Plastic Bucket Fermenter - Modify with Plexiglass Window?

[NorCalAngler]

My buddy and I are just starting to brew and I use plastic buckets while he uses Better Bottles. It's cool that he can see the status of his fermentation through the bottle while I can't see a thing. After thinking about it a bit it occurred to me that I could cut a hole in the lid and put a plexiglass or real glass window sealed with food grade silicon.

Has anybody attempted this?
Anybody smarter than me anticipate problems with using plexiglass?

It would be nice to be able to see the level of Krausen and stage of fermentation.

 

[ChshreCat]

There are folks who will just cover their bucket with a sheet of plexiglass. No need for an airlock, even. CO2 builds enough pressure to push up on the plexi and escape, but the plexi has enough weight to sit on the bucket and not let anything back in. Good enough for a primary and you can see right in.

 

[NorCalAngler]

There are folks who will just cover their bucket with a sheet of plexiglass. No need for an airlock, even. CO2 builds enough pressure to push up on the plexi and escape, but the plexi has enough weight to sit on the bucket and not let anything back in. Good enough for a primary and you can see right in.

Thanks for the info. That tells me there shouldn't be a problem with my window idea then. With the setup you describe I would be worried about the krausen bubbling over on an active brew... that would be a sticky mess.

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks for the info. That tells me there shouldn't be a problem with my window idea then. With the setup you describe I would be worried about the krausen bubbling over on an active brew... that would be a sticky mess.

If the krausen rises that high, it's gotta go somewhere anyway!

If I were to do that (and I've been thinking about it) I would just have my bucket in a tub. I do that anyway, for temperature control. No worries about airlocks or blowoff tubes getting clogged and having a sticky mess on the ceiling then since it'll just bubble over the side and into the tub.

 

[NorCalAngler]

You're a brave person. If you keep water in the tub to regulate temps then krausen overflow could make quite a smelly broth in your tub. If you keep the tub dry then the krausen has the potential to stain the tub depending on the type of material it's made out of.

Disgusting side story: Our last house was really small and we didn't have a good place for our cat litter so we kept it in our guest bathroom tub. We rarely had guests overnight so it was out of the way. Our cat would sometimes "miss" the litter box and urine would get down under the box and sit for a little bit. It permanently stained our tub. I would worry about Krausen doing the same thing.

 

[android]

the inside of your bucket will get stained anyway with beer, so the outside wouldn't concern me. plus, if you're going to cut a window into the bucket, you'll likely make some scratches that will be perfect little hiding spots for bacteria and such. if you want to see what's happening in the fementer, just get a better bottle. or do as CC has suggested and just put a plexi sheet on top. if you're worried about krausen falling out, drill a hole in the lid and rig a blowoff tube in it.

 

[ChshreCat]

You're a brave person. If you keep water in the tub to regulate temps then krausen overflow could make quite a smelly broth in your tub. If you keep the tub dry then the krausen has the potential to stain the tub depending on the type of material it's made out of.

Nah, just replace the water once blowoff stops and you're good. And staining of the tub isn't an issue. They cost 10 bucks or less and are only used for brewing. Who cares if it has a stain. Besides, the one I use is black.