Fermentation Vessel

[foxy]

What's your opinion on the Zilla v's Sauraus? I have the Sauraus and love it as which bring many advantages over buckets but the bottom collection system is awful.

Why? What are you collecting? Clear wort in, collect yeast or dump yeast, simple.

 

[Sadfield]

They look very similar vessels, what are they?

Catering gastronorms. They come in a variety of sizes and depths. The drain I added myself.

Gastronorm

 

[Sadfield]

Is this to re-create the open top fermenters of old? I am assuming that this method works well? otherwise you wouldn’t still be doing it. No one wants to produce bad beer. I would worry that dust that you can’t really see will be getting into the fermenter, maybe even the odd fly etc. What is the success rate of this method? I know that brewery’s once used open top fermentation but the Krausen on top often looked like a cement wall, impenetrable. Though the move to closed fermentation on a commercial scale leads me to believe that open top had its major issues. What’s your thoughts?

Yes. Has worked well so far, but it's a new project.

I think the process is fairly forgiving as long as there's krausen and off gasing. There are plenty of commercials still doing it. I think the move to closed conicals is possibly related to CIP (clean in place) practices.

 

[Dr. Dirk]

As I said, I've got one and it does look nice. If you polish it enough you tell your reflection it was all worth it...

ha, yes! One advantage of the Brewtech SS buckets is that they're stackable, so save room if space is an issue. (I ferment in the corner of our kitchen, so space is is premium!) Also, I imagine they'll hold their resale value. Plastic buckets are easier to clean, though. The Brewtech buckets are heavier and clang around quite a bit during cleaning.

 

[QED]

6 Gallon Better Bottle PET Carboys (because years ago when I started homebrewing, that's what Charlie Papazian used in his book, well the glass ones) and I just got used to using them. Only just invested in a Fermzilla All Rounder but really like that - and it's much easier to clean!
Have I mentioned before that I like clear fermenting vessels

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Yes. Has worked well so far, but it's a new project.

I think the process is fairly forgiving as long as there's krausen and off gasing. There are plenty of commercials still doing it. I think the move to closed conicals is possibly related to CIP (clean in place) practices.

Excellent stuff. Well good luck with it. It certainly looks awesome and it is probably something that not a lot of HB ers are doing at the moment. Great unique quality to you ale I would imagine.

 

[Kerby]

Ferment under pressure in corny kegs with spunding valve. Doing smallish batches (12L packaged) so a standard corny easily has enough headroom but occasionally ferment in a smaller 11.4L keg when I’m trying out a new brew. Closed transfer to second keg to dry hop and then into little 6L kegs for storage and serving.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

That takes me back i made loads of these when i first started then moved to glass as they came up second hand.

 

[terrym]

Is this to re-create the open top fermenters of old? I am assuming that this method works well? otherwise you wouldn’t still be doing it. No one wants to produce bad beer. I would worry that dust that you can’t really see will be getting into the fermenter, maybe even the odd fly etc. What is the success rate of this method? I know that brewery’s once used open top fermentation but the Krausen on top often looked like a cement wall, impenetrable. Though the move to closed fermentation on a commercial scale leads me to believe that open top had its major issues. What’s your thoughts?

Many established older UK breweries still use the open fermenters e.g. Black Sheep and York Brewery when I visited about 2/3 years ago, and Harveys perhaps. Marstons Burton brewery uses the Union system which is also open to an extent. If there had been issues with open fermenters in breweries the practice would have been abandoned years ago. I asked the brewer at York Brewery if they had issues witheir open fermenters and got a definitive no they hadn't.

 

[zeptobrewer]

For bottling, is the normal thing to transfer out of the fermentation vessel in to a bottling bucket, or is it possible to bottle straight out of some of these fermentation vessels?

FWIW - I've got a 25l bucket that fits in my modified brew fridge that's doing the trick for now.

 

[An Ankoù]

Sure they are twenty times or more the price but a plastic fermentor will last maybe two years so in forty years time you will be saving money (yeah thinking about it I can’t really defend my purchase on cost grounds but it is really shiny).

