2 Fermenters In One Fridge

[Bizier]

Hi all,

I have a question after last night's effort trying to fit 2 full fermenters in a medium large sized fridge (at a guess 450L).

I can fit 2 empty fermenters in at funny angles, but I am scared to try this full, they seem to expand a little around the sides when full, and I just don't feel that they are strong enough.

I am wondering if anyone has come up with a method of dealing with this like modding the fermenters, or has any suggestions? Are there tall+skinny fermenters available somewhere?

I was considering placing a really tight occy strap around the middle before filling, but I am unsure if it would do too much.

Any suggestions appreciated.
Dan

______
And it did occur to search for this, but I am not sure what my search terms would be to produce a reasonable number of results... fridge + fermenter ...?

 

[peas_and_corn]

A picture would be handy- with the fermenters in to see how they fit in

 

[Barramundi]

depnding on the type of fermenter you have , the coopers style fermenters are shorter and fatter than those generally available at brew shops

 

[stowaway]

Hi all,

I have a question after last night's effort trying to fit 2 full fermenters in a medium large sized fridge (at a guess 450L).

I can fit 2 empty fermenters in at funny angles, but I am scared to try this full, they seem to expand a little around the sides when full, and I just don't feel that they are strong enough.

I am wondering if anyone has come up with a method of dealing with this like modding the fermenters, or has any suggestions? Are there tall+skinny fermenters available somewhere?

I was considering placing a really tight occy strap around the middle before filling, but I am unsure if it would do too much.

Any suggestions appreciated.
Dan

______
And it did occur to search for this, but I am not sure what my search terms would be to produce a reasonable number of results... fridge + fermenter ...?

I dont know if this helps. But i have 2 types of fermenters.
1 type i got from a coopers pack (and u get them from other super market packs) its short and fat.

The other type i get from my LHBS and they are taller and skinner.

 

[Bizier]

I have 4 kinds of fermenter:

1 x coopers
1 x brigalow
1 x brewcraft
2 x bunnings

I think that the Brigalow is the tallest/skinniest.

I will post photos tonight.

 

[vicelore]

I had the same problem and ended up buying the Jerry can type, from rays outdoors x 2.

They fit perfectly in a mid size upright freezer.

$15 bucks each and worked well for my last brew ( 1st with the new fementers.)

Very easy to cary and not to hard to clean.

I think they are 25 litre each but im only filling to 22 litre mark which is perfect for a double brew ( 2 fementers )

 

[Polar Beer]

I had the same problem and ended up buying the Jerry can type, from rays outdoors x 2.

They fit perfectly in a mid size upright freezer.

:lol: How much of your previously fermented finest had you drunk before you took that photo?

 

[raven19]

Bizier,
From an engineers perspective... I wouldn't have thought the circular fermenter could increase in diameter much when full. Similar to a grain silo, the circular shape provides strength when full due to the tension in the fermenter wall. The rectangular styles in the photos herein will bough a bit, as the flat walls are not as strong as a circular shape.
The taller and skinnier the circular fermenter is, the more likely the central section is to bough out (slightly), however with the support of the fridge walls and the other fermenter pressing up against it, I cant see it swelling or warping.
I would be hesitant to fit your 2 full fermenters in on an angle, as the flat base will no longer be supported fully by the floor, plus on an angle will not be loading the walls of the fermeneter evenly - this could certainly lead to a more significant boughing of the sides.
Hope this is of some help?
As an alternative, can you keep one in the fridge, and wrap the other in insulating material to keep cool?
Or invest in a bigger fridge? (if the SWMBO allows it...)
Cheers.

 

[vicelore]

LOL yea its a camera phone that you can rotate so i just snapped one.. kinda hurts my eyes now lol...

 

[Polar Beer]

Bizier,
From an engineers perspective... I wouldn't have thought the circular fermenter could increase in diameter much when full. Similar to a grain silo, the circular shape provides strength when full due to the tension in the fermenter wall. The rectangular styles in the photos herein will bough a bit, as the flat walls are not as strong as a circular shape.

That's very interesting Bizier
I know I am taking this off topic a little bit, but does anyone know if that the only reason the common fermenter is cylindrical? Cause the two jerry can idea looks a good one.
Also, to my understanding the major cost in the manufacture of conical fermenters, is the all important cone. Would a box shaped body with an an inverted pyramid suffice?

