Cheap DIY Fermentor

[LTownLiquorPig]

Forgot icing buckets from the bakery's, get a molasses bucket. 20 Liters to the brim, they have a nice ring around them at the 15 L mark. Perfect for making a nicer beer from my extract kits, and the lids have holes for getting the molasses out so there is no drilling, you just need to get the right sized bungs.

 

[dukesbb37]

When i was on a wine forum they claimed that if you get buckets from lowes or homedepot make sure you get a white one and not the orange one. They said some of the orange coloring would get into the wine.

maybe thats wine, and maybe its not true just passing on the info.

 

[Brewcrew86]

I went with a white bucket and black lid from hd. Cost me about $5.50. The orange lid does not fit. The bucket and lid are both Hdpe2. Better than $13!

 

[geeyoupee]

Has anyone used a 5gallon water bottle as a secondary fermenter?
They are the ones that have a slighty blue and has a handle on the side. I was thinking maybe I can use this since we have a lot at home. This will save me 24 or so bucks by not buying the carboy.

Any downsides to it? besides not looking as nice

 

[AdamPag]

Yup I just scored a 5gal water bottle from my office, the blue one with the handle. Check the bottom of the bottle for a recycling symbol and the #1 or #2 in the middle of it. Infact on mine it says right under the #1 PETE which is what you're looking for.

 

[geeyoupee]

Darn, mines says number 7 "other".

I looked at some buckets that I bought from OSH and its #2. But the lids arent air tight. What do you guys think about this as a fermentation bucket?

 

[jmprdood]

I googled the **** out of this. I found a lot of survivalist websites where people will not store food in these buckets and say they are unsafe even though the bucket says its type 2 plastic. They line the buckets with mylar bags if they do use them. Apparently the dyes on the colored buckets are not food grade and can be hazardous. I'd be interested to see proof they are safe.

Who said colored buckets? Mine are white and say food safe on them...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/bucket-fermenter-185656/

tons of threads out there - choose your side

 

[geeyoupee]

Does anyone know if a bucket with a lid is considered ok to use if the lid isn't air tight?

 

[StanJohnson]

Yes.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/anyone-ferment-non-airtight-fermenter-two-weeks-163546/