Stainless fermenters

[Grealish]

I want to move to stainless fermenters. I can't afford a conical. Does anyone have any suggestions of a cheap simple stainless bucket. I'm thinking of a Maischfest fermenter Maischfest-Fermenting-Kettle-25-Litre-Fermentation-Tube-304-Stainless-Steel-25-Ltr.html

 

[Horners]

I want to move to stainless fermenters. I can't afford a conical. Does anyone have any suggestions of a cheap simple stainless bucket. I'm thinking of a Maischfest fermenter Maischfest-Fermenting-Kettle-25-Litre-Fermentation-Tube-304-Stainless-Steel-25-Ltr.html

I have one of these - nice shiny bit of kit and an upgrade on my old plastic ones. Nice and easy to clean and nice and easy to decant wort via the tap. That said I have not used mine much as it is too bloomin tall to fit in my Brewfridge (may have the 30L version). I was using it last winter in the brewshed with a heatbelt around it (ie only upward temperature control required) until someone on here pointed out that was dangerous.

I then bought a SS brew bucket which has a thermowell and a rotating racking arm and I absolutely love that bit of kit but obviously that is twice the price. If I had my time again I wished I had waited and skipped the Klarstein.

 

[Grealish]

That's my dilemma... I know the conical is the better product but I can't afford it.

 

[JonBrew]

Wow! £80 delivered for a stainless FV is excellent. I doubt you'll find better value than that elsewhere. Only caveat I would add is that, although it looks good, I cant speak to the build quality, i.e. welds etc. Also, do you know if the tap on the Maischfest is removable and can be broken down for cleaning etc? The website says it's built-in which makes me think it might not be.

Before I saw the price of the Maischfest I was going to suggest the Anvil Brew Bucket which I believe you can get for about £120-£130. It has a domed base which is meant to aid in the settling of trub etc. But if the build quality is essentially the same - they look almost identical - I don't know if I could justify an additional £40-50 for that feature alone.

I have a SS Brewtech Brewmaster bucket which I love. I got mine when they were still £180 but they've since gone up in price to £200 (IIRC). It has a conical bottom but no trub dump feature. I've found it to be very efficient in terms of the trub settling out. The thermowell is also great. Overall it's very easy to use and clean.

Having said that, it I was looking to purchase another SS FV I'd be incredible tempted to go with the Maischfest. However, if that tap cant be removed and dismantled I'd probably go for the Anvil Brew bucket.

 

[Minimag1]

I have 2, the tap is removable, and standard fittings, they are my go to fermenters (admittedly my others are plastic), unfortunately they dont fit in my fermentation fridge, so if you want to use them in a fridge, check height and dept first - I didnt

 

[Grealish]

I just checked my fridge and it wouldn’t fit.

 

[DJDave]

I have three, I use them as casks rather than fermenters, they just, its a squeeze, fit in a 3 door bottle cooler I use as a mini cellar.

In my opinion they do not match the brewtech brew bucket ss conical. Its in a different league.

The Chinese made Klarstein are a thinner gauge, not as polished, flat bottomed and no thermowell. There is a band of rougher finish around the bottom of the side which I feel is a hygiene risk. The clips that hold the lid on are not as robust as the Brewtech ones. The spot weld that holds the base rim to the container itself go rusty. They are much cheaper.

If anybody has an idea for a stainless steel cask that fits x3 into a Blizzard 3 door bottle cooler please let me know.

 

[Ghillie]

I was using it last winter in the brewshed with a heatbelt around it (ie only upward temperature control required) until someone on here pointed out that was dangerous.

How is it dangerous?

 

[DJDave]

Ditto that, I use heatbelt round brewtech brew bucket & cool it via heath robinson external copper coil connected to a recirculating water chiller all controlled by inkbird

 

[Horners]

How is it dangerous?

Something to do with an electric element wrapped around a massive piece of conducting metal.

 

[MyQul]

I have three, I use them as casks rather than fermenters, they just, its a squeeze, fit in a 3 door bottle cooler I use as a mini cellar.

In my opinion they do not match the brewtech brew bucket ss conical. Its in a different league.

The Chinese made Klarstein are a thinner gauge, not as polished, flat bottomed and no thermowell. There is a band of rougher finish around the bottom of the side which I feel is a hygiene risk. The clips that hold the lid on are not as robust as the Brewtech ones. The spot weld that holds the base rim to the container itself go rusty. They are much cheaper.

If anybody has an idea for a stainless steel cask that fits x3 into a Blizzard 3 door bottle cooler please let me know.

Sounds to me like, 'you pays your money, you takes your choice.' Seems like it really is a case of your get what you pay for between these two fermenters

 

[Ghillie]

Something to do with an electric element wrapped around a massive piece of conducting metal.

Nonsense.

I use trace heating cables on inductions motors at work regularly. Providing you have earthing in place (as part of any sound electrical distribution network) - it's a non-issue.

You must have qualms with the submersed element in your kettle, boiler and/or immersion tank in your home then do you?

 

[TL4244]

You can get the Klarstein ones for less, I got one for £58, this was partly a reduced selling price by their Hi-Fit Tower ebay account and partly a discount voucher Ebay had on, if you take your time and keep looking you can get them for less.

Recently they had the 30l (40l absolute capacity) mash kettles (robobrew type with recirc pump) for £255

 

[Aneurysm]

Owners of the 25l Karlstein non-conical fermenter (Maischfest?), do you find the tap is sufficiently far up the side to avoid the trub whilst still not leaving too much beer behind when you're racking out?