Has switching to a stainless ferm improved your beer?

[Batz]

Nobody ever needed a refractometer because they had a hydrometer to do the same job. Until one day....

SS is always going to be better, it's just a cost verse benefit issue.

So true, now go buy a Braumeister.

Batz

 

[Lodan]

If all parameters are the same as you state, there will be no difference.

Unless the parameters are different, ie your cleaning process is not as effective on plastic as it is on stainless, or you believe the plastic is adding chemicals to your beer

 

[mckenry]

Mckenry, what are you doing for your starters now?

lael. I am treating it a bit better. Paying attention to correct growth rates and step sizes. I also found out the old calculator was under estimating. So I wasn't giving my yeast the best start before. Now I am as far as I know right now.

 

[mckenry]

Great input, thanks.
My wife is a fantastic help in tasting my beers too, and she's not a beer drinker which helps I think.

Batz

Batz

Definitely. My wife has a good palate. She can describe the bitterness really well. One of the ways she describes it is side tongue, or front tongue. Higher ibus tend to register side tongue and then she'll be able to assess its balance. Sometimes I want it toward bitter or malt depending on the beer and she can describe just what she tastes without any prompting from me. She doesn't drink too much beer either but dies like it. Sorry for OT

 

[The Lords of Diacetyl]

There seems to b a lot of good deals around for stainless fermenters at the moment, which has made it easier to upgrade for tight arses or those who need to get it past the minister for finances.
(I fall into both of those categories as Im sure many of you do)

But my question is to those that already have a stainless fermenter and have been using one for awhile now.

Have you noticed a definite and measurable improvement in your beer? Assuming your brewing technique, sanitisation and all other parameters havent changed also and that you had all these at the best standard possible already, did switching to a stainless fermenter improve your beer?

i know there are other benefits owning one (including the bling factor) but for the cost I would like to know that on top of this my beer would improve quite measurably before I forked out $500 or so.

I dont want to end up with something just to impress my brew mates.

I've just this very day put down our first brew in this, a 70L plastic conical. Because I think it's the conical which will make ALL the difference, harvesting/dropping out yeast, and dropping out dry hops. I think that's the point which will improve brewing methods and tastes, rather than plastic vs stainless.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/80022-plastic-conical-fermenters/

 

[Batz]

Definitely. My wife has a good palate. She can describe the bitterness really well. One of the ways she describes it is side tongue, or front tongue. Higher ibus tend to register side tongue and then she'll be able to assess its balance. Sometimes I want it toward bitter or malt depending on the beer and she can describe just what she tastes without any prompting from me. She doesn't drink too much beer either but dies like it. Sorry for OT

It's a female thing mckenry, find a wife who can use their tongue and your on a winner!

 

[Spiesy]

I'll be upgrading to SS soon, my reasons are:

•less porous material, should harbour less flavour and aroma compounds. I always clean my plastic fermenter as soon as beer is removed, I wipe it down, rinse, clean with sodium percarbonate, soak with sodium percarbonate. Rinse thoroughly. Rinse with Starsan. I can still smell hops.
•the ability to better crash chill.
•the ability to remove yeast and trub, for harvesting yeast purposes or conditioning.
•the possibility of a temp controlled device in the not too distant future.
•**** it, why not.

 

[dago001]

I ferment in SS stockpots, and too be honest, I think there is a noticeable difference. I started by brewing a beer that I had brewed many times. It was a better beer, cleaner, more crisp, or some such description. Its hard to explain. Give it try in your mash tun, which is what I did. That way if it doesnt do it for you, then you have lost nothing. I only brew 18 litre batches, so I got a couple of 24 litre stock pots.
Hope that helps a little.
Cheers
LB

 

[SJW]

Why not indeed. That's my main reason.

 

[Kranky]

I've got a conical SS fermenter that I've had for over 2 years now. I think the really big benefit is being able to drop out trub and yeast. If it's not in your budget to get one I wouldn't worry about it too much, there's plenty of other things you can do to improve your beer and the benefit of having one isn't really that noticable.

 

[mje1980]

I ferment in SS stockpots, and too be honest, I think there is a noticeable difference. I started by brewing a beer that I had brewed many times. It was a better beer, cleaner, more crisp, or some such description. Its hard to explain. Give it try in your mash tun, which is what I did. That way if it doesnt do it for you, then you have lost nothing. I only brew 18 litre batches, so I got a couple of 24 litre stock pots.
Hope that helps a little.
Cheers
LB

I've been wondering this, I reckon 24 litres would be fine for me as well. My only problem is the no tap thing, but I need an auto siphon for my glass carboys anyway. Tempted to try it.

My concerns are the conical are fitting in the ferm fridge, the weight, and I'd also like to experiment with a more shallow, wider fermentor, rather than tall and narrower.

 

[Truman42]

Doing a side by side in a plastic fermenter and a mash tun is a good idea. My mash tun has the outlet underneath so I could dump most of the yeast no problems. And my glass lid is a tight fit and has a vent hole that I could stuff with a cotton wool ball. Might give it a try and see if the results persuade me to buy a stainless fermenter.

 

[mmmyummybeer]

I have 2 conical fermenters and absolutely love them. A few years ago I was interested in them and saw an old post of someone who imported a heap from china and was selling them. I sent him a message to see how they were. As it turned out he had got stuck with some because the top lid had warped when welded and didn't seal properly. The guy he sold it too didn't want it and sent it back and no one else wanted it, he was keen to have it gone and offered it up at half price. I just use the glad wrap technique, want to have a perspex lid made to fit one day. Anyway has it improved the beer, maybe a little but probable not in comparison to price. It has however improved my ease of brewing no end which was the main reason for buying. I put triclover taps on and can hook it up directly to the kettle and pump in to fill. I then made a disconnect triclover fitting to go straight into a corny. Found a cheap glass door fridge with a modified thermostat for storing chocolate and on wheels so can move it around . No lifting at all can drop the yeast and even trub out the bottom whenever I like with ease. Cleans up great, put star San in on brew day and swirl round with a brush. I found a big difference with pulling the ball valves apart though and manually cleaning and sanitising every use. Amazing how much stuff gets trapped. So basically my thought is you need to look at the big picture when going conical not just beer quality. I've certainly never regretted buying them but then the price was discounted.