Fermenters - What are you using

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BillyBeer

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
185
Reaction score
6
Location
Vancouver, WA
I am thinking of some different foodgrade plastic containers to use as fermentors and I made me wonder what everyone else is using besides the standard Carboy's and Ale Pales.

Here is a link to what I am looking at:

Open Head Drums - US Plastic Corporation

I can get a couple of these from work for free. :rockin:

Happy 4th!
 
I use three sanke kegs for fermenting my 10-12 gallon batches. I use a standard 5 gal glass carboy for apfelwein and small batches. I also have a 7.75 gallon keg for smaller batches.
The kegs work great. I want some more.
 
I use three sanke kegs for fermenting my 10-12 gallon batches. I use a standard 5 gal glass carboy for apfelwein and small batches. I also have a 7.75 gallon keg for smaller batches.
The kegs work great. I want some more.

I use a kegs too but I need to get a couple more.
 
I use a 1/2 keg with the top cut off and a ball valve in the bottom. I just place a large pan lid over the top, so its open ferment. Never had a problem. I do rack as soon as ferment is complete. No leaving it for weeks.

<~~~~ this is boil kettle, fermenter looks the same.

Switching to a 7 gal conical this weekend. First time out of the box. Still going to brew 10 gal batches, but am trying the no chill thing for the other 5 gals.

David :)
 
I use the ale pales, but I also use this 15 gallon malt extract barrel.

10GallonFermenter.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow. all that work to not properly ferment? It won't take that much longer to transfer to proper fermentor...

And what's not proper about a stainless vessel?? Also no risk of infection during transfer, as there is none. During active fermentation I believe your beer doesn't need to sealed away like a lab experiment...the Co2 provides postive pressure to keep the unwanted "stuff" out. When fermentation is complete, the beer gets racked to a keg and purged w/ Co2. I don't muck around, and practice sound sanitaion w/ star san at every turn.

I believe Jamille Z. has done it this way and reported positive results...I just do what works for me and thought I would share.
 
And what's not proper about a stainless vessel?? Also no risk of infection during transfer, as there is none. During active fermentation I believe your beer doesn't need to sealed away like a lab experiment...the Co2 provides postive pressure to keep the unwanted "stuff" out. When fermentation is complete, the beer gets racked to a keg and purged w/ Co2. I don't muck around, and practice sound sanitaion w/ star san at every turn.

+1, many people dump the entire contents into the fermenter, so if you are ok with keeping the trub, it's just eliminating one step. I agree the fermenter just didn't to be "tightly" sealed, I'm just using tinfoil as it is.

Could you explain or provide a picture of "...seal it up well w/ the lid, a plastic bag and a string...". Whats the bag and string for?
 
I dont have pictures but I just remove the diptube from a sankey and put a #10.5 stopper in there

I don't have photos either, but I do the same thing. A #10 stopper works too but it drops down further.
After I rack the beer out of a keg I rinse it thoroughly and then fill it up with water and boil. Then another rinse and fill with sanitizer. Works great.
 
Could you explain or provide a picture of "...seal it up well w/ the lid, a plastic bag and a string...". Whats the bag and string for?


Sure, sorry no pic, but I'll try. All I do is place the lid on the kettle, cut the bottom third off a large plastic bag, place bag over fermenter top so it extends a few inches down the sides. Take a long piece of string and wrap it several times around the top of the kettle to seal the bag against the side of the kettle. This becomes somewhat airtight and will puff up w/ CO2 during fermention. After 7 -10 days the bag will lose pressure and I go to a keg shortly thereafter. Sort of like the balloon trick on a larger scale.

My biggest fear of doing this is not airborne contaminants, but fruit flies. I don't have them, but if I did, I might reconsider, they can be pesky, and breach almost all except for the best seals. (airlock time)
 
I dont have pictures but I just remove the diptube from a sankey and put a #10.5 stopper in there


Same here use both 1/2 barrels and 1/4 barrels . I set up a transfer with the spear hooked up to a regular sanke tap . Works great and beer never see's oxygen thanks to Wortmonger for walking me through the process. I also have the 15 gallon barrel like Edworts for when the 3 kegs are in use .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wilserbrewer: How to you aerate after chilling ?

Depends, if pitching dry, sometimes I don't bother, as I feel there is adequate cell count to complete the job w/out the yeast reproducing. Yea, call me crazy again,but I feel if you pitch enough dry yeast, you don't need to airate the wort.

If repitching a slurry. I will try and use a good amount, I will also sanitze a two quart pitcher. Dip pitcher in the kettle to fill it, briskly pour it back into the kettle from say a foot above the wort. Repeat this for a few minutes and the wort is all frothed up. Simple, but very easy and effective.

Most of the beer I make is of moderate gravity and is consumed fairly fresh. If i were making something to "lay away", I'm not sure I would be quite so carefree.



and the product, 1/4 keg (7.75 gal) batch, 11 gal. kettle.

house ale at high kreusen
HPIM0597.jpg
 
My grandparents fermented in clay crocks with a wax coated cloth cover over the tops. The cloth was dipped in hot wax on the wood burning stove before each covering. They filled old porcelain capped wire locked bottles brought over from Germany in 1924, they brewed until the late 50's this way and I can still remember this. Dad never recalled a bad batch just some bottles blowing off excess pressure with a couple bottles breaking. The bottles are full of waves as well bubbles in the blowing process of many years ago. I have some history brewing equipment in storage besides a very old Bier Stein rack from a old German Bier Hall that the locals hung their Stein's on. What is cool is in the center a painting of two old Germans having a bier together and the painting is still in great condition. There are six wooden dog bones of wood to hang your Stein's on as well a couple of small shelves.
 
I use 15 gallon kegs to ferment my 10 gallon batches. I just remove the spear, make sure they are clean, and put the beer in. I use the orange carboy caps from Northern Brewer to fit over the top, and stick an air lock on it.
 
I need something that better uses the space in my chest freezer. I can fit two carboys, a bucket and three one gallon jugs in there. My 60 qt pot would easily fit but I'd need help getting it in and out with 13 gallons in it. Four cornys and a carboy may work out best.
 
Back
Top