25lt distilled water tubs?

[Andyhull]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/25-Litre-Plasti ... B003URSXQI

Does anyone use these as a FV and is there any reason why not?
I ask as i can get quite a few for free.

Thanks

Andy

 

[lambert]

I've no-chilled and fermented in those tubs. Couple of notes:

1. Make sure they are food grade HDPE (Linky).
2. Get some extra caps, the white gasket in the cap wear out after 10 or so uses.
3. If you no-chill in the same cube (i.e. not transfer the wort from another contained) then you will need a pump and air-stone to get oxygen into the wort.
4. Dry hopping is a PIA with the tub. I always dry hop in a bag and it's not easy to pull the bag out of the small opening before syphoning the beer to bottles/keg. Fermenter losses a bit higher than normal.
5. You should be fine with headspace if you ferment a 20l brew in a 25l tub. Best to use a blow-off tube instead of an airlock if headspace is tight.

I was able to fit 2 x 20l tubs in my small chest freezer/fermentation chamber - that was the main reason for me using the tubs. I've only done it a couple of times though - I've now got a 20L glass fermenter. I like to "see stuff happening" :grin:

 

[Andyhull]

Thanks Lambert.

I want to use these as they have a square footprint so smaller than a round FV of the same size so i would be able to get 2 or 3 in a row in a fermenting cupboard in my not so big shed!

I do mainly 23lt 40pint brews so they may be a bit on the tight side but alot of people do 40pint brews in 25lt FV's, i supose i can always drop to 20lt if i have to!

I would be fitting taps to them so there would be no problem in draining/syphoning them, and the main reasons i was looking at using them is they are free and as you say, they can be easily stacked!

To get around the dry hopping bag problem, i could make a narrow 40mm x 200mm ST/ST cage for a bag to go in so it would easily drop in and slip out!

I will be getting 4 or 5 so lids won't be a problem.

Andy

 

[ratty patty]

i use these myself. had no problems so far. fitted taps at the bottom of 2 of mine. bit fiddly but worth the effort. :

 

[fermentall]

:shock: How did you manage that,i wouldn't be able to get my arm in that hole :lol:

 

[ratty patty]

drill out the hole for the tap directly under the screw cap. i then used a piece of 1" by 1/2" timber and some blue tack. stick the plastic nut to the timber with the blue tack (dont get any blue tack on the thread). drop inside the tub and line it up with the hole. push the tap through the hole - twist the tap to tighten. a little bit fiddely but did 2 of them in about 10 mins. :thumb:

 

[fermentall]

Good on ya RP, more patience than me i like to be able to put spanners & hammers on things & beat thEM ABOUT A BIT :lol: :

 

[fermentall]

:lol: see what i mean, i'm beating the buttons on pc about now