Cheers
Paul

 

[captaincleanoff]

Very easy to cary and not to hard to clean.

I used to ferment in these for quite a while, I found them sooooo annoying to clean. Any solidified gunk on the inside, I found was extremely hard to get off.

I now ferment in a 60L fermenter, which fits perfectly in my smallish fridge. I imagine you would have no problems getting it in that fridge pictured.

There are some on ebay now:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Rain-Water-Drum-Tan...id=p3911.c0.m14

Only problem with these is lifting into the fridge!

 

[raven19]

That's very interesting Bizier
I know I am taking this off topic a little bit, but does anyone know if that the only reason the common fermenter is cylindrical? Cause the two jerry can idea looks a good one.
Also, to my understanding the major cost in the manufacture of conical fermenters, is the all important cone. Would a box shaped body with an an inverted pyramid suffice?

Cheers
Paul

P&L - Not wanting to go too far off topic in response, the manufacture of cylindrical fermenters is easier to make, as it is a consistent diameter from end to end. Inserting a cone would no doubt require a 2 piece manufacture with a plastic weld of the two together after.

Maybe if enough of us band together they would make conical ones for us!? at a premium price no doubt though! The manufacturers are no doubt making the cheapest simplest fermenter to reduce production costs, maximise output, hence profit...


In regards to rectanuglar fermenters again, the small cap/lid would surely make if very hard to clean krausen, etc off the inside?

Cheers.

 

[Polar Beer]

P&L - Not wanting to go too far off topic in response, the manufacture of cylindrical fermenters is easier to make, as it is a consistent diameter from end to end. Inserting a cone would no doubt require a 2 piece manufacture with a plastic weld of the two together after.

Maybe if enough of us band together they would make conical ones for us!? at a premium price no doubt though! The manufacturers are no doubt making the cheapest simplest fermenter to reduce production costs, maximise output, hence profit...


In regards to rectanuglar fermenters again, the small cap/lid would surely make if very hard to clean krausen, etc off the inside?

Cheers.

Thanks Raven. Makes sense - but yes, is off topic.
Will open new thread to talk about why fermenters are the way they are at some stage.

Cheers
Paul

 

[Bribie G]

Off topic again: modern 'fermenters' actually go back to the 1970s and derive from plastic drums that were, and probably still are, used in the food industry. I once worked in a large food processing place in the UK and we used to get masses of these - often made from different coloured plastics - full of cream, cooking oils, vegetable shortening, anything liquid or gooey that needed transporting in bulk and able to be handled and lifted by one person. One of my jobs was to take the empties to the wash bay, clean them and place them in their appropriate spots for collection. Oh and the washing detergent came in one of them as well !

I expect that around that time a few smart people reckoned "hey, now wouldn't these make good home brew fermenters.." :icon_cheers:

 

[Bizier]

Thanks for all of that feedback. I did take pics, but haven't used my home computer.

I currently have 1 outside and insulated and 1 lonesome in the fridge.
Bigger fridge is out of the Q - I had to take the door off to get this one in.

I thought of jerrycans, but the cleaning thing is the problem for primary fermentation. I currently have 2 brews using 2nd gen Amer. Ale II, and they are crawling out of the airlock, there is going to be some serious fermenter cleaning at the end of these current brews, I don't know that I could do that in a jerry.

I think the 60L is a nice option, unsure how to deal with it though Maybe a small wheeled platform like an offset printer's trolley. I think that if I made a platform for the crisper section, that could be a goer. Racking to secondary and bulk priming might be a royal pain (in the back) though. Thanks for that Ebay link.

This is annoying because I just bought 2 Bunnings fermenters, and only this morning confirmed that they are food-grade with BMW plasics (manufaturer). But I am sure that I will be able to find any of these a home - I think I have convinced my dad to use a fridgemate and a chest freezer that might just fit 3 x 25L.

Thanks heaps for the feedback.
Dan

 

[vicelore]

My observation of them being fairly easy to clean was from my 1st brew in the new fementers.
(It was the other day) most the fementation crap out with just a garden hose and iv left them nearly full and upside down for a few days so any stuck on muck should come out i hope...