# Glass Or Plastic Fermenter?



## fixa (17/12/06)

So what do you guys use?
What are the problems / advantages of each?


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## Adamt (17/12/06)

Still got my plastic fermenter from my Cooper's kit! I haven't scratched it, had no infections so far so I'm still using it.


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## jimmy01 (17/12/06)

Hi Fixa 

I have only used plastic so can't comment on glass. I have thought about swapping to glass but am worried about dropping it. I imagine they make quite a mess when they hit the ground - especially if full.

I also like the wide neck on the plastic fermenters - easy to get your hand in to give them a really good clean. Also with a tap - it is convenient when it comes to bottling (I don't bulk prime)

On the other hand the prospect of watching the fermentation process through a glass carboy does appeal

I will watch this thread with interest.

Cheers


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## bindi (17/12/06)

Both depends on space in the ferm fridge, also if you use glass ones get the clamp on handle [about $9] that clamps around the neck <_< saves grief trying to move them full or empty.
busted one washing it and sliced my leg.


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## big d (17/12/06)

I use plastic due to its ready availability and ease of use.It can scratch though and ages with time.Sunlight causes embrittlement.I also note it can stain(beerstone) 
Glass is heavy and requires syphoning from the top but doesnt scratch easily but will be harder to clean.
My ultimate choice will be a stainless conical fermenter  hopefully this year.

Cheers
Big D


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## fixa (17/12/06)

Cool... i still use plastic too, although the fermenter i use most, which is around 10 years old, it's lid has become brittle. The other plastic brigalow fermenter i have i just don't like. no reason why, just never liked it. May be looking at glass soon, although the only worry i have there is cleaning properly...


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## tangent (17/12/06)

i've heard once you brew in stainless, you never go back
tell me when you find your conical bigD


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## big d (17/12/06)

Ive found it Tangent.Just have to get a few bills together to pay for it.Also found a shop in Perth that looks interesting(wine industry) but havent had a look into it yet.

Cheers
Big D


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## pb unleaded (17/12/06)

I use a cut open keg and a glass lid held in place with some plastic tubing.
There are two holes in the lid which I just cover with sticky tape. One day I will install 
an air lock, rubber seal and a knob. I have installed a tap at the base. 
Here are couple of photos:
The keg in pic is 50lt, I also have a 30lt one.


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## Shunty (17/12/06)

I just started using a 50 litre corny keg. works great as i can transfer via a jumper line into the secondary keg in a closed environment. (my garage is full of lacto/acetobacter). Plus it cost me less than a new plastic bucket


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## newguy (17/12/06)

I started off using plastic, but after maybe 10 batches switched to a glass carboy and have been using glass ever since. I'm up around 140+ batches now.

I'm very paranoid about infections, and glass gives me that little bit extra peace of mind because I know there can't be any scratches harbouring bacteria or wild yeast. Glass is a little bit of a pain to clean, but I discovered a process that works very well.

To clean it, I start off by rinsing with water until all the loose yeast & other crap is out. Then I add some TSP (trisodium phosphate) - maybe about a tablespoon or so - and then 1 litre of cold water. Then shake the hell out of it. TSP is available at the paint section of hardware stores.

The TSP is amazing. It loosens the yeast/beerstone/trub/whatever very quickly. A few shakes and then some work with a bent bottle brush to reach the shoulders of the carboy is all that is needed. Once all the caked on crap has been dislodged, dump it and rinse. If you don't feel like shaking the carboy, you can also lay it on its side and leave it. In about 8-12 hours, give it a little shake and all the caked on crap will be dissolved. Just lay it down again, turned slightly, to submerge more of the crap and repeat.

If you notice hard water stains on the carboy, then a little PBW (powdered brewery wash) gets rid of that like magic. It also works very well on the dried trub & stuff as well, but it's much more expensive than TSP.

Just be careful not to put hot water in a glass carboy. Cold water is safest and warm is okay as long as the carboy is warm too. There's a good chance that the hot water will crack the glass since it's not tempered.

Cost is the only thing standing between me and a stainless conical fermenter (or 3) right now. If I had the money, I'd go with stainless in a heartbeat. I also considered a better bottle fermenter because having a tap would be great (no more pain in the arse syphoning), but I'm really leery about properly sanitizing the beast.


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## dr K (17/12/06)

Plastic is light, inexpensive, realtively easy to clean but it does have limitations. The major limitation is that it is very permeable to oxygen. Now, if you are doing, as I do, vigorous ale fermentations..typically 3- 4 days at 20C then 0C for another day or two then kegging this should not present a problem, but, if you are expecting to leave your fermenting wort in plastic for an extended period you should be aware of the results of oxygen getting in. Apart from the obvious oxidation you are also making an environment conducive to aceto-bacter and other aerobic nasties.
I have a stainless fermentor but it is too heavy to lift (full) into and out of the chest frezzer I use for temp. control.
I have ocassionally thought of using 19 litre corny kegs (being light and stainless!) but have dismissed them on the basis of inappropriate geometry.

