Speidel Plastic Tanks
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I've had a string of bad luck with oxidation in my IPAs lately that were fermented in the speidel tank. It is very convenient to use the large lid when adding dry hops to a fermenter, so all of my IPAs this year went into the Speidel.
I am wondering if others have had issues with oxidation with IPA. My other batches (non ipa) have been fine. It's just when large amounts of dry hops (I am gonna say 5 oz whirlpool and 5 oz dry hop per 5 gallons) that there seems to be an issue, especially in lighter malt beer like IIPA.
I am wondering if others have had issues with oxidation with IPA. My other batches (non ipa) have been fine. It's just when large amounts of dry hops (I am gonna say 5 oz whirlpool and 5 oz dry hop per 5 gallons) that there seems to be an issue, especially in lighter malt beer like IIPA.
Hmm. Could be due to cold crashing with such a large headspace.
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=900.45
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=900.45
When I cold condition my beers in my speidel, I remove the bubbler and screw-on the spare cap that came with the fermenter. I might vent the fermenter once or twice while I'm chilling it down (I usually do it over 3-4 days), just to make sure I don't blow a seal, but it has worked great for me so far. There's no suck-back when that sucker is sealed tight. I probably wouldn't cool it down too low for too long though (maybe 35-40, but not 30 or something like that).
IL1kebeer
Well-Known Member
Im sure that this has been answered already, but after wasting 20mins searching this thread I could not find this addressed:
Can you use regular airlocks in these fermenters instead of their oversized ones? I'm thinking about buying once of these but it won't fit in my fermentation chamber with their huge airlock.
Can you use regular airlocks in these fermenters instead of their oversized ones? I'm thinking about buying once of these but it won't fit in my fermentation chamber with their huge airlock.
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For those using the 30L Speidels, what are you guys using to take a sample for a hydrometer reading?
I brew 5 gallon batches, and judging by the pics in this thread, there seems to be quite a bit of headspace in the 30L tank when it's filled with only 5 gals, so i'd prefer to buy a certain baster or wine thief that's long enough so I can just insert it inside the stopper/airlock opening to grab my sample without having to unscrew the entire lid. I also don't want to use the spigot for hydrometer readings so I can minimize infection.
I brew 5 gallon batches, and judging by the pics in this thread, there seems to be quite a bit of headspace in the 30L tank when it's filled with only 5 gals, so i'd prefer to buy a certain baster or wine thief that's long enough so I can just insert it inside the stopper/airlock opening to grab my sample without having to unscrew the entire lid. I also don't want to use the spigot for hydrometer readings so I can minimize infection.
I simply put weldless thermowells (from Williams Brewing) on mine. Works perfectly with no leaks or issues. Fits right next the the spigot with plenty of room.
I've done a few fermentations in buckets, and I prefer this. It's so much easier getting the top on, and it seals really well. I think you'll be happy with it.
allaboutduncan
Active Member
What does everyone do for dry hopping if you're using the spigot? I really like the idea of using the spigot to transfer to my kegs, but I'm not sure about dry hopping in bags/mesh. Just wondering what everyone else does.
I transfer into the keg and dry hop there. I'm sure if you did a mesh bag you'd be fine though.
I'm trying to figure out if the 30L will fit in my ferm fridge or not. I'm good on the height, but I'm a little fuzzy on the width. It says the width is approx 13.5", but I don't know if that is the bottom measurement or what. It looks like bulges our a bit and then the handles add width as well. Could someone who has the 30L measure the widest part of the fermenter and also the width with the spigot included? Thanks!
spetp
Well-Known Member
That's what she said
I have 2 of the 30L Speidels which I have used for about 2 years now. I absolutely love them. A 5 gallon batch rises slightly above the half way point on the vessel and provides plenty of head room for vigorous fermentations. I have seen no indications of a problem with lots of xtra head space on my resulting brews so far but would welcome any additional feedback on what would possibly be too much in this regard.
As many have said before these units have nice sturdy handles for moving the fermenter around. Are heavy duty plastic so substantial and no glass breakage problems. The large opening makes pouring wort into the jug easy and cleaning up after brewing a snap. Arm all the way to the bottom to reach the extremities. The lever spigot on the bottom makes bottling easy above the yeast/trub layer and allows easy harvesting of yeast.
A lot of positives and very few if any negatives that I have found or been made aware of.
The quality is top notch.
As many have said before these units have nice sturdy handles for moving the fermenter around. Are heavy duty plastic so substantial and no glass breakage problems. The large opening makes pouring wort into the jug easy and cleaning up after brewing a snap. Arm all the way to the bottom to reach the extremities. The lever spigot on the bottom makes bottling easy above the yeast/trub layer and allows easy harvesting of yeast.
A lot of positives and very few if any negatives that I have found or been made aware of.
The quality is top notch.
I have 2 of the 30L's. My concern and maybe this is unfounded is that by opening the top you would be releasing the residual CO2 built up in the headspace. I am under the understanding from previous reading elsewhere that this layer of CO2 provides some measure of protection against nasties? And if this is correct I can see a reason not to release it till bottling time. Like I said I may be all washed up on this. It wouldn't be the first case of convoluted thinking about beer home brewing and I certainly wouldn't want to spread a falsehood or fable in this regard. Feel free to weigh in please.
I must confess that I don't bother with gravity checks or readings after I pitch the yeast other than a final reading at bottling time. I do take one prior to pitching the yeast just to know my starting point but then I just give it 2 weeks and watch the chemical process (I am aware that you can't solely go on the visual aspect of fermenting action or lack there of) but I feel that combined with the 2 weeks time frame in middle of range fermenting temperature should get me in the ball park. So far so good. I have to admit that my brews are pretty middle of the road Ales and none of the fancy stuff so far that might require tweaking of the above process.
