# Pressure rated stainless fermenter.



## Chester 1 (22/10/20)

Everyone has their problems. Mine is serious. I’ve been using old fashioned plastic fermenters without any problems and even successfully made use of the latest homebrew fad, pressure. Pressure is a useful tool, great things can be achieved with just one psi and I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed a hint of carbonation during transfer.

So what’s the problem you might ask. I’ve buggered my favourite shoulder and found there’s now a multitude of tasks that I can’t achieve anymore – think about that…… Worst of all, I can’t lift a full fermenter and can’t unscrew the lid. My neighbours are tired of me asking for help and their partners are tired of me sending them home pissed. 

I hate plastic and have read too many accounts of PET fermenter catastrophes so the obvious move for me is a stainless steel pressure rated fermenter. I know there’s a host of info available but I don’t have time to sift through and sort out what is relevant and current & also what innovations might be on the horizon.
I also hate gizmos and gimmicks. I like simple, reliable tools that I can trust to do the job. Our American allies are renowned for making good, strong, foolproof gear.
I’m sure that many will agree that it would be nice to buy “Australian Made”, like we did in the old days but I’m not aware of a suitable locally made fermenter and I hope that changes in the very near future.

I’m hoping you experienced people can offer recommendations. My first choice, like many others, would be a Ss Unitank but crikey, the money. I don’t see that I can drink enough cheap beer in the rest of my life to recoup the investment. I get that a steep cone is important so a flat bottomed bucket is of no interest to me. I’m attracted to the Spike Brewing Conical Unitank although I’m not yet serous enough to establish the landed cost. The Spike Flex + is a financially attractive offer. 

What are your thoughts?


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## kadmium (22/10/20)

Chester 1 said:


> Everyone has their problems. Mine is serious. I’ve been using old fashioned plastic fermenters without any problems and even successfully made use of the latest homebrew fad, pressure. Pressure is a useful tool, great things can be achieved with just one psi and I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed a hint of carbonation during transfer.
> 
> So what’s the problem you might ask. I’ve buggered my favourite shoulder and found there’s now a multitude of tasks that I can’t achieve anymore – think about that…… Worst of all, I can’t lift a full fermenter and can’t unscrew the lid. My neighbours are tired of me asking for help and their partners are tired of me sending them home pissed.
> 
> ...


I know you mentioned you don't like the thought of PET, but do consider the Keg King fermenters. They are rated to 2.4 Bar but are tested to 5. Each one is checked individually and they are made in Springvale, Victoria, Australia. 

So supports local, it's safe and they are like $70.

Just food for though. If I had the cash to splash I would go with SS, but I don't so it was a choice made for me (by SWMBO)


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## MashBasher (22/10/20)

Ouch!

Cheapest option is a Kegmenter. But with your shoulder you would struggle moving one around.

I have an SS Brewtech conical and run it at 1 psi during cold crash. It is a very good bit of gear. With the CIP ball and a Kegland bucket blaster it is so easy to clean it is ridiculous. The lid clips on and off so all good for you. I have had mine for five years and it will no doubt get handed down to my kids.

For real pressure the spike looks great on paper. Expensive though. There is a thread on here somewhere about it.

You might look at Blichman as well: ibrew - 27U.S gal Blichman NPT Conical Fermenter

Also probably worth phoning up CheekyPeak and having a chat. They have access to a bit of stuff.

Good luck.


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## kadmium (22/10/20)

MashBasher said:


> Ouch!
> 
> Cheapest option is a Kegmenter. But with your shoulder you would struggle moving one around.
> 
> ...


How good is the bucket blaster. It's the tits. 

Also sorry about the shoulder injury OP. No good. Hopefully your neighbours aren't too resistant free beers!!


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## S.E (22/10/20)

Chester 1 said:


> Everyone has their problems. Mine is serious. I’ve been using old fashioned plastic fermenters without any problems and even successfully made use of the latest homebrew fad, pressure. Pressure is a useful tool, great things can be achieved with just one psi and I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed a hint of carbonation during transfer.
> 
> So what’s the problem you might ask. I’ve buggered my favourite shoulder and found there’s now a multitude of tasks that I can’t achieve anymore – think about that…… Worst of all, I can’t lift a full fermenter and can’t unscrew the lid. My neighbours are tired of me asking for help and their partners are tired of me sending them home pissed.
> 
> ...


Not sure I fully understand what you are after but it sounds to me like you need a fermenter that you can fill in place and clean in place so don’t need to move it around when full? If so the good news is you can do that with just about anything although pumps make it far easier.

The other requisite is that you want SS and pressure rated. You haven’t mentioned your brew length/ batch size but would fermenting in a keg with pumps to fill and CIP suit your needs?


