Need help deciding between fermenters

[Elky Welky]

Hello all,

I've been scrimping and saving for a fermenter upgrade from a plastic bucket and glass carboy, and have landed on a few specifications:

Must be stainless
Needs to be able to pressure transfer
Would like to ferment under pressure
Small(ish) footprint is preferable
May eventually get a sump pump and a coil for temp control, but I'm not as worried about that because I have a small chest freezer fermentation chamber

I've narrowed my choices down to 3 options:
Anvil Bucket $ (cannot pressure ferment)
Clawhammer Fermenter Keg $$ (highest pressure rating, not as easy for gravity transfers)
Spike Flex Plus $$$ (does everything, costs the most, may not seal as well for pressure fermenting, lots of dodads and thingamabobs)

Anyone with experience across these three fermenters/thoughts/opinions?

Thanks!

 

[Willy]

I was in this spot not that long ago and found a very reasonable Spike CF-10 for sale locally. Love it. Lots of fun especially for bigger batches.

Also have some SS brew buckets which I like a lot. No pressure though but a nice upgrade from a plastic bucket. I have heard good things about the Spike Flex + but don't have any personal experience.

 

[Elky Welky]

I was in this spot not that long ago and found a very reasonable Spike CF-10 for sale locally. Love it. Lots of fun especially for bigger batches.

Also have some SS brew buckets which I like a lot. No pressure though but a nice upgrade from a plastic bucket. I have heard good things about the Spike Flex + but don't have any personal experience.

I am strongly considering the spike CF-5, although I don't plan on harvesting yeast so I am not sure I can justify the extra expense just for the dump port. Almost every upgrade to the CF-5 one can make can also be made with the Spike Flex+.

I guess the dump port would be great for CIP, but since I am going for a small footprint I don't expect to add too much weight with leg extensions etc.

The SS buckets are also tempting. Any thoughts on those vs. the Anvil?

 

[Deadalus]

The SS Brewtech Buckets have a flat lid should you want to modify it. Not completely as the center is dimpled. So adding a thermowell and coils may be a little easier. SS brewtech has a domed lid with a TC port as an accessory.

I added a TC port and thermowell to my SS mini-bucket. SS brewtech punches their holes sized to 17mm(?). This creates an issue in that if you want to put a thermowell in, you end up needing to buy theirs or widen the existing hole.

With the SS buckets, you end up needing to install your own ports. Although SS Brewtech will sell you a new lid with their coils. Similar about an Anvil Bucket although, not 100% sure about accessories, it still has limited ports initially.

It's nice to have a TC port to dry hop without O2 transfer.

 

[keystonehb]

Hello all,

I've been scrimping and saving for a fermenter upgrade from a plastic bucket and glass carboy, and have landed on a few specifications:

Must be stainless
Needs to be able to pressure transfer
Would like to ferment under pressure
Small(ish) footprint is preferable
May eventually get a sump pump and a coil for temp control, but I'm not as worried about that because I have a small chest freezer fermentation chamber

I've narrowed my choices down to 3 options:
Anvil Bucket $ (cannot pressure ferment)
Clawhammer Fermenter Keg $$ (highest pressure rating, not as easy for gravity transfers)
Spike Flex Plus $$$ (does everything, costs the most, may not seal as well for pressure fermenting, lots of dodads and thingamabobs)

Anyone with experience across these three fermenters/thoughts/opinions?

Thanks!

Spike would be my recommendation. Their products are always really well made and they also have great customer service should you ever need anything. Plus as you said super customizable.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

SS Brew bucket are also stackable, which was one of the reasons I bought them. I use an upright freezer to ferment so they stack on top of each other.

 

[Ramjet]

Have you given any thought to a 6 gallon wide mouth torpedo keg.
It's stainless
Can pressure ferment
Can do pressure transfers
And should fit in your fermentation chamber

 

[Deadalus]

Have you given any thought to a 6 gallon wide mouth torpedo keg.
It's stainless
Can pressure ferment
Can do pressure transfers
And should fit in your fermentation chamber

A regular ball lock would fit in a chest freezer, any particular reason to suggest the Megamouth? Sitting on the hump? They take up a wider footprint. There are 6 gallon size Torpedos with the standard lid. They are a little taller than the 5 gallons and same diameter as the non-slimline. There are TC ball lock lids available but don't know if any readily available for megamouth lids. Maybe more coil options with the bigger lid?