I have thought about mid fermentation gravity readings using the spigot but I worry about any contamination in the spigot being introduced which might reveal itself at bottling time and also I wonder about the validity of a reading on what comes out of the spigot, possibly more trub/yeast than beer and skewing any readings. I guess you could draw off enough to clear and then take a sample and hope for an accurate indication of what lies above the trub layer.
By the way, I saw in a video a ways back someone taking pains to cover their spigot with tin foil. I like this idea and what I do is two fold. I soak a piece of paper towel in sanitizer, and run it up the spigot and twist it around remove it and throw away and do the same with a clean corner piece of paper toweling and leave it in the spigot. I then dunk a small section of tin foil in sanitizer and wrap it around the outside of the spigot. If any fruit flies or other bugs get around it they will have a hard time getting into the spigot. When bottling time comes around I remove the tinfoil and pull out the paper towel piece and use a fresh piece of paper towel soaked to sanitize the spigot opening inside and out before bottling. I might be anal in this regard but it seems to make sense to me and so far knock on wood so good.
I must confess that I don't bother with gravity checks or readings after I pitch the yeast other than a final reading at bottling time. I do take one prior to pitching the yeast just to know my starting point but then I just give it 2 weeks and watch the chemical process (I am aware that you can't solely go on the visual aspect of fermenting action or lack there of) but I feel that combined with the 2 weeks time frame in middle of range fermenting temperature should get me in the ball park. So far so good. I have to admit that my brews are pretty middle of the road Ales and none of the fancy stuff so far that might require tweaking of the above process.
I have thought about mid fermentation gravity readings using the spigot but I worry about any contamination in the spigot being introduced which might reveal itself at bottling time and also I wonder about the validity of a reading on what comes out of the spigot, possibly more trub/yeast than beer and skewing any readings. I guess you could draw off enough to clear and then take a sample and hope for an accurate indication of what lies above the trub layer.
By the way, I saw in a video a ways back someone taking pains to cover their spigot with tin foil. I like this idea and what I do is two fold. I soak a piece of paper towel in sanitizer, and run it up the spigot and twist it around remove it and throw away and do the same with a clean corner piece of paper toweling and leave it in the spigot. I then dunk a small section of tin foil in sanitizer and wrap it around the outside of the spigot. If any fruit flies or other bugs get around it they will have a hard time getting into the spigot. When bottling time comes around I remove the tinfoil and pull out the paper towel piece and use a fresh piece of paper towel soaked to sanitize the spigot opening inside and out before bottling. I might be anal in this regard but it seems to make sense to me and so far knock on wood so good.
I measure about 33" around the center (slightly bulged area) of the 30L. Around the handles is actually about an inch less about 32". I took those measurements with a small metal measuring tape so not quite what you would get with a piece of string but it should give you a fairly close idea.
I don't see any issues here. Just use the included stopper with a different bubbler assuming the hole is the correct size or get a shorter one the correct diameter size either pre drilled or solid and drill the hole. I am not sure what number size this one is.
I haven't used an S-bubbler in years but I think height wise the two versions should be similar height. No idea of stopper hole size though.
I haven't used an S-bubbler in years but I think height wise the two versions should be similar height. No idea of stopper hole size though.
Never thought of that. Might have to file that one away in my future reference drawer in case I ever want to bottle differently than I do now from the bottom spigot. I can't fathom ever worrying about blow off with 5 gallon batches in this 30L unit but I could be wrong.
I experienced a temporary I think slightly reforming from using too hot water in it one time. No lasting effects and I definately avoid anything close to that now. I have never done anything with real colder temps than 48F in it. I have had 2L pet bottles crush though empty after washing in hot water and capping in cooler air temp.
Interesting but seems to fly in the face of other information that says you cannot go solely on visual examination to determine when fermentation is finished. Stable non falling gravity readings over several days seems to be the gold standard. That said there is nothing wrong with visual inspection to determine when fermentation begins to slow down and gets somewhere ??? near fermentation finish point.
Just my opinion. Nothing set in stone here.
I do that and it has worked fine for me. I am not sure how close the wort temperature and the outside of the fermenter is to each other but I would assume close enough for gov't work LOL
I guess someone could put a probe inside and check that vs what the thermometer indicates but I will leave that for someone else to do if interested. The strips that I use have 2F graduations and even at that the will light more than 1 segment at a time. So the strip is already an approximation. Is it 1 or is it the other.......only the digital temp probe knows (if it is accurate LOL)
My 30L is a piece of cake to clean. Of course I don't let it set for extended periods after usage before cleaning. A very little soaking around the early fermentation line and a quick sponge........done.
I had much more problem years ago cleaning the glass carboys when I was doing wine. I will NEVER go back to bottle brushes that never seem to hit the rite spots.
Each to his/her own though. Like a buddy is fond of saying....."Whatever floats your boat"
srice
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Isn't CO2 heavier than air? While you disturb the layer while reaching in with a thief, I wouldn't expect the CO2 to be flushed out of the system.
bctdi
Well-Known Member
Did my first brew with the 30L and 2nd brew still in progress. The 1st one was a 9.5% belgian tripel using wyeast 3787 and did not use a blowoff tube. filled it up to the 5.75 gallon mark and fermented at 65F using the stock bubbler, I got just a little bit of blowoff running down the side that made a 6 inch diameter puddle....so not too bad. I think that for 90% of the 5 gallon batches a blowoff tube is not necessary. One other thing I noticed about this fermenter is that the spigot is offset from the center of the screw hole, so you can rotate the spigot to have it actually pull beer from a little higher up from the bottom of the fermenter so you don't get trub/yeast matter when racking. Also conversely you can rotate the spigot to pull from a lower spot if you want to rack off break material before pitching yeast. All in all I'm pretty happy with this thing.
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