Catastrophic failure!

[friarsmith]

The gasket holds a good seal even during the most raging fermentations (based on airlock activity anyway). You would need to drill two holes: one for the C02 inlet and one for a racking cane w/ its drilled stopper. During fermentation then, use one of the holes for an airlock/blowoff and plug the other w/ a stopper. I have not done this, but I have no doubt it would work.

Or pick up a double-drilled stopper and drill one big hole. Whatever

When I use this fermenter, to transfer I just remove the lid, cover it immediately w/ sanitized foil, and poke an autosiphon through the foil which drains into the liquid-out post. Never, ever had oxidation issues, even with kegs of beer and cider that have been stored at cellar temps for 12+ months.

The inside of this dairy can is seamless (a different piece of steel than the outside shell). It cleans up really well. I've conservatively used my 7 and 11 gal can 60 times each in the last 8-9 years. Love 'em

 

[Calder]

I just put a scrap 2x4 on the floor of my garage (to catch the bit when it went through), held the lid down with my foot, and drilled it with a 1/2" cobalt bit. A little cutting oil helped, as I recall. Easy... I don't recall the drilled rubber stopper number/size, but the handful I have are about 1/2" at the narrow end and hold an airlock or barbed elbow for a blowoff tube.

The rubber grommets they use in bucket lids fit perfectly in a1/2 inch hole. Then you can just nsert the airlock.

 

[Owly055]

My brother in law, who has a still, suggested I collect and we distill the beer (because it would have glass particles, and nastiest from inside the keezer). But I hadn't thought of that in time...and it was too late. The beer was already gone down the drain.

Some day I will rejoin my beer brothers in Valhalla!

My former neighbor and I distilled about 50 gallons of beer in a still I helped him build a few years back.......The product was quite interesting...... I always wanted to set up a botanicals basket, and distill through leaf hops...... We never got that far.

Unfortunately I haven't found a way to smuggle it in to him during visiting day ;-( I've stashed it away for the day he gets out............ A "stand up guy".... He never implicated me, though I built most of his still......... ;-)

H.W.

 

[seatazzz]

I have three 6.5 gallon plastic bucket fermenters and one 7.5 gallon carboy. I only use the carboy for beers that are a little high on volume and don't need dry hopping. I keep it in a big sturdy Rubbermaid tub and have help when it needs lifting. Damn thing scares me but it's irresistible to watch the yeast do their thing. I've looked at the Better Bottles but they're out of my budget for the time being. Someday, though....