 

[Ramjet]

The wide mouth would be easier to clean if using as a fermenter. Also maybe easier to harvest yeast if you choose to do so.

 

[sibelman]

I haven't regretted my choice of the Flex+. Buy quick to avoid onrushing price jumps.

 

[TBA]

My BIL got this one for Christmas and really likes it. His beer has improved with it. Only 6 psi though. Can pressure transfer but not really spund.

https://www.deltabrewingsystems.com...tion/products/the-fermtank-8-gallon-tri-clamp

 

[wepeeler]

I have all SS Brewtech equipment, which I love, but if I started today, I'd probably go Spike. SS is expensive and the only communication you get with customer service is through email. Sometimes it's just easier to talk to someone. That being said, their customer service is very responsive and helpful.

 

[Whisky River]

Lots of good choices already mentioned, I would just add a few general thoughts to consider when making your decision.

The want/need for a bottom dump valve can depend a lot on your system. If you use something with a bottom drain that sends all your cold break and kettle trub into your fermenter then maybe it’s an appealing option. On the other hand if you use something with a side drain and you whirlpool it might be a lot less useful to you. I know lots of people with conicals that never use the bottom dump.

Cleaning is another big thing to think about. Sometimes it seems like we spend more time cleaning our equipment than we do brewing with it and that can make a big difference to how much of a hassle a fermenter is. I really prefer fermenters where you can open the entire lid so it’s super easy to clean everything and see that nothing has been missed. I can barely fit my hand in a corny keg so there’s no way I could ferment in one and the thought of cleaning dried krausen off the inside of a keg would drive me nuts. I would also think about where you clean. If you use a utility sink, will a tall skinny keg fit in it? Or will a CF10 be too heavy to lift? Also on a 5G size I personally think CIP is kind of a gimmick. I went down that rabbit hole and yes it’s kind of fun, but you wind up having to wipe things down anyway, which takes all of 2 minutes anyway. And you save the $$$ buying a high power pump and spray ball etc.

I have a Flex+ and really like it. It is a bit short and wide so IDK if it would take up a lot of room in your chest freezer, but maybe that’s something to think about. Also the last I heard the handles on the Flex+ were not “rated” to carry it while it’s full! So if you are going to be lifting it into and out of a chest freezer that’s something to think about. (I think lots of people do without issue)

The last thing I’ll mention is to watch out for proprietary gaskets and parts. I can’t even count the number of manufacturers who have gone out of business and rendered their equipment obsolete because you can’t get a replacement part. I hope we don’t lose any of the big players in the upcoming economic environment but we could, or they could discontinue a product line and then you have something that could be totally useless without its unique gasket or grommet or something. (Reminder to myself to buy one or two extra gaskets for my Flex+ just in case!)

Good luck finding the right one. And if you need any help justifying spending ridiculous amounts of money, we’re here to help!

 

[Deadalus]

I built a keg washer and have used that for years. With a good soak, kegs aren't too hard to clean by hand either. I've fermented a few times in kegs too. Certainly an option with pros and cons. If you can get two into whatever minifridge/kegerator you have, then you run two batches vs other fermenters that are wider where you end up fitting just one. Kegs have limited port options though.

As far as cleaning, the more ports and accessories, the more time involved with cleaning on a conical.

I don't have a Spike Flex+, I have 7 and 14 gallon unitanks. I often bookmark the Flex+'s that I see in the Marketplace just to watch the prices. I would recommend looking there although I looked to see where the OP is located and population density is not high so it could be a wait to find a used one. I find the pricing on the Flex + to be a little high but not as much as a unitank. However, one could wait until Black Friday and score a great deal on a unitank. The Flex+ has the same number of ports as my Brewbuilt X2. That's trading the dump port on the X2 for the 3" TC on the Flex+ lid. I'm not a fan of the band clamps personally for pressure but the seal on my mini-bucket is ok with the four clamps.

