Cubes As Fermenters

[Nevalicious]

Have just picked up two of these to do my temperature controlled fermentations in as I can fit the two side by side in the brew fridge and do double batches of similar styles :beerbang:



Before I go and place sweet sweet wort on top, I would like to know if

a ) anyone had much success using these to do primary fermentations in? (i suspect yes!?)

b ) more importantly, the "plastic" smell from them is a little disconcerting... What would be the best way to remove the "new plastic" smell out of these before I ruin two batches of beer, or infact, will it be noticeable... I just dont seem to remember such a smell from my fermenters when they were new?? :unsure: The fermenters now smell like beer and I also have a dedicated GB fermenter which surprise surprise, smells like ginger...

Any help would be great!! Keep up the great work with the forum BTW. I'm a long time reader, unfortunately I dont have too much to add in the way of experience... Only been at it for about a year

Cheers

Tyler

 

[manticle]

Plenty of info around on these.

Yes you can use cubes for primary ferment. Make sure they are HDPE and don't shrink from contact with hot wort.

Then to remove the plastic smell, rinse thouroughly with boiling water until you can no longer smeel the smell nor taste it in the samples of water you pour yourself (let it cool obviously).

 

[seemax]

My time constrained routine is now no-chill into a 15 or 20L cube. Immediately into fermenting fridge set at desired temp, typically 18C. The next morning I simple remove the lid, take an SG reading and pitch the yeast. Cover the opening with glad wrap and return in 2 weeks. Done!

 

[Nick JD]

Filling them with water and adding 2 tbsps of napisan to each will knock out any smells and any grunge too. Leave for two days - sorted. Same regime to clean post-ferment.

 

[rendo]

Just learnt a new trick

With the cubes, they can get gunk at the top, so sometimes if you soak them with napisan, once the solution has cooled, chuck the lid(s) on and turn the cube upside down so the napisan can work its magic on the inside top of the cube (i hope this makes sense)

PS: ....napisan rocks...at least overnight...2 days even better....

I use the coles brand napisan, the "sensitive" one because it has no scent, colours, etc etc, just sodium perc and some sorta of filler...(who knows what)

Filling them with water and adding 2 tbsps of napisan to each will knock out any smells and any grunge too. Leave for two days - sorted. Same regime to clean post-ferment.

 

[Bribie G]

Napisan is 30% Sodium Percarbonate. If you can get onto some pure Sod Perc - it is the Rottweiler of cleaners and will eat just about anything. Frightening. Try catering suppliers. I got mine (5k) in a bulk buy and it's going to last me a couple of years but not sure who the original supplier was.

 

[Nevalicious]

Amazingly quick responses from all... Manticle, they are HDPE food grade water containers... I will try boiling hot water and shake the beejeezus out of it. Tomorrow I'll pick up some home-brand/coles brand Napisan and do that too. I should imagine the smell would be imparted on the beer. Its quite strong.

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[haysie]

. I will try boiling hot water and shake the beejeezus out of it.
Cheers :icon_cheers:

.

My experience says you will get better results filling the cube as you would your wort, not once but 2-3 minimum, letting it chill then water the garden with it.

 

[kelbygreen]

Yep I plan to use a cube to ferment. got a new fridge and it fits a fermenter in the top part and a 20lt cube infront of the compressor hump that way I can do double batches.

 

[Nevalicious]

.

My experience says you will get better results filling the cube as you would your wort, not once but 2-3 minimum, letting it chill then water the garden with it.

Fair call but what, boil 25 odd litres of water??? I dont think that'll be possible, the Breville will fall apart :lol:

The most I can boil in a pot is 5L

 

[kelbygreen]

I try to boil 23lts of water few days befor I brew and store that in the cube. Its alot anal but the last thing I want is a infection. but the stove and kettle get a work out lol and I dont think its worth it any more prob be cheaper to buy mineral water then pay the electricity lol. But my cube has been filled to the brim about 3 times with boiling water so no smell left

 

[Nevalicious]

I try to boil 23lts of water few days befor I brew and store that in the cube. Its alot anal but the last thing I want is a infection. but the stove and kettle get a work out lol and I dont think its worth it any more prob be cheaper to buy mineral water then pay the electricity lol. But my cube has been filled to the brim about 3 times with boiling water so no smell left

Nice, as per others suggestions I shall try Napisan first...

Little less time consuming

Thanks heaps but :beerbang:

 

[mxd]

you can also leave it out side with lid off, will help with smell, not sanitizing though

 

[kelbygreen]

well UV rays can sanitise but in saying that all the crap that gets in there it defeats the purpose lol It doesnt matter what you do you will still need to sanitise it before filling with wort anyway unless you are doing a 23lt boil which from what nevalicious said he cant only do 5lt boils. Id say even if I done a 23lt boil I would still sanitise a good part of 10mins and it minimises the risk of infection.

Also UV light will harden and weaken the plastic to some degree over time so I wouldnt do it every batch lol.

If you use napisan just fill about 10lts in and every time you go past rotate it (should be within the hour all night if its where your beer fridge is ) I do this for my caked fermenter and works alright.

 

[under]

make sure its unscented

 

[Nevalicious]

I checked with the wife... It seems we do have Napisan (unscented). Excellent...

It also shows how much washing I actually do (read:none) :lol:

 

[kelbygreen]

mine is scented and no problems here. although mine gets washed in the napisan after use then 3-4 good washes with water and sits for a week then I clean and sanitise it with pink stain remover so I guess all the scents gone by then

 

[rendo]

I will try boiling hot water and shake the beejeezus out of it.

My favourite activity and a damn good cleaner!!

Tomorrow I'll pick up some home-brand/coles brand Napisan and do that too. I should imagine the smell would be imparted on the beer. Its quite strong.

Cheers :icon_cheers:

Neva......DONT BUY the HOMEBRAND. I bought the home brand just recently as its what I use to get years ago. But the product has changed and it has a scent to it...a really foul strong eucalyptus type smell. I took it back.
.....so you are going to go from having a plastic smell to a eucalyptus smell....maybe you will really be able to do a tru blue aussie beer with that mix.

get the coles sensitive one....I cleaned a primary and 2 cubes with it 2nite....its the bomb.....(well mix it with chlorine, maybe some vinegar and something else and it surely might be a bomb.....but i do advise against this experiment )

the rendo

 

[rendo]

mine is scented and no problems here. although mine gets washed in the napisan after use then 3-4 good washes with water and sits for a week then I clean and sanitise it with pink stain remover so I guess all the scents gone by then

hey kelbyG...what brand do u use? I have used the scented real "napisan" and its okay to use....but the homebrand stuff smells of a strong putrid eucalyptus....i wouldnt want that in my beer.

Anyhow....am a total convert to coles sensitive. love it. Next I will go on a hunt for pure sodium perc. Maybe organise a bulk buy for the gang here at AHB....

 

[kelbygreen]

its the coles homebrand is doesn't say its scented but it does smell after opening it and has a slight yellow tinge to it. Wish they would tell you its scented on the bloody bottle. Yeah pure sodium perc would be good