Nar, my plastic fermenters are getting on for 15-20 years. They're encrusted with beerstone, which I can't get off even with 5-Star B S Remover (load of junk, 5 Star, in my opinion) so I soak them with bleach and then metabisulphite after every brew- forces a good sanitation regime. My secondary fermenters are old Boots pressure barrels which are even older than the buckets. There's decades of life left in these. Also got some nice Speidel fermenters, which I rarely use for no good reason. If I were buying new, however, @obscure , I think I'd go for stainless as there's too much plastic in circulation, getting into the food chain and clogging up the oceans. There, justification for shiny stuff sorted.

 

[Worf]

Combination of buckets (one which has lasted 10yrs) & a 20L Speidel. Plans to acquire a 30L Speidel. I move too much to have SS trophies to pack.

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Many established older UK breweries still use the open fermenters e.g. Black Sheep and York Brewery when I visited about 2/3 years ago, and Harveys perhaps. Marstons Burton brewery uses the Union system which is also open to an extent. If there had been issues with open fermenters in breweries the practice would have been abandoned years ago. I asked the brewer at York Brewery if they had issues witheir open fermenters and got a definitive no they hadn't.

I am not saying that I don’t think that open ferm is a good idea. In fact I am very much into older and indeed ancient brewing practices . I have been looking into old Nordic farmhouse methods etc. I was more curious to see that someone was rocking that method out on an HB level, as his regular practice and wanted to see how he was finding it. Most new breweries / craft breweries that open up tend to go for the closed ferm though don’t you think? Though it is interesting to here that there are still some doing open ferm. I should visit some more breweries. I really like Black Sheep Brewery. Have you tried Rigwelter, I think it was called that? Very tasty.

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

For bottling, is the normal thing to transfer out of the fermentation vessel in to a bottling bucket, or is it possible to bottle straight out of some of these fermentation vessels?

FWIW - I've got a 25l bucket that fits in my modified brew fridge that's doing the trick for now.

Plenty of ways to bottle. I remember reading on this Forum, that someone uses a jug to scoop the beer from the FV into the bottle. What works, works I guess. Though you might get a bit of oxidisation with that method. Though thinking about it, you probably do with a lot of other methods too.

 

[gingerneil]

I use a basic plastic 23l bucket with a tap - but I'm only doing basic kits. I like the look of the conical FVs to make it easier to remove the trub - but they seem very expensive!

 

[cerbera84]

2 X Fermentasaurus Snub Noses 35L - I've been so impressed, I'm tempted to order a third

 

[foxy]

2 X Fermentasaurus Snub Noses 35L - I've been so impressed, I'm tempted to order a third

Get four, 2 for secondaries.

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Get four, 2 for secondaries.
View attachment 28121

Very nice

 

[itry]

i am toying with the idea of this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000462268318.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4c593c00buW0V6&mp=1
Less money that a ssbrewtech top of the range and it has more toys on it. THe water jacket is also awesome as its less bits in the drink, less cleaning and less change of infection.
I like the idea of above as i can fire the boiling wort straight into it then use my chiller to bring down to the rite temp. It has a water jacket!!!! Im really conscious and dont like the water wastage the counterflow chiller does down the drain. If it dosnt work id have to build a closed loop glycol chiller circuit.

I was going to build my own but, some body already tried the idea i was going for and suggested its not that great and will need a serious amount of work.

 

[obscure]

i am toying with the idea of this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000462268318.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4c593c00buW0V6&mp=1
Less money that a ssbrewtech top of the range and it has more toys on it. THe water jacket is also awesome as its less bits in the drink, less cleaning and less change of infection.
I like the idea of above as i can fire the boiling wort straight into it then use my chiller to bring down to the rite temp. It has a water jacket!!!! Im really conscious and dont like the water wastage the counterflow chiller does down the drain. If it dosnt work id have to build a closed loop glycol chiller circuit.

I was going to build my own but, some body already tried the idea i was going for and suggested its not that great and will need a serious amount of work.

Does look really nice but over $700 in shipping plus VAT when it arrives and any import fees means I‘m not sure,how,much would be in it price wise.