I'm seeing a lot of SS Brewtech Chronicals on the used market. I think this is because multiple unitanks have been released in the past few years. The Chronicals don't pressure ferment though.

I wasn't familiar with the Clawhammer but I just looked it up. Ok now I see why @Ramjet mentioned the Torpedo megamouth, the clawhammer has that 4" opening. Is it always that expensive-$399? Toss the extra $50 in for the Flex+ if that's the spending limit.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Take a look at the kegmenters. They are built like a tank! It’s essentially a sanke with a 4” triclamp lid. I have a 7.6 gal and a13.2. They are stackable, if you need that. I have only stacked them when idle, but that ain’t often!

They are rated to 30 psi, but could probably handle a lot more. I did a gravity transfer from the 13.2 this evening. One little burst from my CO₂ tank to start the flow, and I filled two 5 gallon cornys. I even stopped in the middle of the transfer by pulling the disconnects off the corny when the missus called me for supper. After supper, I just reconnected and it finished the transfer.

I really like it that I can put my arm in and reach to the bottom if I need to. I am super pleased with mine, and the price is great compared to some of the others out there.

 

[AzOr]

Hmm I guess I’ll be the lonely vote for the Anvil bucket. I’m not sure what they cost now but mine was purchased on sale for $99 (7.5gallon).
It’s cheap, lightweight, easy to clean and it works.
You can’t pressure transfer but when I’m kegging I have a little process that I’ve worked out.
I put a soda carbonating tip on the qd from my gas tank. I attach this to a rubber bung and feed 3-4 psi up top while I let gravity do its job. I have a tube attached to spigot, and that’s attached to a qd on the in tube of keg.
I figure my beer has very little exposure to 02.
I also own a kegmenter but it’s heavy and a pita to clean. I haven’t noticed any difference in my beer using these two.

 

[Willy]

I second the suggestion of checking Facebook marketplace - got a used CF-10 with every fitting known to man. Great deal and I love it.

I also love SS brewbuckets. No pressure but super easy to clean after fermentation.

Also used a 6 g torpedo and also one of these. Both work great for pressure fermenting and fit in my mini freezer/inkbird for lagers.
https://www.amazon.com/TMCRAFT-Ball-Lock-Disconnect-Home-brewing/dp/B0D31J8WQY/ref=asc_df_B0D31J8WQY

 

[FogHTX]

I'd say don't be too concerned about the cleaning effort if you ferment in a keg. I've been fermenting in a 10 gallon Firestone keg since 1995 and it's still in use almost continuously along side my two X3 conicals. No scrubbing involved as I just toss it on my keg washer equipped with a CIP ball. After 30 minutes circulating hot PBW it's pristine.

I'd recommend steering clear of the conicals that rely on band clamps if you want to pressurize. Just a lot of opportunity for frustration. I've got a lot of experience pounding on band clamps with rubber mallets (in another industry).

 

[Peteinno]

I have the Spike Flex+ and love it. It holds a solid 15psi of pressure and allows for pressure transfer. I've used the handles to move it around for the past two years and haven't had a problem. Easy as pie to clean.

 

[DonT]

I have the Spike Flex+ and love it. It holds a solid 15psi of pressure and allows for pressure transfer. I've used the handles to move it around for the past two years and haven't had a problem. Easy as pie to clean.

All this is true... and I'll add the rubber gasket will last forever unless you use a tool on it and tear it.

 

[Bobby_M]

I wish I could say there was a clear winner. I've tried a LOT of fermenters and many of them get moved on as demo sales. I have a LOT of opinions about design choices across the industry.

Anvil and SSbrewtech. Sketchy weldless racking valves. Almost no pressure ability. Frankly, this isn't an issue it just needs to hold a couple PSI for cold crashing and transfering.

