Wide Mouth Glass Fermentor

[brokebucket]

What "bucket people" fail to realize is that some of us want perfectly clear fermenters because of their fermentation voyeurism. It has nothing to do with real benefits and you're not going to talk them into opaque or semi-opaque plastics.

Yes, I get that....but is it worth the 18,000 "is this infected" posts that pop up for YOU to be able to watch yeast porn?

PS, the humping banana is yeast, and no, he is not infected

 

[Teromous]

Oh man I didn't realize these were glass! I think it's pretty awesome. I wish I could get one without the price of shipping

 

[sgraham602]

ordered one the other day. i'll post how it goes.

 

[ultravista]

Have a few photos of that process? Seal with foil?

What brush? Never had a krausen ring that wouldn't come off with an over night soak in oxiclean. Put in a gallon or two mixture of warm water and oxi, seal with foil and rubberbands, flip over in a bucket so the ring is covered, rinse the next morning, done!

 

[MikeInMKE]

What "bucket people" fail to realize is that some of us want perfectly clear fermenters because of their fermentation voyeurism.

I have a glass carboy and two better bottles, yet I ferment in buckets specifically because I would otherwise sit and watch the yeast work all day.

 

[hexmonkey]

Oh man I didn't realize these were glass! I think it's pretty awesome. I wish I could get one without the price of shipping

That's easy. Just drive to Northern Brewer and pick one up in-store.

 

[Chupidacabra]

This is amazing.

 

[hexmonkey]

I'm kind of curious if this would be any safer than a glass carboy in the case of breakage?

The advantage of being able to reach into it to clean it doesn't change the fact that you'd still have to pick the sudsy wet thing up to dump it out...

 

[ultravista]

I transport my carboys in milk crates. No problems for years.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I'm in the glass camp. I have lots of nice buckets, and glass carboys. I like glass the best, but primary in buckets for ease of use. Now with these I could see my others would become long term aging vessels. Anyone know where these are made?

 

[DrWill]

What "bucket people" fail to realize is that some of us want perfectly clear fermenters because of their fermentation voyeurism.

Is it creepy that I love to watch my pet yeasts reproduce? I mean, yeah it's creepy, but it is TOO creepy?

 

[hexmonkey]

I transport my carboys in milk crates. No problems for years.

What about when you wash them out? Don't you have to take them out of the crates?

 

[GotPushrods]

What "bucket people" fail to realize is that some of us want perfectly clear fermenters because of their fermentation voyeurism. It has nothing to do with real benefits and you're not going to talk them into opaque or semi-opaque plastics.

I completely agree. Sure stainless would be amazing. But if I'm going to settle for plastic, I want some other perk.

I am still blown away that no one makes a 6.5 - 7 gallon PET carboy. They would get rich off me alone.

Who brews 5 gallons in primary anyway? Almost nobody. My 6 gallon PET carboys are nice, but at 5.25 - 5.5 gallons, there's always a ton of blowoff, and often a mess that my blowoff container can't hold.

Make that a 7 gallon PET carboy with a wide mouth and you'll sell more than you can make. With all the innovation in homebrewing the last 5-10 years, I am shocked this doesn't exist.

 

[Seven]

I completely agree. Sure stainless would be amazing. But if I'm going to settle for plastic, I want some other perk.

I am still blown away that no one makes a 6.5 - 7 gallon PET carboy. They would get rich off me alone.

Who brews 5 gallons in primary anyway? Almost nobody. My 6 gallon PET carboys are nice, but at 5.25 - 5.5 gallons, there's always a ton of blowoff, and often a mess that my blowoff container can't hold.

Make that a 7 gallon PET carboy with a wide mouth and you'll sell more than you can make. With all the innovation in homebrewing the last 5-10 years, I am shocked this doesn't exist.

Does this qualify?

Speidel plastic fermenter - 7.9 Gallon

 

[david1528]

I'm gonna give it a shot. Cleaning carboys sucks!!!

