A couple of months ago, the Glass Big Mouth Bubbler was released. I was so excited that I sold off my glass carboys and purchased a pair of them immediately. I was, and still am, enamored with these things. The ability to stick your entire arm down into your carboy not only makes cleaning faster, but much easier.
However, I found myself wondering what it would be like if a plastic version of these were to be produced. Low and behold, not even a month later my dreams came true. The Plastic Big Mouth Bubbler was born!
At a glance, carboys are awesome! I have been using solely glass for so long; I forgot how light a fermentor could really be. They are nice and rigid as well. The first thing to catch my eye, and the most exciting part for me I think was the lid.
The lids are made of HDPE material. I fully expected these lids to be kinds flimsy, not knowing anything about what HDPE was, but work nonetheless. Boy was I wrong, the lids are really solid. I have absolutely no fear of them breaking, or having an issue with screwing the ring down tightly to make a good seal.
Another thing I was worried about, how easy are the disc part of the lids to set? Is it just a smooth bottom that you have to get just right to screw it on? Nope! It has a nice ridge right on the underside of it that lets you get it perfectly on the mouth of the bottle effortlessly.
Also noteworthy, no need for any gaskets. This lid seals perfectly without the need for any gaskets. Reducing any recurring cost, albeit a rare one.
My favorite thing about the lid? The dual ported option you can purchase.
This carboy is awesome. It will allow for so many options. Thermowell, taking gravity samples without removing the lid, etc. The lid is large enough to fit any siphon and thief that I own. Sampling is now a breeze.
Which brings me to my next point, the punted bottom.
I figured this would be a nice addition, but I did not anticipate how much I would actually fall in love with it. With either lid my 1/2" siphon sits in the punted bottom surprisingly securely. I carried it up the stairs to take this picture with the siphon inside and it didn't move an inch; resting in the indent perfectly.
Also, a side note. Other than some extreme hopping there is plenty of space around the indent for everything to fall, leaving you with crystal clear wort for your secondary.
Next is the harness. If you have been looking into the glass Big Mouth Bubbler, and loved the harness that came with it you are in luck. I am not sure if it is the exact same harness, but the similarities are obvious. It secures exactly the same, with added support around the neck for pouring (which I love). Much easier to tightly secure than the Brew Hauler. The harness is also made in the USA, which is an added bonus.
Last but not least. The volume markings. These were a really nice touch for those that don't have a sight glass on their kettle, or just want conformation. I have an accurate sight glass on my kettle so I don't really need this per se, but I found myself liking it being there just so I can double check my volumes. Would have been nicer if there were some numbers next to the markings, but I feel that is just me being nit-picky.
All that being said there are some disadvantages still.
Flexing of the plastic. Yes this is still an issue, same as the previous PET bubblers. However, this does have 3 big anti-flex ribs. It helps, but it doesn't eliminate the problem. I have noticed the 5 gallon is significantly more rigid than the 6.5 gallon as well. I personally find this to be a minor problem, easily solved by using a solid stopper when moving the carboy.
Long-term aging. It has been known for a long time that air permeates plastic. This PET plastic is better yes, but not immune. I find this problem solvable by aging any beer you're going to have in there a while in glass, or like me in a keg if possible. I prefer to get a blanket of co2 on it anyway if dry hopping or other additions aren't a concern.
In summary, I find these new fermentors to be a great leap forward in portable and affordable fermenting gear. They're light, almost invincible, and pretty cool looking to boot. If you're trying to decide between these and glass, keep an eye out for my next article. However, if you have your mind made up on the plastic version, you won't regret it!
I picked mine up from Northern Brewer. I got the 6.5-Gallon and the 5-Gallon. (Their customer service has always been excellent to me, and with the flat rate shipping you really can't beat the price.)
Keep an eye out for my next article where I will compare the glass vs plastic and hopefully help you decide which is best for you.
Cheers!
However, I found myself wondering what it would be like if a plastic version of these were to be produced. Low and behold, not even a month later my dreams came true. The Plastic Big Mouth Bubbler was born!
At a glance, carboys are awesome! I have been using solely glass for so long; I forgot how light a fermentor could really be. They are nice and rigid as well. The first thing to catch my eye, and the most exciting part for me I think was the lid.
The lids are made of HDPE material. I fully expected these lids to be kinds flimsy, not knowing anything about what HDPE was, but work nonetheless. Boy was I wrong, the lids are really solid. I have absolutely no fear of them breaking, or having an issue with screwing the ring down tightly to make a good seal.
Another thing I was worried about, how easy are the disc part of the lids to set? Is it just a smooth bottom that you have to get just right to screw it on? Nope! It has a nice ridge right on the underside of it that lets you get it perfectly on the mouth of the bottle effortlessly.
Also noteworthy, no need for any gaskets. This lid seals perfectly without the need for any gaskets. Reducing any recurring cost, albeit a rare one.
My favorite thing about the lid? The dual ported option you can purchase.
This carboy is awesome. It will allow for so many options. Thermowell, taking gravity samples without removing the lid, etc. The lid is large enough to fit any siphon and thief that I own. Sampling is now a breeze.
Which brings me to my next point, the punted bottom.
I figured this would be a nice addition, but I did not anticipate how much I would actually fall in love with it. With either lid my 1/2" siphon sits in the punted bottom surprisingly securely. I carried it up the stairs to take this picture with the siphon inside and it didn't move an inch; resting in the indent perfectly.
Also, a side note. Other than some extreme hopping there is plenty of space around the indent for everything to fall, leaving you with crystal clear wort for your secondary.
Next is the harness. If you have been looking into the glass Big Mouth Bubbler, and loved the harness that came with it you are in luck. I am not sure if it is the exact same harness, but the similarities are obvious. It secures exactly the same, with added support around the neck for pouring (which I love). Much easier to tightly secure than the Brew Hauler. The harness is also made in the USA, which is an added bonus.
Last but not least. The volume markings. These were a really nice touch for those that don't have a sight glass on their kettle, or just want conformation. I have an accurate sight glass on my kettle so I don't really need this per se, but I found myself liking it being there just so I can double check my volumes. Would have been nicer if there were some numbers next to the markings, but I feel that is just me being nit-picky.
All that being said there are some disadvantages still.
Flexing of the plastic. Yes this is still an issue, same as the previous PET bubblers. However, this does have 3 big anti-flex ribs. It helps, but it doesn't eliminate the problem. I have noticed the 5 gallon is significantly more rigid than the 6.5 gallon as well. I personally find this to be a minor problem, easily solved by using a solid stopper when moving the carboy.
Long-term aging. It has been known for a long time that air permeates plastic. This PET plastic is better yes, but not immune. I find this problem solvable by aging any beer you're going to have in there a while in glass, or like me in a keg if possible. I prefer to get a blanket of co2 on it anyway if dry hopping or other additions aren't a concern.
In summary, I find these new fermentors to be a great leap forward in portable and affordable fermenting gear. They're light, almost invincible, and pretty cool looking to boot. If you're trying to decide between these and glass, keep an eye out for my next article. However, if you have your mind made up on the plastic version, you won't regret it!
I picked mine up from Northern Brewer. I got the 6.5-Gallon and the 5-Gallon. (Their customer service has always been excellent to me, and with the flat rate shipping you really can't beat the price.)
Keep an eye out for my next article where I will compare the glass vs plastic and hopefully help you decide which is best for you.
Cheers!