Kurtz


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## Pumpy (12/1/10)

The Americans use the glass carboys as fermenters a lot and frown on the plastic fermenters , like others does it really make much difference if you are turning your beer around at a reasonable rate ?

Pumpy :unsure:


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## Asher (12/1/10)

I fermenting smaller & Longer term stuf in BettaBottles
Has a lot of the plusses of glass without the weight or breakage problems


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## warra48 (12/1/10)

I still use the plastic fermenter, 50+ batches later. It's from a Brewcraft kit my son and daughter bought me for my birthday after I retired.

I also use another plastic fermenter bought at Bunnings. 

Plastic is cheap compared to glass, is easy enough to clean because of the large lid opening, it's food grade safe, and is damn near impossible to break. It's easy to move around into the fermenting fridge, and onto the bottling table.

I'd be frightened of moving glass around the same as plastic, and it seems to me cleaning is somewhat more difficult, given the small opening. 
Never having used one, do you have to syphon your beer out of a glass carboy, or can you fit a tap like into plastic?

A SS conical would be great, but neither my budget nor my fermenting fridge is big enough for either.


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## Bribie G (12/1/10)

Whilst the idea of the conical SS fermenter appeals, the cost is significant. However does anyone use a larger (say 30L) SS pot drilled and fitted with removable cleanable tap positioned at around where the tap would be on a normal plastic barrel style fermenter? I would imagine that catering-width cling wrap would serve as a 'lid'. With a bit of settling space under the tap level it should behave the same as a plastic fermenter but with the advantage of SS - for example it could be steamed to sanitize.

Not nicely configured as a conical but a fraction of the price?

Edit: and of course, not being used for boiling, the cheaper thinner walled type would be ok.


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## SpillsMostOfIt (12/1/10)

BribieG said:


> Edit: and of course, not being used for boiling, the cheaper thinner walled type would be ok.



What if they held about 50litres and had handles at the top and some weird connector for putting liquid in/out and allowing CO2 in/out?


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## OzBeer_MD (12/1/10)

SpillsMostOfIt said:


> What if they held about 50litres and had handles at the top and some weird connector for putting liquid in/out and allowing CO2 in/out?



Do you ferment in a corny?


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## Mantis (12/1/10)

Have two 30L plastics from 2 coopers kits but have just bought a 60L plastic and hope I can lift it in and out of the freezer with 38L in it. :unsure:


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## bill_gill85 (12/1/10)

BribieG said:


> Whilst the idea of the conical SS fermenter appeals, the cost is significant. However does anyone use a larger (say 30L) SS pot drilled and fitted with removable cleanable tap positioned at around where the tap would be on a normal plastic barrel style fermenter? I would imagine that catering-width cling wrap would serve as a 'lid'. With a bit of settling space under the tap level it should behave the same as a plastic fermenter but with the advantage of SS - for example it could be steamed to sanitize.
> 
> Not nicely configured as a conical but a fraction of the price?
> 
> Edit: and of course, not being used for boiling, the cheaper thinner walled type would be ok.



Bribie,

I think you're onto something here. I was having a re-read of an article on the Brewtus 10 brewing system in BYO Nov 07. Part of the system is to use the ss mash tun as a fermentor. You gain the scratch resistance of stainless steel, but don't lose the resilience of plastic.

If it were me, I'd still want an adequate thickness pot & I'd consider using sanitary fittings & trying to get a lid that seals like a conical, then I'd be able to use pressurised transfers if required.

Just my 2c

Ben

Edit: Before anyone flames me regarding a pressurised transfer from something that isn't a pressure vessel, I'm talking about 3psi, which doesn't require pv certification


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## SpillsMostOfIt (12/1/10)

OzBeer_MD said:


> Do you ferment in a corny?



No, but people do, I am told. Why do you ask?


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## bcp (12/1/10)

Ok, forgive all the links here, but i just want to substantiate the sources of some of the interesting question marks that are being raised about plastics.

I'm still using plastic cos i can't figure out how to do otherwise, but am watching with interest the growing concern about 'food grade' plastics and their long-term effects - and the UNEP estimates 13,000 pieces of plastic litter for every square kilometre of ocean.(http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelit...cean_report.pdf)

It's one of those areas where research is still a little sketchy, but there are some strong indicators that these substances sourced mostly from petrochemicals (& other souces) may be having significant health effects, and possibly significant reduction in sperm counts http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/736230.stm

I'm not sure of the strength of the research behind this site - but interesting look at food grade plastics.
http://lifewithoutplastic.com/en/about-pla...stic-types.html

Canada is the first to start to ban certain plastics. BPA which they mention is not contained in PET bottles.
http
://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/business...stic.html?_r=1
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-0...pa-danger_N.htm

Pet bottles also have some question marks.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/200.../29/2555698.htm

So i'm using plastic in various parts of my brewing, but looking at ways to reduce and watching the discussion.


