How Long Do You Keep Your Fermenters?

[The King of Spain]

My fermenters are over 2 years old and I am about to toss them both. They are stained (which I can handle) but feel chalky, you can sratch them with your fingernail and leave a mark. That has got to be an infection risk.

KOS

 

[Nickwrighty]

In my opinion,
for the cost of a couple of bunnings fermenters($15 ea with the red screw lid) it far outweighs the cost and time of
brewing, bottling the finding it turned out shite due to infection caused by a coupe of old fermenters.
my 2c.
nick

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Been using the fermenter s for 5 years plus and had no staining or infections.Cleaned with Cellerman the sterilised with acid steri, see no need to change soon.
GB

 

[pmolou]

my dad used to brew now 20 years later i've been using his fermentor for the past year or so...

 

[matti]

My first fermenter is still with me. Must be about 8 year old.
I am with GB.
Though My cubes which I took camping over x-mas for water probably need a good clean.

 

[flattop]

My Bunnings fermnter (red lid) doesn't seal properly, it's only good for gladwrap and a rubber band.... I wouldn't buy another except as a secondary.
I tossed one fermenter after about 6 brews due to and infection. The original Coopers is still going strong!

 

[Franko]

Mine are a few years on only ever cleaned with napisan no stains etc.


Franko

 

[Uncle Fester]

My Coopers fermenter is going strong after 5 years. I soak it with no name brand dishwasher powder when not in use. Same goes for my no-chill cube which is now on to brew 37. A little staining from the hot wort, but never given me an infection (Touch Wood)

Fester.

 

[happy benno]

My Bunnings fermnter (red lid) doesn't seal properly, it's only good for gladwrap and a rubber band.... I wouldn't buy another except as a secondary.
I tossed one fermenter after about 6 brews due to and infection. The original Coopers is still going strong!

the Bunnings fermenters have a dodgy tread, i can get it to seal properly only if i push down while tightening a pain in the backside.

cheers Benno.

 

[boingk]

Original Tooheys kit fermenter is kicking along fine at 2 years old. Coopers fermenter is one year old but has only done a few brews. Had another one which has gone missing...hmm...

I'd say that unless you scour it with those metal dealies or get UV damage or something else nasty that they'd be fine.

Cheers - boingk

 

[joecast]

had mine for about two years now with no plans on getting rid of them. no staining, just a bit of residual wort smell.
if they did get to the stage that yours are at, yeah i'd change em.

 

[raven19]

Similar to other posts here.

Many years of brewing and no issues yet, no staining, still solid plastic.

 

[Screwtop]

Have one that is 10 years old 2 more 8 year olds and a couple around the 4 years mark. Napisan to clean, bleach rinse then no-rinse Iodophore, all clean and in good nick.

Screwy

 

[The King of Spain]

Must be my sanatiser, Clenze-in-one :huh:

 

[petesbrew]

Anyone know where to get a replacement O-ring for a coopers fermenter?
I found out the Brewiser ones from Kmart are too small. Oh well, only $4.50 wasted.

 

[Pennywise]

I use the no name napisan on them every few brews and it gets rid off any stain thats there. Just a couple of capfulls and fill fermenter to the brim with HOT water. Taps and mixing padle go in as well and come out 24 hrs later clean as a whistle

 

[citizensnips]

i went to bunnings the other day to try and find the fermenters you guys all talk about (the ones with the red lid), however i could only find the 30l white pail buckets with a lid. they didnt have taps nor wholes for airlocks but i was thinking about drilling the holes myself and just sticking a gromet in there. What do you guys recon? or if any of you live in the melbourne bayside area and know a bunnings, let me know!

 

[litre_o_cola]

i went to bunnings the other day to try and find the fermenters you guys all talk about (the ones with the red lid), however i could only find the 30l white pail buckets with a lid. they didnt have taps nor wholes for airlocks but i was thinking about drilling the holes myself and just sticking a gromet in there. What do you guys recon? or if any of you live in the melbourne bayside area and know a bunnings, let me know!

The barrels with the red lids (BMW) are found with the jerry cans in out door accessories in all the bunnings I have seen, not with the bins and buckets... and regardless you will have to drill the hole for the airlock but as others have mentioned and I have also found the thread to be a pain so I use mine for secondary with gladwrap.

back on topic, my coopers fermenter is 8 years old and going strong

 

[citizensnips]

ahh great that explains it, i was looking in the buckets section.
Cheers

 

[komodo]

I know for sure that the Moorabbin Bunnings has those red barrel types (on the LHS wall smack bang in line with the central isle)
Frankston bunnings doesn't have them.
The lid is a prick to drill as its very brittle - you definitely need to build up the drill bit size.
The thread for the tap needs to be cleaned up too.