AHB Articles: Fermenting Directly in the No-chill Cube

[jacknohe]

Thanks for that, will look into it next purchase time. Could be a good solution, the thing that pissed me off last time when I drilled holes and fitted blow offs was that I essentially destroyed 2 lids <_<

:icon_cheers: all

Yeah I know what you mean. Luckily I have a few cubes now so have a few more lids now.

 

[Mags]

May well be a silly question. But how would one go about bottling from the cube? Move it to a secondary? Or is the cube not ideal for people bottling?

 

[bum]

The article mentions to use cubes with taps. You could use your current process without any change (assuming you bottle from a tapped fermenter).

 

[Mags]

The article mentions to use cubes with taps. You could use your current process without any change (assuming you bottle from a tapped fermenter).

I do bottle from a tapped fermenter. I am looking at moving to cubes as it would be easier for me to brew with. I just need to find tapped ones, otherwise what methods would be recommend to get round this?

 

[jacknohe]

May well be a silly question. But how would one go about bottling from the cube? Move it to a secondary? Or is the cube not ideal for people bottling?

Assuming you are using a cube or jerry can that is pre-molded for a tap, you can remove the bung and drill a hole (if required) to screw in the standard fermenter tap. Then bottle as normal for example by connecting a standard bottle filler to the tap.

Edit: I see you beat my reply.

 

[jacknohe]

I do bottle from a tapped fermenter. I am looking at moving to cubes as it would be easier for me to brew with. I just need to find tapped ones, otherwise what methods would be recommend to get round this?

Perhaps a racking cane or something? Would be similar I imagine to bottling from a carboy.

 

[bum]

Every cube I've ever seen has been made for carrying water - and thus is made to be tapped.

 

[black_labb]

I can imagine that a cube could be aerated better than a normal fermenter by sealing it, shaking it around like a crying baby, squeeze the air out, let some fresh air back in and do it again. You could do this a number of times over the first stage of yeast growth. I'd probably do a few brews this way if I had more than 3 cubes that I wasn't always trying to keep going through the process, though my lack of empty bottles may give me the chance to try this.

 

[Siborg]

Perhaps a racking cane or something? Would be similar I imagine to bottling from a carboy.

I decided to give this a go after discussing it with manticle at beerfest last week. I've never had a use for taps on my cubes, so they all have the bung covering where the tap would go.

I already had a batch in a cube from a while back and thought "i'll just tip it on it's side, remove the bung and attach the tap". That was until I removed the bung, didn't get any "pffft" as it sucked in air and realised there is a bit of plastic behind the bung! I didn't want to get bits of plastic in my beer, or risk infection by drilling through with a dirty drill, so my only option was to go and get a siphon. Haven't used one before and haven't used it yet, but I don't imagine it is particularly hard.

Before I brew my next batch, I'm going to be fitting all of my cubes with taps cause I can fit two cubes in my fermenting fridge and it means one less vessel to clean.

Thanks for discussing and posting this, Manticle. Good article.

There's a bottle or two of dark english mild for you when it's ready.

 

[manticle]

I do bottle from a tapped fermenter. I am looking at moving to cubes as it would be easier for me to brew with. I just need to find tapped ones, otherwise what methods would be recommend to get round this?

All the cubes I've ever bought have had threads which will fit a standard tap. Usually they come with the tap as well.

I filled one of the cubes I brewed on the weekend up to the very brim with an active starter made from fresh 1272 slurry. I ferment in a water bath so the mess isn't a big deal but if this is as messy as it gets then it's no big thing. Lid did need to be a bit looser than normal.

One day soon I'll try 3068 filled to 20 L and see what happens.

 

[thedragon]

May well be a silly question. But how would one go about bottling from the cube? Move it to a secondary? Or is the cube not ideal for people bottling?

After reading this article on Sunday I brought myself a 20L cube from the big green shed. Cost about $15 including a tap. Used it to rack the berry brew that I've got on the go. Quite happy about being able to fit a number of these in my fridge rather than just the one fermenter.