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## white.grant (12/1/10)

The latest Zymurgy has an interesting (frightening) letter about a guy who nearly lost his hand to a glass carboy. I've got plastic fermenters, though really like the idea of glass for long fermentations - lambics and oud ales eg, but I really like my hands too. I reckon I can live with a bit of O2 permeability until I no ,onger have the use of my hands and feet.

cheers

grant


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## Thirsty Boy (13/1/10)

Better Bottle might be (and is certainly marketed as) a good compromise.

Lightness and non smashability of plastic - but designed to have low oxygen permeability. Just like a glass carboy but without the hemorrhaging. 

I use stock plastic fermenters -- I _think_ I am starting to experience O2 permeability issues as I brew more lagers & hybrid beers; and give the beers more time in primary. But I am talking multiple weeks in primary... so if it was going to happen I am definitely asking for it.


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## neonmeate (13/1/10)

i've got a glass carboy as well as plastic fermenters. i like em both for different things. the glass is good for long term secondaries of sour beers etc (although i do wish i had a 18-19L one instead of a 26L one, so i didnt have the headspace) and also doesn't pick up scratches and infections that the plastic ones eventually do. plastic of course is easier to get into and clean, and bottle out of, although i just bought a big bendy toiletbrush type thing for cleaning the carboy.


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## SpillsMostOfIt (13/1/10)

I have a number of glass demijohns - 10litre and 20litre that I use for longer-term fermentations of mead and stuff. I did last years lager in it and had no issues with it.

I've had to build a bung with holes in it get a syphon started, but that's me. They come out of the box with a plastic basket to carry them around in/with. In the BS program they spoke of fermenter shape influencing yeast performance/flavour, but I reckon a nearly-sphere is going to be closer than a modified CUB keg...


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## jbirbeck (13/1/10)

I use all plastic at the moment but have long considered glass. Glass worries me because ultimately I'm a clumsy fool that would no doubt drop it losing a brew, some blood and an expensive fermenter. Also glass is always a concern with kids around. 

Stainless steel conicals are on the wish list but the price is a little high. Ultimately the price is not a huge issue given it will last, have good resale value etc etc, but the key would be getting the right size for all brews...and I don't know the size of the brews I'll be fermenting consistently yet. Why spend that much on something that is not ideal for everything? I'd need multiple sizes which will certainly cost too much and never be approved by the good wife or a fermenter that is adjustable. After 5 years of brewing 16 litre batches I'm considering larger batches to match my brew rig which will do 70 litres and do keg batches.

I love the idea of using a cornie to ferment. The idea of using a cornie is ideal for me at the moment. I've four of them, three full and room in the keg fridge for only two. fermenting a 16 litre batch in a 19 litre fermenter would be ideal for beers that are going to get bottled and a simply syphon out. 30 litre plastic fermenters for larger batches that will go into kegs and the 60 litres for the special occasions. A plan is forming.


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## OzBeer_MD (13/1/10)

SpillsMostOfIt said:


> Why do you ask?



I am looking for ways to have multiple fermentations going in my small chest freezer (thinking of small batches in 15L cubes on the compressor hump while 25L pail sits in the main area) but I could fit multiple corny kegs in. I suppose you would use a pipe from the Gas QD as a blow off tube? Could be onto something here (I bought some more kegs recently)


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## jbirbeck (13/1/10)

Discussion on Cornies as fermenters...


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## pdilley (13/1/10)

I have two plastic 30, 60 litre and more than twenty glass from 5 litre to as big as 54 litre. I have a hose wand attachment that shoots water out in 4 directions horizontally and one verifally that makes cleaning glass so fast an easy that my plastics are now the longest and most difficult to clean so if you go glass you need a good carboy cleaning wand.

I've always been wary of plastics no matter how many people keep saying they are safe buy it's hard not to encounter plastic everywhere so what can you do 

Cheers,
Brewer Pete


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## Brewman_ (13/1/10)

One thing I have found with plastic, is if you get a bad enough infection in your plastic fermenter, you must toss it out, you can not remove it completely and subsequent batches will be effected. Beleive me I lo0st 6 brews straight!

I still use plastic, but now each plastic set tub & lid are numbered and always used as sets and thrown out as sets.

Stainless Steel sounds nice though!


Fear_n_loath.


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