The flex plus fixes the above but wow is a TC racking arm and butterfly valve obnoxious on a 7 gallon tank. At this capacity, the ideal racking solution would be based on 1/2" / 3/4" TC flanges and something like a diaphragm or needle valve like the sample valves or Blichmann linear flow, just in 3/4" TC form factor. Slight annoyance that none of the lid ports are 2" for hop bong/hop purging droppers unless you're not using the center port for a coil. The band clamp style lids have been somewhat frustrating to a portion of owners

I've used, and still occasionally do, a 6 gallon megamouth torpedo keg with a 2" TC welded to the lid for hop dropping. I use that port for a blow off as well since the capacity is often maxed out. The width of the tank is JUST large enough for a floating diptube to sometimes work.

The 7.6 gallon Kegmenter fixes almost all of the issues especially when you get the adapter that adds a 2" TC port on the lid. This combo does get pricey but a single 4" TC is way easy to seal every single time and the gaskets are dirt cheap to replace. No need for a weird racking valve as the floating diptube has no problem in this wide of a tank.

If that is too expensive, the All Rounder is basically a plastic kegmenter and while you should replace the body every few years to use it under higher pressure, it's still cheap.

 

[sixstring]

Hmm I guess I’ll be the lonely vote for the Anvil bucket. I’m not sure what they cost now but mine was purchased on sale for $99 (7.5gallon).
It’s cheap, lightweight, easy to clean and it works.
You can’t pressure transfer but when I’m kegging I have a little process that I’ve worked out.
I put a soda carbonating tip on the qd from my gas tank. I attach this to a rubber bung and feed 3-4 psi up top while I let gravity do its job. I have a tube attached to spigot, and that’s attached to a qd on the in tube of keg.
I figure my beer has very little exposure to 02.
I also own a kegmenter but it’s heavy and a pita to clean. I haven’t noticed any difference in my beer using these two.

I'm also an Anvil fan. I have two of the 7.5g FV's and couldn't be happier with them. I don't ferment under pressure (maybe something I might explore in the future), and I just ordered a lid upgrade so I can psuedo pressure transfer too. Not much different than what you're doing on yours AzOr, just more permanent.
They are really easy to clean, don't weigh a tonne and haven't given me a single bad batch of beer yet.

Hello all,

I've been scrimping and saving for a fermenter upgrade from a plastic bucket and glass carboy, and have landed on a few specifications:

Must be stainless
Needs to be able to pressure transfer
Would like to ferment under pressure
Small(ish) footprint is preferable
May eventually get a sump pump and a coil for temp control, but I'm not as worried about that because I have a small chest freezer fermentation chamber

I've narrowed my choices down to 3 options:
Anvil Bucket $ (cannot pressure ferment)
Clawhammer Fermenter Keg $$ (highest pressure rating, not as easy for gravity transfers)
Spike Flex Plus $$$ (does everything, costs the most, may not seal as well for pressure fermenting, lots of dodads and thingamabobs)

Anyone with experience across these three fermenters/thoughts/opinions?

Thanks!

Elky, I don't know how big your brews are, but I only brew in 5 gallon batches, so the 7.5 gallon Anvil is perfect for me. The price is about $185ish now though on them I think. Still cheaper than the others though.
When I was looking for an FV upgrade to get rid of my plastic buckets, I had one primary concern: How easy was it to clean? Then price was the next.
Since my investment I've not really cared much about getting any other FV's, as I'm completely happy with the Anvils. They're so easy to work with, which is why I got a second one. Maybe if I decide to start fermenting more than two batches at a time, I might look at something else that would allow me to experiment with fermenting under pressure. But until that day comes (which I'm sure it will), I'll stick with Anvil. Can't beat the price, the ease of cleaning and their quality seems pretty solid to me.

 

[Deadalus]

Actually the SS Brewtech Brew Bucket Classic is $150. The Brew Bucket 2.0 is $250, which comes with an upgraded valve, LCD thermostat and thermowell. Nothing wrong with the Anvil, it comes with thermometer and its valve has a threaded barb which could be replaced, domed lid though. I'm not sure about the barb coming off on the Classic, it appears removable on the 2.0.