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## kadmium (22/10/20)

S.E said:


> Not sure I fully understand what you are after but it sounds to me like you need a fermenter that you can fill in place and clean in place so don’t need to move it around when full? If so the good news is you can do that with just about anything although pumps make it far easier.
> 
> The other requisite is that you want SS and pressure rated. You haven’t mentioned your brew length/ batch size but would fermenting in a keg with pumps to fill and CIP suit your needs?


Thats actually a really good suggestion. Corny kegs are like $100 each you could ferment in them easy least if you wanted to get a full batch out, split it over two kegs.


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## S.E (22/10/20)

kadmium said:


> Thats actually a really good suggestion. Corny kegs are like $100 each you could ferment in them easy least if you wanted to get a full batch out, split it over two kegs.


I was thinking 50L keg or possibly 20L depending on brew length. $10-$50 second hand.


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## Staggerin (23/10/20)

Have you taken a look at the Fermenter king junior. 19l Plastic with some nice handles on the top. I picked them up as Ive got a knackered back and they are pretty easy to move around and clean. Using C02 to move sanitiser and beer around saves me carrying anything!

Also, with the superb assistance from Kadmium in answering some of my questions regarding spunding and pressures/temps, Im fermenting, carbonating and serving from the same container. Im even making a nice lager.

Thanks again Kadmium


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## razz (23/10/20)

A dolly or two helps also Chester. No more lifting and you can move a full fermenter or keg around the brewery. Combined with a good pump for brewing/cleaning and using CO2 to move beer around I don't lift anything.


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## kadmium (23/10/20)

Staggerin said:


> Have you taken a look at the Fermenter king junior. 19l Plastic with some nice handles on the top. I picked them up as Ive got a knackered back and they are pretty easy to move around and clean. Using C02 to move sanitiser and beer around saves me carrying anything!
> 
> Also, with the superb assistance from Kadmium in answering some of my questions regarding spunding and pressures/temps, Im fermenting, carbonating and serving from the same container. Im even making a nice lager.
> 
> Thanks again Kadmium


Haha all good mate. I'm a big fan of pressure fermenting. The little FKJ are a really nice bit of kit


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## Ballaratguy (24/10/20)

Chester 1 said:


> Everyone has their problems. Mine is serious. I’ve been using old fashioned plastic fermenters without any problems and even successfully made use of the latest homebrew fad, pressure. Pressure is a useful tool, great things can be achieved with just one psi and I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed a hint of carbonation during transfer.
> 
> So what’s the problem you might ask. I’ve buggered my favourite shoulder and found there’s now a multitude of tasks that I can’t achieve anymore – think about that…… Worst of all, I can’t lift a full fermenter and can’t unscrew the lid. My neighbours are tired of me asking for help and their partners are tired of me sending them home pissed.
> 
> ...


There is an Aussie company in the process of building just what you are looking for
It maybe released I. The next few months
(I’m sworn to secrecy about it though)


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## Ballaratguy (24/10/20)

I mainly use a fementersaurus G3 (Keg King the ones that don’t explode and are made in oz)
I leave it on the bench, pump the wort in and closed transfer out
No lifting because I also have stuffed shoulders x 2 and a few other stuffed parts (it’s a Bugga to get old) so we have to think smarter not work harder


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## kadmium (24/10/20)

Ballaratguy said:


> (it’s a Bugga to get old) so we have to think smarter not work harder


I'm already operating at my highest level and it's usually below average. I'm gonna struggle then!


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## malt and barley blues (24/10/20)

Ballaratguy said:


> There is an Aussie company in the process of building just what you are looking for
> It maybe released I. The next few months
> (I’m sworn to secrecy about it though)


So was I.


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## Grmblz (24/10/20)

What is it with bloody shoulders? Been active for 68yrs, and the only injuries were self inflicted, and usually involving a motorbike.
Three months ago I went to bed after a fairly big day but nothing special (renovating) and woke up in agony, unable to move head/neck/shoulders/arms.
Ahaa! "you've annoyed your bursae" says the doc, annoyed it! I'd wring it's effin neck if I could get hold of it, 3 months in and after CT scans, X rays, ultra sounds (no I'm not pregnant) and cortisone jabs, I've got about 30% in my right arm/shoulder and 60% in my left.
"You're doing really well considering your age" says the physio, I managed to remain civil.
This old age retirement thing is most definitely over-rated imho.


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## philrob (24/10/20)

I feel for you. I have been through the same thing. Fairly major surgery on each shoulder to fix it, the left in 2012, the right in Feb this year. On my first review with the surgeon after the surgery this year he managed to comment "that was worth doing, because your shoulder was a mess". Yeah, right, I know, I felt it from the inside for I don't know how long.
All good now though.


