Concrete Egg Fermentation

[Skystrider17]

I was reading about the benefits of fermentation in concrete (see link)

http://brookstonbeerbulletin.com/the-incredible-beerable-egg/

and it looks like Hair of the Dog Brewing in CO. has ordered and uses a concrete egg as a fermenter.

I was thinking this would be a really cool, and potentially economical, DIY project. Build a mold, put in a valve, and your good to go - although in practice I'm sure it would be much more difficult.

Was wondering if anybody has ever experimented with concrete, if so how was it, and if anybody here has experience making molds for concrete. It wouldn't have to be that big to hold 5 gallons; approximately, one cubic foot holds ~7.48 gal of water, so it would only really need to be maybe 18 inches long:

http://www.had2know.com/academics/egg-surface-area-volume-calculator.html

Cheers

 

[brewshki]

weird, but kinda cool. how would sanitation work?

 

[stonebrewer]

HotD is actually in Oregon, not Colorado. I love Adam, one of my top beers and wish I could get it easily on the East Coast, or had a recipe that I could brew it myself! Wouldn't that be awesome!!

Looks like these "eggs" are a little more advanced, and they would have to be for commercial brewing. They have glycol chilling built in and all the ports and manways needed to service the thing.

Thanks for posting this! I have glass and plastic fermentation vessels, but never considered concrete! Cheers!

 

[hunter_le five]

I've heard of them being used for wine; never for beer, until now.

The purported "benefits" seem pretty suspect, honestly.

 

[day_trippr]

So, oxygen permeability is now a good thing?