Hello and I have a query, are 25 litre bins large enough for a 40 pint brew kit?

[WarwickStephens]

I have recently decided to buy new fermenting bins and plumped for 25 litre bins which were very reasonable off ebay for £30 for five. Upon receiving these I'm beginning to think that I should have gone 30 litre to allow for the vigorous overspill during the primary fermentation but as I now have them I can't really be bothered with sending them back to exchange as this will cost me. My question is do you think I could partially fill to get the brew started and then top up with water and mix to bring up to 40 pints after the initial vigorous fermentation period thus saving the hassle of returning these bins.

Any comments gratefully received, the cheapest I could get 5 x 30L did grade bins with lids was just short of £50 but I'm starting to think that the smaller bins were false economy. Can anybody source these any cheaper?

 

[Graz]

I've been using 25L bins for 40 pint kits for years. Never had one go over (tempting fate now ). Mostly these: https://www.home-brew-online.com/eq...-fermenting-vessel-25-ltr-lid-no-grommet-p690

I put the lid on then crack it open a little to let the gas out. For the most vigorous the krausen might get up to the lid but it doesn't come out. I do ferment in a brew fridge though so the temperature and by nature the fermentation it kept consistent. But then again I used to ferment at whatever temperature my kitchen was at without issue.

 

[The Baron]

Yes should be ok, you do have a couple of options if you find your fermentations are very vigorous 1. use a blow off tube instead of a airlock or 2 brew slightly less to the fermentor but to your full volume recipe and then back liquor once primary fermentation has died down to your 23ltr, if using a can kit just put a couple of litres less again and back liquor that same

 

[terrym]

Many homebrewers (including me) use nominal 25 litre plastic FVs in which to brew their beer including those who make up 40 pint (just under 23 litres) kits, and this usually gives enough space for the krausen to develop without hitting the lid. A few brews may try to escape through the airlock so in that case you crack the lid until the ferment subsides or fit a blow off tube (look it up). The other solution is to brew short or in other words don't brew to 23 litres brew to 22/21 litres or even less which is what many brewers do.

 

[Hanglow]

I've used 25l buckets for years and have had a few brews that escaped, but for bitters I've not had a problem - make sure you keep them in a builders trug if you are not fermenting in a fridge to save your carpet just in case and you should be fine

 

[crowcrow]

As all the above, I've been happily using 25 litre buckets for ages - good luck! Are you hoping to get a serious amount brewing with that many buckets?

 

[BassoonBrew]

As all the above, I've been happily using 25 litre buckets for ages - good luck! Are you hoping to get a serious amount brewing with that many buckets?

You can never have too many buckets...

 

[crowcrow]

Ha true... I have 3 and that feels plenty for now, especially since I brew through in one vessel (no moving until I keg it).

I want to move to pressurised brewing, but will have to be in a corny keg due to the space I have - Ho hum better oder anther keg!

 

[GerritT]

20% headroom: ought to work.

 

[WarwickStephens]

As all the above, I've been happily using 25 litre buckets for ages - good luck! Are you hoping to get a serious amount brewing with that many buckets?

I'm just getting back into brewing and I have two heat trays, one will overheat the brew but if you balance two bins on a heat tray it will keep the temperature just about right. I plan to set off 4 kits at once and I have six corny kegs, I found out by accident, I was working away a lot, that beers really improve if left for two to three months. I plan to get well ahead with my brewing so that I can leave the beer to mature before I start drinking.

I guess that's quite a serious amount but if you're brewing, you're brewing, might as well just crack on, in my experience it better to have too much beer than too little!

Just on that subject, not that it's likely, has anyone had a beer go off for being left too long? How long will a kegged beer last? I'm presuming you'd have a good few months if not a year to drink it. I'd be grateful for any responses, cheers

 

[foxy]

I

Just on that subject, not that it's likely, has anyone had a beer go off for being left too long? How long will a kegged beer last? I'm presuming you'd have a good few months if not a year to drink it. I'd be grateful for any responses, cheers

It will go off eventually, depends on the strength and how it is packaged, and temperature it is kept at, soon as you get the sherry like notes it is on its way out, I do quite like it, but can give you a shocking head in the morning.

 

[crowcrow]

If you have cornys I'm assuming you have a keezer or kegerator? If so, and the beer is under pressure and cold, I'll say you have about 6 months or more - but I'm very relaxed about that sort of thing. Sure someone could correct me. In a bottle my beer has tasted great after we'll over a year, so in a well looked after keg set up I don't see why that wouldn't be the same, as long as you looked after your beer lines?

 

[WarwickStephens]

Not got a keezer or kegerator, I'm starting to now think I need one? Anyone made these themselves? What kind of price are we talking and how many kegs can you get in these things?

 

[kelper]

If you now buy some 33 litre FVs they can be used to make a waterbath as the 25 litre FVs fit inside. Or just to catch any overflow. Most of my kit brews don't over flow bit I have learnt to push the airlock in just enough to seal and not so it's poking half-an-inch into the head space. Another trick is to slightly tilt the FV and position the lid so the airlock is on the high side.

 

[crowcrow]

Not got a keezer or kegerator, I'm starting to now think I need one? Anyone made these themselves? What kind of price are we talking and how many kegs can you get in these things?

Keezer or kegerator - the main cost is the fridge or freezer - you might be able to get one free or cheap locally - but I bought new. Mine fits 3 kegs, or 2 kegs and the gas bottle. Plus some more room for bottled beers etc. The other cost is the lines/taps/regulator and then the gas bottle. All in I'd say mine was just under £400 for the freezer plus inkbird temp controller, 2 taps and all the lines and a regulator, plus 2 kegs and a 6litre bottle of co2. In my mind it was going to be a lot cheaper... Brewkegtap.co.uk do everything you'd need except gas, but other sites are good if you want 2nd hand corny kegs.

Very satisfying!