carboys Vs Conicals, Vs Everything else

[yowzers]

30 responses, and nobody has mentioned fermenting in a keg? I'm surprised.

I've never done it myself, but I have some Top Draw systems coming soon and I plan on fermenting and serving out of the keg. With Fermcap, I should hopefully be able to fit about 4.5 gallons in there.

I've gone to kegs for all my hoppy beers. You can do 4 plus gallons with a little fermcap. I typically cover the opening with foil for the first three days to be safe and then add the lid when it just starts to slow. I don't use a floating diptube, but I did cut off the diptube an inch or so. My latest IPA is still in that keg getting carbed up. I'm going to try to drink it right out of the same keg on the yeast since we typically drink an IPA in 4 weeks or so. So far it tastes awesome and I only had to pitch the first glass of beer. Taking lazy to a new level I guess.

 

[augiedoggy]

Out of curiosity whats your definition of "home brew levels"? I ask because I found my unitank a very practical addition to my home brewery. Cheers

I have 4 stainless conicals and I t

I have two 12.5 gallon stainless conicals. Two are needed for frequent lager production.

I like the stainless over plastic, and the dump and racking valves keep the trub out of finished beer and allow for easy hydrometer readings. I put in 10-11 gallon batches and have never had anything but CO2 come out the blow off tube.

They were not cheap, but not too bad as I bought them on ebay. I do not know the makes, they are similar to each other but not like anything I have seen for sale lately(one might be a first gen Spike), I brew a lot and for me they were worth the investment, but of course are not needed to make good beer.

Used to ferment in heavy old glass carboys, and still have several. I'd use them for cider or mead experiments, but am glad I do not have to use them regularly, I'm sure I would have dropped one by now.

Sounds like you have the same conical I have one of.(chinese spike clone of the original american Toledo spinning made spike conicals before spike switched to china themselves) I've got a few different kinds of stainless and plastic conicals and prefer the stainless conicals. Ives used them all 6.5g buckets, carbons both glass and plastic, fast ferment conicals.. they all work but some have advantages over others.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I have 4 stainless conicals and I t

Sounds like you have the same conical I have one of.(chinese spike clone of the original american Toledo spinning made spike conicals before spike switched to china themselves) I've got a few different kinds of stainless and plastic conicals and prefer the stainless conicals. Ives used them all 6.5g buckets, carbons both glass and plastic, fast ferment conicals.. they all work but some have advantages over others.

I was referring to Jtvanns comment that conicals are a waste at the homebrew level which of course is a pretty vague statement similar to saying buying a truck isn't practical for people then clarifying afterwards for a old lady for example. He clarified that homebrew level= a few gallons so it was just a odd way to word it.Very small batch brewers would have been a better way to word it imo as a homebrewer can be doing 1bbl batches or larger and as long as there doing it a home there homebrewing. In the case of a few gallons I agree it's not a practical purchase. Cheers

 

[augiedoggy]

I was referring to Jtvanns comment that conicals are a waste at the homebrew level which of course is a pretty vague statement similar to saying buying a truck isn't practical for people then clarifying afterwards for a old lady for example. He clarified that homebrew level= a few gallons so it was just a odd way to word it.Very small batch brewers would have been a better way to word it imo as a homebrewer can be doing 1bbl batches or larger and as long as there doing it a home there homebrewing. In the case of a few gallons I agree it's not a practical purchase. Cheers

I actually didnt mean to quote you at all.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I was referring to Jtvanns comment that conicals are a waste at the homebrew level which of course is a pretty vague statement similar to saying buying a truck isn't practical for people then clarifying afterwards for a old lady for example. He clarified that homebrew level= a few gallons so it was just a odd way to word it.Very small batch brewers would have been a better way to word it imo as a homebrewer can be doing 1bbl batches or larger and as long as there doing it a home there homebrewing. In the case of a few gallons I agree it's not a practical purchase. Cheers

In theory, if you're a home brewer and doing 1bbl batches you really only should be brewing about 6 or so batches a year. Unless things have changed, most states limit homebrewing to 200G per household or less per year if there are at least two legal age adults living in that household.

When I look at the batch sizes and frequency with which some people brew, I find it hard to believe that they're drinking all that beer. That being said, some people drink an astonishing amount of beer.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

i have 2 15 gallon stainless conical fermenters, i love them for ease of use as far as the volume i brew and dump valve and yeast harvesting not to mention they look cool sitting in my basement brewery. but i sure do miss watching yeast churn away when i would sneak a peek during fermentation. as for the amount, i brew about once a month on average, puts at 180 gal per year. give or take. i have a 4 tap keezer for serving, i live on the side of the mountain and my beer gets consumed by me, my fiance, friends and family that live nearby. i do bottle some with a beer gun to take places occasionally and yes i still hit up the beer store. in the past i used buckets, big mouth bubbler, and glass carboys, out of those the big mouth bubbler was my favorite.

 

[LittleRiver]

In theory, if you're a home brewer and doing 1bbl batches you really only should be brewing about 6 or so batches a year. Unless things have changed, most states limit homebrewing to 200G per household or less per year...

That's the theory.

The reality is that some folks run a nano brewery out of their home. People "pay for ingredients" and receive beer. I don't do it, but I don't have a problem with those that do.

 

[specialkayme]

I didn't even realize there was a market for that kinda thing. I can't throw a rock without hitting a brewery, and half of them are financially struggling (even before COVID) to keep the doors open. Craft bottle shops are a dime a dozen. With that much competition, it never would have crossed my mind to offer to buy a keg off a buddy brewing in his garage, let alone multiple times.

Guess that shows how ignorant I am.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

That's the theory.

The reality is that some folks run a nano brewery out of their home. People "pay for ingredients" and receive beer. I don't do it, but I don't have a problem with those that do.

My point is that, at that point, they're no longer a home brewer. They're now running a brewery. A rose by any other name and all that...