 

[Plastic Man]

Been thinking about moving to Jerry's for fermenting but using cubes maybe better option. I purposely bought cubes with no tap/bung as I thought the threads could be a potential infection source, (one less thing to clean...). I'm wondering if one of these is a potential solution for those without taps or threads for taps.

When ready to keg or bottle put this cap on and lay cube on side and fill from tap. I wonder how the yeast cake would behave??

richard.

PS - I wonder if you could go one step further and ferment with Cap on and plug blow off tube into the spout. Then tip cube when finished and use to bottle / keg....

 

[bum]

I wonder how the yeast cake would behave?

Very poorly, I'd imagine. Gravity will have its way - as is its want.

Would probably need significant alteration for the blow-off idea to work too. That little inlet tube would be restrictive.

 

[manticle]

Brewers love complicating things.

Buy cube.

Insert tap.

Brew.

Insert yeast.

Ferment.

Drink.

However that apparatus would make for a decent blowoff attachment for those concerned about the little headspace.

 

[Siborg]

Brewers love complicating things.

Buy cube.

Insert tap.

Brew.

Insert yeast.

Ferment.

Drink.

However that apparatus would make for a decent blowoff attachment for those concerned about the little headspace.

i.ve got one already... might give it a go. my batch size is generally 19-21L so probably wont be needed.

 

[sponge]

Been thinking about moving to Jerry's for fermenting but using cubes maybe better option. I purposely bought cubes with no tap/bung as I thought the threads could be a potential infection source, (one less thing to clean...). I'm wondering if one of these is a potential solution for those without taps or threads for taps.

When ready to keg or bottle put this cap on and lay cube on side and fill from tap. I wonder how the yeast cake would behave??

richard.

PS - I wonder if you could go one step further and ferment with Cap on and plug blow off tube into the spout. Then tip cube when finished and use to bottle / keg....

Where did you find that cap/tap combo from PM? I thoroughly enjoy the look of those to be used on cubes without a tap hole already. eliminates any infection possibilities from around the bung/tap as well.


Cheers,

Sponge

 

[tallie]

Been thinking about moving to Jerry's for fermenting but using cubes maybe better option. I purposely bought cubes with no tap/bung as I thought the threads could be a potential infection source, (one less thing to clean...). I'm wondering if one of these is a potential solution for those without taps or threads for taps.

When ready to keg or bottle put this cap on and lay cube on side and fill from tap. I wonder how the yeast cake would behave??

richard.

PS - I wonder if you could go one step further and ferment with Cap on and plug blow off tube into the spout. Then tip cube when finished and use to bottle / keg....

You're trading off infection possibilities from around the bung (which gets blasted by hot wort anyway) for infection possibilities around that tap and lid. Not to mention bubbling air through the finished beer when transferring it out of the cube. Looks cool, and possibly has other useful applications in the brewery, but I can't think of any advantages of using it in this case.

Cheers,
tallie.

 

[thedragon]

Been thinking about moving to Jerry's for fermenting but using cubes maybe better option. I purposely bought cubes with no tap/bung as I thought the threads could be a potential infection source, (one less thing to clean...). I'm wondering if one of these is a potential solution for those without taps or threads for taps.

When ready to keg or bottle put this cap on and lay cube on side and fill from tap. I wonder how the yeast cake would behave??

richard.

PS - I wonder if you could go one step further and ferment with Cap on and plug blow off tube into the spout. Then tip cube when finished and use to bottle / keg....

Richard, check out post #6 in the following thread. Never tried it myself, and not planning on it, but it looks like it's been done before

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=47940

 

[lukec]

Great article, 2 cubes fit in my kegerator and are fermenting away beautifully now. It has good temp control for this hot weather too.

 

[MaltyHops]

When ready to keg or bottle put this cap on and lay cube on side and fill from tap.
I wonder how the yeast cake would behave??

Should work alright - just be gentle when moving the cube around.
If priming for bottling, drizzle the priming solution into cube, gently stir
the top part of the cube/beer, cap, move cube and slowly tilt cube into
position for bottling.

Do this 1/2 hour before filling bottles to allow the sugar to mix by
diffusion. The yeast should mostly slide down the cube botom and
settle reasonably well.