# Using 2nd Hand 20l Buckets As A Fermenter



## sxs19 (4/11/09)

I am planning to do some smaller test brews (15l) to start experimenting with some slightly tweaked kit and extra recipes based on the toucan idea.

A food wholesaler down the road from where i work has second had 20l food grade buckets that they are selling (they have been used for bulk pickles from memory) and i was thinking of using them as a fermenter. I currently have 1 30l pail type fermenter that i use and love the ease of cleaning it. 

Firstly when i had a look at the buckets they did have a smell of either pickles or vinegar and was wondering how i would remove this smell from them. i would hate to do a brew and it to come out with a faint pickled onion taste to it.

Secondly has anyone else has experience in using 20l food grade buckets to do smaller brews in.

i dont use a airlock and normally do the cling film with a pin prick thing when fermenting. 

thanks for any advice or ideas


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## MarkBastard (4/11/09)

home brand napisan + hot water

put the lid on and let it cool naturally. rinse, repeat. leave outside with lid off in the sun, then napisan again if needed. the smell should go easy enough


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## Jonez (5/11/09)

sxs19 said:


> ...A food wholesaler down the road from where i work has second had 20l food grade buckets that they are selling (they have been used for bulk pickles from memory) and i was thinking of using them as a fermenter...





I am using some of those (mayo buckets) as second fermenter or for bulk priming/ soaking equipment. Lids are air tight. I put a tap on one and used it to steep grains not long ago. Now I am planning to install a heating element(from an old kettle) in one of them. It would look just like the sketch in Laurie Strachan's book (The Complete Guide to Homebrewing in Australia) 

Edit: photo attached


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## sxs19 (6/11/09)

Jonez said:


> I am using some of those (mayo buckets) as second fermenter or for bulk priming/ soaking equipment. Lids are air tight. I put a tap on one and used it to steep grains not long ago. Now I am planning to install a heating element(from an old kettle) in one of them. It would look just like the sketch in Laurie Strachan's book (The Complete Guide to Homebrewing in Australia)
> 
> Edit: photo attached



As i am going to use them for some small scale test brews im really interestead in what sort of tap you used and where you purchased it from. i tried the local bunnings and the only thing that they could suggest was a hybrid water tank kero tap thingy. plus doing it that way was going to cost about 20 bucks. for that money i could have just purchased another fermenter!!!!! Close to it anyway

thanks for all the other info re getting rid of the smell


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## Steve (6/11/09)

sxs19 said:


> thanks for any advice or ideas



dont be a tight arse, go to bunnings and get a brand new 25 litre water container with lid and tap for $16


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## Galamus (6/11/09)

If you have access to it an acid wash cleans up absolutely anything! leave it over night in a concentrated nitric solution, or caustic if nitric isnt available, also its reusable over and over, wouldnt put it on stainless though. 

As for a cheap outlet u can pick up a skin fitting for which u basically drill a smalll hole in the side of the bucket screw it in and attach a pvc tap to it, should be around 6 bucks

for an airlock use a blowoff, can have multiple fermenters going to the same reservoir, use some acrylic hose, cut a hole in the lid and seal it using some selleys...


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## kook (6/11/09)

I use second hand buckets like this for my grain storage, but there is no way I would ferment in them. Vinegar is often produced by fermentation with bacteria (i.e. acetic acid producing bacteria). If there is any in micro scratches or abrasions on the plastic they're not something you want to be able to get near your beer. I guess if you nuked them with hot caustic you might be fine - but considering they're often on special (new) for $9.95 at supercheap - why bother?


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## Jonez (7/11/09)

sxs19 said:


> As i am going to use them for some small scale test brews im really interestead in what sort of tap you used and where you purchased it from. i tried the local bunnings and the only thing that they could suggest was a hybrid water tank kero tap thingy. plus doing it that way was going to cost about 20 bucks. for that money i could have just purchased another fermenter!!!!! Close to it anyway
> 
> thanks for all the other info re getting rid of the smell



What some user here said is true. If you can buy a cheap fermenter in bunnings then that will be better. I did it because I did not have to pay for the buckets and they were originally strawberry and peach concentrate buckets, so they shouldn't have the problems you would have if they had been used for vinegar. I bought a tap & fitting in bunnings for $7 I think it was (plastic with a nut in the inside of the bucket) 
My main use is now for keeping my ingredients, soaking equipment and so. My small scale brews are now done with 12L water containers from Woolworths. I can fit two in my freezer so I don't need to use the fridge. This way I can split one batch in two and experiment with different hops.


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## sxs19 (8/11/09)

Firstly thanks for all of the replies.

I checked today and of the 4 that i bought 2 (21l) have been used for sour cream and 2 (10l) have been used for natural yoghurt. Total cost 10 bucks. The first bucket that i bought from them (i use it for a bin in the shed) had American pickles and the vinegar smell. sorry i guess i should have checked before i posted.

Mark^Bastard - i currently have all of the filled with nappysan using the ratio that is on the napisan container - 1 cap per 7l. To not have it all go to waste i also threw a whole heap of dirty bottles that i need to clean up in as well.

Steve - the water containers that are at binnings err bunnings, are they pail style? the main attraction of the buckets for me is ease of clean up. if i can get a pail style fermenter for 16 bucks i will defiantly grab a couple no questions asked. bugger it ill go down tomorrow and have a look  

Galamus - the contraption that the girl @ bunnings told me about needed to many different parts to make it and i was a little bit wary for the price of 20 bucks so if i can find the type that you were talking about a a pluming store it will definatley be something to think about depending on the style of water container that bunnings sell as per steves comments.

as i said in the original post i currently have a pail style fermenter and i also have a carboy style that came with my original kit from coopers. i will use the pail type 9 times out of ten purely for ease of cleaning and moving around. i can see all of the way down the sides to clean off any crud and it doesn't have the molded handles that [email protected] accumulates underneath. The other benefit i that i just measured the buckets in the second hand fridge that a friend gave me and i can fit them all in there at once. I think that this is a huge plus if i can get all of the buckets up to a acceptable standard to brew in i can try up to 4 different test brews at once ( once i find what i like i plan to move up to brewing 45l at a time in a 60l fermenter). I have been looking for some different ginger beer and hard lemonade recipe's to try and i dont see the point in brewing a 23l or 45l brew up if i dont like the end product. In the end if i cant use them for brewing they are fantastic for soaking and sanitizing in so its no great loss.

Again thanks for taking the time to reply to a newbies questions.


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## Steve (8/11/09)

sxs19 said:


> Steve - the water containers that are at binnings err bunnings, are they pail style? the main attraction of the buckets for me is ease of clean up. if i can get a pail style fermenter for 16 bucks i will defiantly grab a couple no questions asked. bugger it ill go down tomorrow and have a look



sxs - they arent pail style, they are a white plastic barrel and have a red screw on lid (with a complimentary o-ring for the lid thrown in)...exactly the same as a standard fermenter. You just need to drill a hole in the lid for an airlock if you use airlocks (I dont). They are also very easy to clean.
Cheers
Steve


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