 

[GotPushrods]

Does this qualify?

Speidel plastic fermenter - 7.9 Gallon

I've seen those but 1) they aren't clear (why not, it's fun) and 2) costs WAY more than a simple injection/blow molded piece of PET. My point is just make a PET carboy just like the ones B3 sells for 25 bucks. Just make it a little bigger. Boom... Blazing hot seller.

Those Speidels do look nice though!

 

[63belair]

I feel like an idiot, but I did not realize these were made of glass until reading this thread. I read the initial email and checked them out on another website (not NB's) and thought they were a logical extension of NB's 'The Bubbler' line of PET carboys.

I really think NB should have considered a different name for this, or at least they should say on their product description that it is made of glass.

Oh well, cool concept but I won't be running out the door to buy one.

 

[DrHops]

I think these are the answer, except I'm unsure about the seal of the lid. http://www.katom.com/094-SI6000.html?CID=Shopping&utm_source=Shopping&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=CSE&zmam=29342707&zmas=1&zmac=5&zmap=094-SI6000&

They don't make lids for these. They are hung upside down when not in use so the water drains out of them. You might be able to find a lid that works, but as far as I know, no one makes lids for these.

 

[DrHops]

Cool, I stand corrected!

 

[Tex60]

I picked this up off of Craig's list it has 1776 in the design on the bottom 5 gal the opening is big enough to put my arm to the bottom, I just have to figure out a stopper for it

 

[ultravista]

That ice bucket has a big hump in the middle. Why not use a regular old 6 gallon bucket?

 

[BobFV]

I like the idea of using the 6.5 gallon model for primary, but with a high gravity beer I don't think an air lock in the little grommet hole will do the trick. I don't see any way to connect a proper blow-off tube to this - anybody have any ideas how that might work?

 

[Homercidal]

I like the idea of using the 6.5 gallon model for primary, but with a high gravity beer I don't think an air lock in the little grommet hole will do the trick. I don't see any way to connect a proper blow-off tube to this - anybody have any ideas how that might work?

Yes, they actually sell a blow-off kit for this for a couple of bucks.

 

[BobFV]

Yes, they actually sell a blow-off kit for this for a couple of bucks.

Cool, yes, I see it now on the site. Thanks.

Looks like the screw on top actually has a hole for a stopper which can also be used for a blowoff tube. I imagine my "Brew Hauler" carboy carrier will work with it as well.

Looks like a good piece of gear.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Ahhh... no more struggling to get a fat bag of dry hops out of the neck!

I only put 1oz per muslin bag of hops in there. Makes it easy to get out.

 

[rockbottom61]

It looks like they do offer a 6.5 gallon model.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/big-mouth-bubbler-6-5-gallon-fermentor.html

 

[Randzor]

I can't see why not. I wish there would have been follow through on the same idea for a PET version of the same that was promised a few years ago.

I wonder if there is a patent or plastic sourcing problem. I understand most glass is made in mexico so it may be easier to source a manufacturer.

 

[Homercidal]

I mentioned this when the wife brought up Christmas gift ideas. She actually asked a fair number of questions about it, like why's it better? where can it be bought? etc.

Crossing fingers. I'd like to try one out. I'm just hoping they are more durable than the carboys that have been made lately.

 

[AnOldUR]

Not an expert on stress analysis, but I'd think a normal carboy would be less prone to breakage than one of these wide mouth versions. Wouldn’t the smaller opening make up a stronger system?



edit:
Not saying this would stop me from buying one. Just an observation.

 

[Homercidal]

Not necessarily. Most carboys break at the bottom, not the top. Having a smaller opening at the top also puts a greater distance between the outside corner and inside corner, which would likely make it weaker (at equal thickness). Having a larger opening reduces the distance between the corners, allowing less leverage if you were to place stress on the opening.

Now if it's thick enough, and made from the right types of glass, it should be fine.