POLL: What type of fermenter do you use?

[Phunhog]

Sanke kegs are the only way to go if you brew 10+ gallons at a time!!
Pros-
1. Stainless....virtually indestructible
2.Push beer out using C02....less chance of oxidation
3. Light can't get in
4. Easy to clean....build a cheap keg washer and it is just as easy as cleaning a carboy
5. Easy to sanitize.....to be on the safe side I boil some water in mine......nothing sanitizes better than steam..in fact you are actually sterilizing. When the water cools I add star-san.
Cons
6. Relatively cheap...
1. Heavy when full.....if you plan your fermentation chamber out right not a big deal. You can put it on a furniture dolly to wheel around

 

[beergolf]

I have both glass carboys and buckets. If a bucket is free I will use that over the carboy any day. Buckets are easy to move around, easy to clean, they are cheap, and best of all they do not break.

 

[amandabab]

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

 

[static]

Mostly glass carboys but i have a bucket for wine/mead.

 

[jpc]

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

Some of us have that problem-- we just do stupid things. Like smacking the carboy into the edge of the sink, or having it slip out of one's hands when they are well-lubricated with cleaning solution.

I've seen far too many pictures here of what can happen when the unexpected occurs, and much prefer plastic to glass. I've been using plastic for about 100 batches with no ill effects, and will continue to do so. I'm sure I would have broken at least one glass carboy in that same time.

 

[Golddiggie]

For my beers, it's all converted sanke kegs. For my other fermentations, most of the time it's other converted sanke kegs (smaller). I do still have one or two better bottle carboys, but those are used infrequently at best (maybe once a year). I simply have enough converted kegs to have what I want fermenting, or aging, going. I even have a couple of 25L kegs for aging bigger brews. The 50L keg is for my 10-12 gallon batches. :rockin:

 

[Diaperload]

Buckets Rule...Buckets Forever!

 

[Pilgarlic]

carboys only break when you do stupid thing with them.

I'm sure we can all agree that accidents are stupid, for what that's worth. And, unfortunately, accidents are inevitable.

 

[Dan]

I don't believe in accidents. Mishaps yes. There is generally a difference.

 

[gwdraper4]

2 gallon buckets, splitting batches all the time every time!

 

[Pilgarlic]

I don't believe in accidents. Mishaps yes. There is generally a difference.

I may choose not to believe in cancer, either, but it seems people die from it. Oh, and I don't believe in failure. It's only a disguised step on the road to success. So, sage, without getting all Hallmarky, what IS the difference between accidents and mishaps?

 

[cheezydemon3]

I can see how they would be easier to clean and add stuff to. I've never used one though.

I lied. I have now primaried and secondaried in a corny. Very bucket like, with the added value of gas transfer.

My last batch sat in the corny 4 months....(long story)...it had MOLD!!!

I transferred to another corny, deluding myself into believing it was leaving all mold behind.

It turned out great!!!!"

How much anxiety did I save myself not seeing the beer until absolutely necessary?

Thank you corny keg! I'll never look at my beer again!

 

[onthekeg]

I lied. I have now primaried and secondaried in a corny. Very bucket like, with the added value of gas transfer.

My last batch sat in the corny 4 months....(long story)...it had MOLD!!!

I transferred to another corny, deluding myself into believing it was leaving all mold behind.

It turned out great!!!!"

How much anxiety did I save myself not seeing the beer until absolutely necessary?

Thank you corny keg! I'll never look at my beer again!

I didn't even know you brewed beer?!

 

[spicklergregg]

Glass, Plastic and Stainless Conical. Am my preference is in the reverse order! Never had a problem with sanitation for plastic but always scared gonna break glass.

 

[Braufessor]

All buckets, all the time - other than long secondaries for big beers (which go in glass carboys). Have some V-vessels that I don't use anymore.

 

[ArcaneXor]

BUCKET

anyone who needs to "see" their beer can just hang a sign that says "NOOB" around their neck.

<------ NOOB

I don't get anxious about my beer unless it comes to blending a three-year gueuze project. I prefer visual data to augment physical measurements. Lag time to kraeusen formation. Time to kraeusen collapse. Clarity. I like to track these things so that I can correlate changes in flavor in a tried and true recipe back to some anomalous event or process error, eliminating the guesswork. It also tells when me to take measurements such as FG - if the beer is still cloudy, there's no need to disturb it... But to each their own. I am pretty content to ferment in conicals or buckets when I need to. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Pilgarlic]

I don't need to see my beer fermenting. I don't need to brew my beer. I like to do both.

 

[TwoDogBrew]

Bucket then Glass

 

[inkdbrewer]

3 Mr Beer LBK's. 2 for fermenting, the other for batch priming