Cubes. What do you use and where do you get it?

[Yob]

I like the 20l (23-25) cubes, the extra goes into growlers or as Punkin noted, a bitza keg (9l)..

Some of those bitza Kegs have been divine with a blend of 3 or 4 brews in..

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Blue Willow branded ones are what I use.

Kmart has them cheaper than Mitre 10.

Good luck if you can get those ones to seal, I had 4 and all of them leaked at the cap. Returned them to K Mart for a full refund and bought 4 jerrys from Bunnings.

 

[contrarian]

I have a mixture of ~17L cubes from fresh wort kits and ~20L cubes from a camping store. A 40L brew fits nicely into one of each.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I have a mixture of ~17L cubes from fresh wort kits and ~20L cubes from a camping store. A 40L brew fits nicely into one of each.

Hmm, after my last (target 24L into cube) brew I easily filled one of my 20L (actually 22L) cubes and had 1.5L of worty/trub plus another 1-2L of waste trub out of my 50L keggle. This has got me thinking about maximising my utilisation and minimising the wasteage.

Aiming for a 20L (22L actual) cube and a 15L (17L actual) cube seems slightly un-achievable with a 50L keggle, as AFAIK 50L keggles are best limited to a maximum 40L pre-boil volume, have I got that correct?

Also guess I am limited by my 25L bunnings FVs, which a 20L cube (22L actual) seems to be perfect size for if I just dump all cold break/trub from the cube in.

I'll shut up now.

 

[JDW81]

Good luck if you can get those ones to seal, I had 4 and all of them leaked at the cap. Returned them to K Mart for a full refund and bought 4 jerrys from Bunnings.

I've got a couple of the willow jerries and haven't had one problem with them. Maybe you got unlucky and scored some from a bad batch?

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I've got a couple of the willow jerries and haven't had one problem with them. Maybe you got unlucky and scored some from a bad batch?

Could have, but I'll never use them again.

 

[tavas]

Good luck if you can get those ones to seal, I had 4 and all of them leaked at the cap. Returned them to K Mart for a full refund and bought 4 jerrys from Bunnings.

Same. I only have one, but its a pig of a thing to seal, whereas Bunnings jerry can style (BMW brand I think) has never been an issue.

 

[mxd]

un-achievable with a 50L keggle, as AFAIK 50L keggles are best limited to a maximum 40L pre-boil volume, have I got that correct?

you may get a boil over, but if you watch it till the hot break has done then it's generally fine, for a 40 ltr batch you'll probably wont 46 pre-boil, has it starts to boil over turn gas down. or quick spray with water or blow with your mouth

Give it a shot and see what happens (i've had pre-boil of 76 in an 82, it interesting

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I might just do that with photos! Am always up for a challenge!

 

[Byran]

I scored a couple of 20 lite Jim beam plastic bottles from the pub a while back. They're great. I ve also had trouble with the will jerry cans not sealing so now i just use them for my secondary containers. Problem solved!

Edit- Willo - stupid fingers!

 

[punkin]

Just ordered 8 more plasdene cubes. $9+ gst or somewhere around there. I have 20 now.

 

[alcoadam]

Make sure with the Willow containers that the top of the spout is "flush" (ie. no moulding distortion). If so, fix up with a razor or a file.

You really just need a flush edge for the cap to sink onto...

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Make sure with the Willow containers that the top of the spout is "flush" (ie. no moulding distortion). If so, fix up with a razor or a file.

You really just need a flush edge for the cap to sink onto...

Or buy a cube that doesn't need to be fixed up.

Before I took the 4 back for a refund, I returned 2 for exchange and also, I had actually tried what you suggest, with a very sharp chisel, because I'd read something about that working.

I would carefully pare any rough pieces away with the chisel and then make sure that the cap was sitting perfectly aligned, before I began screwing it on until it was firm and just when I thought I'd got it right, a trickle of hot wort would run down the outside and they would suck in air..........try again.........and again.........and again.

In my experience they are no good.

 

[alcoadam]

Fair enough, but in "homebrewing" I find almost everything needs fine tuning.

To over tighten these caps with hot liquid within is easily done also, this can lead to leakage.

I've also found that if your transferring wort that's still in the 90+ degree range, the plastic will loose its stability and make sealing more difficult. Transfer in the lower 80's, and I've had much more success (with willows).

 

[spryzie]

My 10L willow (holds 12L) has done a half dozen or more brews and has no problem sealing. I didn't have to trim any plastic off.


The trick I found was to not over-tighten - if you do you just start striping the thread and then the lid is then on wonky and not flush and won't seal.


Tighten til just firm and flush, then another half turn. Don't be tempted to be a man and do it as tight as possible.


I've always had it suck in from the heat just fine and seal wonderfully. I also cover with glad wrap as I'm paranoid.

 

[TheWiggman]

I just bought a 25l Aussie-made cube from Bunnings. I normally ferment around 23l, put 19l in a keg and bottle what's left over. Will that extra headspace cause me real issues (I'm assuming infection risk is the issue)? Am I better off going back and getting a 20l and sacrificing a bit of beer if I overshoot my final volume?
I could use the leftovers for yeast starters anyway, but I hate the idea of wasting beer.

 

[zeggie]

I use a bunch of these:

http://www.aussiedisposals.com.au/20ltr-rectangular-drum

20l and cheap. If only I would learn to stop losing the seal inside the lid :unsure:
They also make a 25l if you need a little bit bigger. I fit about 22l in the 20l now tho.

Would not recommend those 10l at bunnings. Had a few and the lids stopped sealing after 2-3 no chills.

 

[Bribie G]

Good link. I didn't know that there's a branch in Port Macquarie, I'll get a couple of cubes when I'm up there next. They look similar to the Craftbrewer fresh wort kits style and being in a regional area I have to be able to pick them up personally as postage wouldn't be cost effective. Also as posted Bunnings don't really have anything too flash. My Willows always sealed but for kegging purposes they are just too big (actually hold nearly 24L when they have been softened up a bit after a few brews) whilst the square ones are ideal for keg sized brews.

Another advantage of that style is that you can stack them two high in a Kegmate style kegerator for cold conditioning if you brew something that needs lagering for a while.

BTW my Bunnings 10L still seal well, been using them for a year, I'm getting the square ones for storage and lagering so I can get back in the swing for the comps next year but the 10L are still my workhorses.

 

[Rambo]

Good link. I didn't know that there's a branch in Port Macquarie, I'll get a couple of cubes when I'm up there next. They look similar to the Craftbrewer fresh wort kits style and being in a regional area I have to be able to pick them up personally as postage wouldn't be cost effective. Also as posted Bunnings don't really have anything too flash. My Willows always sealed but for kegging purposes they are just too big (actually hold nearly 24L when they have been softened up a bit after a few brews) whilst the square ones are ideal for keg sized brews.

Another advantage of that style is that you can stack them two high in a Kegmate style kegerator for cold conditioning if you brew something that needs lagering for a while.

BTW my Bunnings 10L still seal well, been using them for a year, I'm getting the square ones for storage and lagering so I can get back in the swing for the comps next year but the 10L are still my workhorses.

Not sure if you have been in yet Bribie? I was in the Port store today and grabbed 2 of the 20 lite cubes, there was only 1 left so may want to call ahead.

 

[recharge]

I am a tight arse and sourced both 20L and 25L from the local hydro shop. Heavy duty white ones only had nutrient in them and after a few nappisan rinses etc you wouldnt know.

Rich