Recommend a brew bucket!

[Llamaman]

I’ve decided to get a bigger fermenter - I’m currently using a Young’s 15L.

The Young’s is OK, but it’s a bit thin and distorts when lifted - which then sucks the airlock contents into the brew if I’ve forgotten to remove it first!

Can anyone recommend a 25 or 30l plastic fermenter?

 

[DavidDetroit]

Unfortunately I can't recommend a non-flexing bucket but even the ones that I consider sturdy do enough distorting to mess with the liquid in the airlock.
If you crack the lid open gently just a bit, you can transport without worrying about the "suck factor." There is the obvious negative of letting air in but I only transport when about to bottle.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If airlock activity is important get one with ridges round the outside of the lid like below they are the only ones that I have that are airtight.

 

[Mungri]

Love brewing 30ltr bucket with gromet and airlock £12.50.
These are air tight and do the job nicely.
They don’t suck the liquid through the air lock on moving either. Only when you start bottling and have forgotten to take it off, doh.

 

[Dazlerisepic]

Could you build a ply box around it instead with decent holes on either side to carry it?
This would stop all the flexing

 

[Llamaman]

Could you build a ply box around it instead with decent holes on either side to carry it?
This would stop all the flexing

Thanks, not a bad idea. But as I am buying a new FV anyway I thought I’d try and avoid the DIY hassle in the first place! :)

 

[Llamaman]

Anyone tried the Cooper’s FV with the krausen collar? Looks quite neat but quite expensive (as it appears you need to buy a starter kit to get it).

 

[MickDundee]

I’ve ordered one of these:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/speidel-fermentation-vessel-30-litre-p3057/s4349


Hopefully it’ll arrive this week.

 

[Cwrw666]

Just buy a bucket without an airlock. I can't see that the airlock does anything at all - after all if it shows no activity you don't really know if it's finished fermenting or your lids leaking enough to let all the pressure out.

 

[Llamaman]

Just buy a bucket without an airlock. I can't see that the airlock does anything at all - after all if it shows no activity you don't really know if it's finished fermenting or your lids leaking enough to let all the pressure out.

Would the (poor) seal on a bucket be sufficient to release the pressure? My concern would be the lid would suddenly "pop" (no doubt when I'm at work) spraying krausen and inviting air into the FV. I guess resting the lid loosely on the FV should work?

I don't use my airlocks to check on fermentation (I use a hydrometer for that) - I use them to stop air getting into my brew once krausen has died down.

 

[Llamaman]

I’ve ordered one of these:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/speidel-fermentation-vessel-30-litre-p3057/s4349


Hopefully it’ll arrive this week.

I looked at those before (they do a 12L and 20L version as well), but the shape doesn't work for me - too tall. I appreciate tall and thin may be better for brewing (less surface area), but my brew space is in the bottom of a cupboard where I only have about 50cm height to work with. So Better Bottles, etc, don't work for me either.

I've had a look at the Brupaks 30L fermenter as well - I bought a nasty 2nd hand one off Ebay to look at. It's too dirty/damaged to put into use, alas (and I've wrecked it anyway be accidently drilling a hole in the wrong place - doh) but it looks like a solid bit of kit so might get a new one of those. The main problem is that the tap looks dubious (it's a screwthread - I'm worried it'll get manky pretty quick and be hard to replace) and is placed a bit too high. It's a bit pricy too - £35 or so - so was wondering if there's slightly thicker buckets available. Otherwise I'll go for the Brupaks and try and sort out some kind of pick-up tube, or make a stand for tilting the FV at bottling time.

 

[MickDundee]

I looked at those before (they do a 12L and 20L version as well), but the shape doesn't work for me - too tall. I appreciate tall and thin may be better for brewing (less surface area), but my brew space is in the bottom of a cupboard where I only have about 50cm height to work with. So Better Bottles, etc, don't work for me either.

Gosh, yeah you don’t have much space to mess with. I have less than 90cm and had originally fancied a conical but was struggling to find one that wouldn’t need the airlock taken out to fit under the cupboard (also the fact I wouldn’t be able to use my brew belt with the Fermentasaurus put me off) so I went with the Speidel.

 

[Llamaman]

Gosh, yeah you don’t have much space to mess with. I have less than 90cm and had originally fancied a conical but was struggling to find one that wouldn’t need the airlock taken out to fit under the cupboard (also the fact I wouldn’t be able to use my brew belt with the Fermentasaurus put me off) so I went with the Speidel.

Then you now understand my 'pain'. I think I'm going to end coming back to the Brupaks, despite my reservations, simply because it's short 'n' dumpy figure works for my space.


PS 'Saisons in the Abyss' - DAMMIT you beat me to this (epic) name! I'm calling "4 Saisons in One Day (split batch)" and "Saisons in the Sun" now before anyone gets any ideas!

 

[Leon103]

Does it have to be a bucket?

Can you use a food safe can/No chill cube type thing

 

[Llamaman]

Does it have to be a bucket?

Can you use a food safe can/No chill cube type thing

Probably yes. I need to be able to get my hand and arm inside to fit the nut on my IceProbe chiller. It also needs to be 50cm or lower in height (less if I attach an airlock as well).

I think the winner is the "Better Brew" 30L bucket - it's marginally shorter (39cm) than the LoveBrewing / Home Brew Online buckets (43cm), and one of the reviews states it is a bit more robust than thinner buckets.

I really liked the look of the 23 Fermonster as well. Almost enough to rearrange the shelves in my brew cupboard to make a few extra CM to squeeze one in... but common sense has prevailed and I'll get the cheaper option (and live without being able to see my beer in beautiful clarity).

 

[Fil]

imho look at your fermentation spot/area and consider the largest volume and multiple number of brews your likely to want to have on the go at any one time and buy the cheapest foodsafe containers that will fit into your area the best.

personally i use a mixture of vessels, for my larger brews i use a 80l thermopot, and for the smaller volumes i use 4" neck wine fermentors and jerrycans..

i would suggest the considerations are:

#1 materials (food/heat? safe)
#2 size/shape and tessellation possibilities to maximise space usage.
#3 cost..

 

[LeeH]

Very bling, but very nice.

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/brew-bucket-standard.html

 

[AdeDunn]

Heh, if you're a bit well off... https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/flat-bottom-fv-p220.html

Certainly low enough to fit, and won't flex even slightly.... lol

 

[Llamaman]

Very bling, but very nice.

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/brew-bucket-standard.html

You utter, utter bar...

Oh, it’s 2cm too tall. Phew. That was close !

 

[Llamaman]

Heh, if you're a bit well off... https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/flat-bottom-fv-p220.html

Certainly low enough to fit, and won't flex even slightly.... lol

Not you as well!

Hang on, won’t stainless steel transfer heat more easily than HDPE? My iceprobe will have to work harder to maintain temps then.

Yeah, concern for the environment means I MUST not buy the shiny toy.