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## Grmblz (24/10/20)

Thanks for that philrob, yeh surgery was mentioned but rest and physio was the recommendation, what gets me is the apparent randomness of it all, if I'd fallen off the scaffold or lifted something stupidly heavy ( yep learnt that one 2 yrs ago ended up getting a hernia and have been careful since) I could understand it, or overdo it a bit and need a couple of days off then fair call, but a normal day buggerin you for ??? who knows how long before I'm back to good (if at all) "it's doin me head in" as they used to say. 
Oh! and I now have shares in Ibuprofen just to get dressed without the wife's help, and for you young uns, dressing and undressing your partner is not quite as much fun when you're in your 60's and 70's, you'll learn.


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## kadmium (24/10/20)

My old man tore his rotator cuff reaching for a cup in the cupboard...


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## Grmblz (24/10/20)

Ballaratguy said:


> There is an Aussie company in the process of building just what you are looking for
> It maybe released I. The next few months
> (I’m sworn to secrecy about it though)





malt and barley blues said:


> So was I.


Ahhh cmon guys, surely we could get some basic details, cone angle (if it has one) tc ports, capacity ish, pressure raring?
Genuine query btw, due to recent events ^ my ability to cart stuff around has become severely limited so am looking at re jigging my brewery.
Would love some of the US stuff SS/Spike and their prices are reasonable but add shipping and I just can't justify it.
I'm currently talking to a couple of Chinese companies but the quality is always going to be a bit of a gamble, and I'd much rather get something from an Aussie company (yeh it's going to be made in China) but at least it will have some quality assurance done (mmm that would depend on who's doing it?)


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## Grmblz (24/10/20)

kadmium said:


> My old man tore his rotator cuff reaching for a cup in the cupboard...


Sh*t I don't feel quite so hard done by now, THAT! would really screw me up.


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## kadmium (24/10/20)

Was funny at the time, but took him a long time to recover poor bloke!


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## Ballaratguy (25/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> What is it with bloody shoulders? Been active for 68yrs, and the only injuries were self inflicted, and usually involving a motorbike.
> Three months ago I went to bed after a fairly big day but nothing special (renovating) and woke up in agony, unable to move head/neck/shoulders/arms.
> Ahaa! "you've annoyed your bursae" says the doc, annoyed it! I'd wring it's effin neck if I could get hold of it, 3 months in and after CT scans, X rays, ultra sounds (no I'm not pregnant) and cortisone jabs, I've got about 30% in my right arm/shoulder and 60% in my left.
> "You're doing really well considering your age" says the physio, I managed to remain civil.
> This old age retirement thing is most definitely over-rated imho.


Stop grumbling I’ve got bursitis in both shoulders and hip. Can’t walk on a roof and especially hilly country.
Cortisone works for a little bit then back to where you were.
There’s nothing wrong with the retirement thing, it’s just that the body can’t enjoy it like we would like.
At least when you wake up you don’t have to wonder what part of your body is gunna ache for the day.
I always said that we can’t wait for the kids to move out but by the time they do we can’t remember what we wanted to do when they did


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## Grmblz (25/10/20)

Bloody hell, I didn't know you had them in your hips as well, more joy to look forward to I suppose.
Interesting comment about the cortisone, my medics gave me the impression that if it worked (not guaranteed apparently) then with physio I'd get back to normal eventually, being an idiot I thought they were talking a few weeks.
As philrob mentioned there's always surgery, did you look into that avenue?


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## golfandbrew (25/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> Ahhh cmon guys, surely we could get some basic details, cone angle (if it has one) tc ports, capacity ish, pressure raring?
> Genuine query btw, due to recent events ^ my ability to cart stuff around has become severely limited so am looking at re jigging my brewery.
> Would love some of the US stuff SS/Spike and their prices are reasonable but add shipping and I just can't justify it.
> I'm currently talking to a couple of Chinese companies but the quality is always going to be a bit of a gamble, and I'd much rather get something from an Aussie company (yeh it's going to be made in China) but at least it will have some quality assurance done (mmm that would depend on who's doing it?)



How about on the count of three you each tell who is making what so we at least know you are both talking about the same thing.

Also if the source is the same it's already been told to both of you and technically no longer a secret so you are welcome to share.


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## Ballaratguy (25/10/20)

golfandbrew said:


> How about on the count of three you each tell who is making what so we at least know you are both talking about the same thing.
> 
> Also if the source is the same it's already been told to both of you and technically no longer a secret so you are welcome to share.


It’s also a 35Lt


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## Ballaratguy (25/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> Bloody hell, I didn't know you had them in your hips as well, more joy to look forward to I suppose.
> Interesting comment about the cortisone, my medics gave me the impression that if it worked (not guaranteed apparently) then with physio I'd get back to normal eventually, being an idiot I thought they were talking a few weeks.
> As philrob mentioned there's always surgery, did you look into that avenue?