The Chapman is often cheaper too, but it's flat bottomed and there are models with and without valves. My impression from reading many reviews is the build quality is slightly inferior to the others I mentioned above.

It's fairly common to see these SS buckets selling used on the Marketplace, usually $100 and down. I see more 7 gallon SS Brewtechs vs the Anvil, same is true for the 4 gallon sizes, but a closer ratio. Chapmans can be hit or miss as far as availability.

 

[Yesfan]

I have the Flex+ and agree with the others about the band clamp issues. I did however, get a good seal on the last batch I done with it. It held 15lbs with no issues. I can't remember where I read it, but Spike recommended having a gap of 1/4" on the ends of the band clamp. I had to really crank it tight to get there, but maybe that was the trick. I also agree about cleaning. My Flex+ doesn't have the amount of ports and gaskets like the newer versions or other brands do and I'm glad to be honest.

Someone mentioned kegs and I agree. The biggest issue I've had with that is the floating dip tube sometimes sticks to the side wall, or rides high enough to where you're transferring beer and gas. The last batch I did, I added an SS washer to the end of the dip tube to help it stay submerged, which helped. Not being able to do a 5 gallon batch is another con. Other than that, I like knowing a batch is essentially "kegged" from the getgo, so it's just a matter of moving to the kegerator after fermentation is complete.

I'd buy a couple of floating dip tubes and lower pressured PRV for a couple of your kegs and give that a go since you (I'm assuming) already have the kegs. You can get the Flex+, Anvil, etc on down the road if you still want to go that route.

 

[sixstring]

Was just reading about the Flex+. That thing looks like a beast. Looks like I found my next FV for learning how to ferment under pressure. But I have a feeling it won't fit in my kegerator to cold crash if I have a keg in there. The Anvil does, just about. It's a very careful fit, but it does work. However, if I'm at the point of getting that Flex+ then I'd probably just buy a dedicated fridge to use as my fermenting chamber anyway (if i haven't already bought one by then for making some lagers)
If I suddenly lost my current Anvils, and had to start over, I'd probably just go straight to the Flex+.

 

[Yesfan]

Was just reading about the Flex+. That thing looks like a beast. Looks like I found my next FV for learning how to ferment under pressure. But I have a feeling it won't fit in my kegerator to cold crash if I have a keg in there. The Anvil does, just about. It's a very careful fit, but it does work. However, if I'm at the point of getting that Flex+ then I'd probably just buy a dedicated fridge to use as my fermenting chamber anyway (if i haven't already bought one by then for making some lagers)
If I suddenly lost my current Anvils, and had to start over, I'd probably just go straight to the Flex+.

There's also this option from Delta Brewing. The FermTank 8 Gallon conical

It's cheaper than the Flex+ and allows you to dump your trub/yeast. Personally I'd like to have one, but I need another fermenter like I need a hole in my head.

 

[hilljack13]

No response from OP for awhile, but I'll offer up. I have two Flex+. PRV and glycol tubing if needed. I'm considering selling one because I have only used them at the same time once in almost 1.5 years. I can give a price but would like OP to respond if interested. If no response, anyone else interested and I can post in the right forum to discuss. Original box included at no extra charge

 

[Whisky River]

That Delta fermenter does look pretty good for the money but I would wonder about how much trub you could really get out of it with the shallow angle of the cone, not that that’s a deal breaker for me. I feel like trub really clings to the walls of the cone on most conicals and I wish the angle was even steeper than it usually is. It would be interesting to hear from someone who has one.

 

[sixstring]

That Delta fermenter does look pretty good for the money but I would wonder about how much trub you could really get out of it with the shallow angle of the cone, not that that’s a deal breaker for me. I feel like trub really clings to the walls of the cone on most conicals and I wish the angle was even steeper than it usually is. It would be interesting to hear from someone who has one.

This one by Delta has a steeper angle: https://www.deltabrewingsystems.com/products/fermtank-pro-series-8-gallon

 

[hilljack13]

For the price of those Deltas, seems like a good deal. I just need something bigger than 4gal and less than 8gal, which they don't seem to offer.

