Stainless steel Milk can as Fermenter

[Willy]

Curious if anyone has tested this out... You can buy a stainless steel Milk can on amazon (many sizes, options) ... I think it would be pretty easy to drill a hole in the top and stick a silicone/rubber bung in that for a blow off.

Considering giving this a try to have an extra SS fermenter. I have the SS brew buckets already and like them a lot. No the milk cans don't have a conical bottom but I think they would work great. Has anyone tried this already?

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/drilling-in-ss.696342/

 

[oakbarn]

I have used Corney Kegs with no issues. When we first did lagers we always did them in Corney Kegs in a Temp Controlled fridge. We have since moved on but I think these milk jugs can be like a regular glass carboy type with little effort. Advantage (No Light and No Break)

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Curious if anyone has tested this out... You can buy a stainless steel Milk can on amazon (many sizes, options) ... I think it would be pretty easy to drill a hole in the top and stick a silicone/rubber bung in that for a blow off.

Considering giving this a try to have an extra SS fermenter. I have the SS brew buckets already and like them a lot. No the milk cans don't have a conical bottom but I think they would work great. Has anyone tried this already?

Before paying a lot more for my Spike CF10 I had considered those milk cans. I think they'd make a fine fermenter. Installing a weld-less fitting/ball valve an inch or so from the bottom would be easy enough and help with less sediment transfers. Cost wise you can't go wrong. Great secondary fermenter too!

Please post what you decide to do!

 

[sibelman]

IIRC, famous but sadly deceased HBT member bracconière did get one of these and use it successfully.

 

[oakbarn]

Before paying a lot more for my Spike CF10 I had considered those milk cans. I think they'd make a fine fermenter. Installing a weld-less fitting/ball valve an inch or so from the bottom would be easy enough and help with less sediment transfers. Cost wise you can't go wrong. Great secondary fermenter too!

Please post what you decide to do!

I would just use a straw like a carboy as one less place to clean, I would drill a hole in the top for a Blow off. I use Tri Clamp so that is what I would do (A weldless fitting). Since it is on the top, less chance of issues with cleaning. I do have a nice Nothern Brewer Brew Thing that is 5 gal with a fitting to drain the beer, but If I was to do it again, I thing a Milk Jug would work just as good ( and easier to clean if no bottom outlet.

 

[Kickass]

IIRC, famous but sadly deceased HBT member bracconière did get one of these and use it successfully.

That was where my mind went immediately. If anyone would have, it would have been him.

 

[Broken Crow]

Buy some bits for the lid and name it 'Bracc";
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/balllockbulk_floatingdiptube.htm
and if you want a dry-hopper;
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15wlf.htm
or probably better to get a 2" one since you have the option;
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc2wlf.htm
I promised myself some time ago that if I ever came across a milk can at a decent price I'd snatch it up for my own Bracc-menter.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Buy some bits for the lid and name it 'Bracc";
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/balllockbulk_floatingdiptube.htm
and if you want a dry-hopper;
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15wlf.htm
or probably better to get a 2" one since you have the option;
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc2wlf.htm
I promised myself some time ago that if I ever came across a milk can at a decent price I'd snatch it up for my own Bracc-menter.

I have a milk can in my garden. A real milk can, galvanized, not the fancy stainless steel ones.

 

[Broken Crow]

Hey! I just found the perfect ferm-chamber for milk cans:

 

[Jim R]

I have a fairly expensive stainless fermenter that I don't even use much anymore because I have an inexpensive Fermzilla All Rounder. I can't think of a good reason to buy a stainless milk can to repurpose as a fermenter when I could buy a Fermzilla for the same price. The Fermzilla is also fully sealable for pressure fermentations and pressure transfers.

 

[MaxStout]

If you don't want to deal with bungs for the blowoff, this Brew Bucket hose barb might do the trick.

 

[Broken Crow]

I have a fairly expensive stainless fermenter that I don't even use much anymore because I have an inexpensive Fermzilla All Rounder. I can't think of a good reason to buy a stainless milk can to repurpose as a fermenter when I could buy a Fermzilla for the same price. The Fermzilla is also fully sealable for pressure fermentations and pressure transfers.

Bracc reported milk cans as being fine with up to about 5 psi pressure and the larger flat Stainless Steel lid will never crack, plus there's the shielding from UV light.... I love my fermonsters, but when you can get a SS milk can in the same price/volume range, the milk can wins.
Just my 2-cents

 

[ClaudiusB]

I have a fairly expensive stainless fermenter that I don't even use much anymore because I have an inexpensive Fermzilla All Rounder. I can't think of a good reason to buy a stainless milk can to repurpose as a fermenter when I could buy a Fermzilla for the same price. The Fermzilla is also fully sealable for pressure fermentations and pressure transfers.

"I have a fairly expensive stainless fermenter that I don't even use." I will pay for shipping as long as it's a conical fermenter.