We have about 150 bursar in our bodies. I think they are where the tendons join onto the bone at the joints
In time it won’t stop you from doing things but you will pay the price later. I find that at the end of the day I feel what’s wrong and where
It’s a good excuse to drink home brew to make you feel better for a few minutes


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## wide eyed and legless (25/10/20)

Ballaratguy said:


> It’s also a 35Lt


And all Tri clamp fittings.


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## Ballaratguy (25/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> Bloody hell, I didn't know you had them in your hips as well, more joy to look forward to I suppose.
> Interesting comment about the cortisone, my medics gave me the impression that if it worked (not guaranteed apparently) then with physio I'd get back to normal eventually, being an idiot I thought they were talking a few weeks.
> As philrob mentioned there's always surgery, did you look into that avenue?


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## Meddo (25/10/20)

wide eyed and legless said:


> And all Tri clamp fittings.


Hopefully not too many (see: SS Brewtech)


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## beer gut (25/10/20)

wide eyed and legless said:


> And all Tri clamp fittings.




It wouldn’t be Keg King making these would it ??


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## wide eyed and legless (26/10/20)

beer gut said:


> It wouldn’t be Keg King making these would it ??


Was that just a lucky guess?


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## beer gut (26/10/20)

wide eyed and legless said:


> Was that just a lucky guess?


Just a wild guess 

Looking forward to see how it turns out!


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## Chester 1 (29/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> What is it with bloody shoulders? Been active for 68yrs, and the only injuries were self inflicted, and usually involving a motorbike.
> Three months ago I went to bed after a fairly big day but nothing special (renovating) and woke up in agony, unable to move head/neck/shoulders/arms.
> Ahaa! "you've annoyed your bursae" says the doc, annoyed it! I'd wring it's effin neck if I could get hold of it, 3 months in and after CT scans, X rays, ultra sounds (no I'm not pregnant) and cortisone jabs, I've got about 30% in my right arm/shoulder and 60% in my left.
> "You're doing really well considering your age" says the physio, I managed to remain civil.
> This old age retirement thing is most definitely over-rated imho.





Ballaratguy said:


> Stop grumbling I’ve got bursitis in both shoulders and hip. Can’t walk on a roof and especially hilly country.
> Cortisone works for a little bit then back to where you were.
> There’s nothing wrong with the retirement thing, it’s just that the body can’t enjoy it like we would like.
> At least when you wake up you don’t have to wonder what part of your body is gunna ache for the day.
> I always said that we can’t wait for the kids to move out but by the time they do we can’t remember what we wanted to do when they did





philrob said:


> I feel for you. I have been through the same thing. Fairly major surgery on each shoulder to fix it, the left in 2012, the right in Feb this year. On my first review with the surgeon after the surgery this year he managed to comment "that was worth doing, because your shoulder was a mess". Yeah, right, I know, I felt it from the inside for I don't know how long.
> All good now though.





kadmium said:


> My old man tore his rotator cuff reaching for a cup in the cupboard...



Aghh, shoulders. So many people are suffering in silence. I feel for you guys. My wife almost recovered from a rotator cuff tear in one shoulder then the other one froze. She's 12 months into that now. I had recovered from calcific tendonitis and bursitis in one shoulder and now I have a bunch of torn tendons in the other. The surgeon said it's inoperable so I have to take care to not make it worse by tearing the few remaining threads. 30 minutes with a Physiotherapist costs more than two brews.
It would be hilarious if you could watch us opening a plastic fermenter, her trying to hold it while I attempt to open the lid. a simple job right, but it usually reduces at least one of us to tears. So, I really need better fermenters. 
See the photos... I think this will make the job easier.
You might ask why I tighten the lid so much. It's because I maintain positive pressure, 1 psi, in fact anything above zero is enough to keep oxygen at bay. I've discovered that beer made without oxygen is quite nice but I could do without the pain.


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## Grmblz (30/10/20)

What a brilliant idea, you could also do something like a big nut cracker to hold the fermenter across the handle holes.


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## Chester 1 (30/10/20)

Grmblz said:


> What a brilliant idea, you could also do something like a big nut cracker to hold the fermenter across the handle holes.


Yes that's a good idea, where the barrel has some strength. We'll try to get a grip on the fermenter with a wet beach towel next time and if that doesn't work I'll be back to the workshop.


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## Chester 1 (4/11/20)

kadmium said:


> I know you mentioned you don't like the thought of PET, but do consider the Keg King fermenters. They are rated to 2.4 Bar but are tested to 5. Each one is checked individually and they are made in Springvale, Victoria, Australia.
> 
> So supports local, it's safe and they are like $70.
> 
> Just food for though. If I had the cash to splash I would go with SS, but I don't so it was a choice made for me (by SWMBO)


Thanks for your feedback Kadmium. Locally made is important to me. SS is too for several reasons, one of which is that although I'll pay more I should never need to buy another.


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