 

[Willy]

I have had a lot of good pressure fermentaions using a 6.5 g corny keg (sells on Amazon for about $160). I also use my torpedo 6 g keg. My third under pressure option is a Spike CF-10. All work great - kegs are easier to clean but the conical is more precise and more pro level.

For no pressure fermemts... Very happy with the SS brew buckets (get em used in FB marketplace. ). Also in a pinch - a nice food grade plastic 7 g bucket makes fine beer too.

Summary? If you wanna get into pressure fermenting - an over-sized corny keg or a fermzilla or all rounder is a good place to start learning about it.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I use regular snake kegs with the spear removed and a conversion kit that I think I got at Bobby_M's website. (Correct me if I'm wrong Bobby.)

I like the fact that I can do pressure transfers. And, I can steam sanitize them by putting a couple gallons of water in them, putting them on the burner until steam starts coming out of the ports on the conversion cap.

There are drawbacks, but they work for me.

[edit] I looked at Bobby's site and he does have a Sanke Conversion kit. I apparently bought them from a different site, and bought a couple of these. Bobby's prices are much better.

 

[Snuffy]

Oh. Sanke. Gotcha. I was like, whoa... snake keg?

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Go BIG!

https://www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com/storage-tanks/stainless-steel-tank-9-4-x-55/

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Damn autocorrect... Always messing up my ducking typing.

 

[Elky Welky]

Thank you all for the responses and wisdom! This is a great forum. I did quite a bit of research and this was all helpful. Someone even sent me a link to a used Flex + on FB marketplace and I am happy to share that link as well if anyone else is interested. I contacted the seller and they were very nice about it.

Ultimately, given the size of my space and the fact that I have a small chest freezer that works well as a fermentation chamber/makeshift keezer, I ended up going with the clawhammer fermenter/keg. They have quite a few videos about the R&D that they did on the thing, and pretty much everything I can do with a Flex+ can be done with that keg, with a few less attachments/failure points and a higher pressure rating. They also allow for interest-free payments every two weeks with free shipping at no additional cost, which aligns with my paychecks.

If I ever get out of my apartment and into a bigger space, the Flex + is high on the list.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I use regular snake kegs with the spear removed and a conversion kit that I think I got at Bobby_M's website. (Correct me if I'm wrong Bobby.)

I like the fact that I can do pressure transfers. And, I can steam sanitize them by putting a couple gallons of water in them, putting them on the burner until steam starts coming out of the ports on the conversion cap.

There are drawbacks, but they work for me.

[edit] I looked at Bobby's site and he does have a Sanke Conversion kit. I apparently bought them from a different site, and bought a couple of these. Bobby's prices are much better.

I have used these on my Chapman fermenters, and on sanke kegs. I like having the ball-lock posts, the prv, and the floating dip tube. I have done gravity and pressure transfers.

Ball Lock Tapping Head

 

[Closet Fermenter]

This just came over the interwebs if you’re still looking:


Kegmenter sale

 

[T Murph]

Interesting read. A lot of good info from experiences others have with a variety of options. I was however amazed there was no mention of Fermzillas. I've been brewing more than 30 yrs and I have used a variety of vessels to ferment in from plastic buckets to Spike CF5s.

I currently us a CF5 primarily for lager and pilsners. I appreciate many of the features of the CF5 and the accessories availabe for it. It maintains pressure very well and fits nicely in my fermentation fridge. Its biggest draw back IMO is the 3 legs which makes it too easy to tip over.

I also have two Fermzilla G3.2s. These fermenters are by far the best option for price, ease of use and performance. They ferment under pressure very well and are easy to clean and sanitize. Biggest draw back is the top lid screws on and can be extremely difficult to remove.

Knowing what I know now if I were starting out, I would opt for the Fermzillas.

 

[Yesfan]

..............Biggest draw back is the top lid screws on and can be extremely difficult to remove...............

A strap wrench is essential for those situations.