How To Keep Fermenters In Good Shape While Not Busy

[Wardhog]

I've currently got my spare fermenters sitting full of a potassium metabisulphate solution, is this going to harm them and any beers that may sail in her down the track? How do you keep your idle HDPE containers in tiptop shape during downtime?

 

[kfarrell]

How do you keep your idle HDPE containers in tiptop shape during downtime?

Yeah not many people here would have fermenters on down time But on the rare occasion I do, I bleach it for 24 hours or so, then let it drip dry. Make sure it's absolutely dry then just put it the shed, cupboard whatever. Then re-sanitize the night before brew day.

I think leaving meta in the fermenter for extended periods will cause a scum, and mould on the top. There's a post about that exact problem on this board somewhere.

 

[PostModern]

Yep. Clean well then store dry.

 

[jimmyjack]

I just fill to the brim with sodium percarbonate (napisan) until brew day, seems to work fine.

Cheers, JJ

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I was thinking that perhaps you could store it (them?) with a mixture of malted barley, hops and water...

But that would be silly. You're better off making beer in it. :blink:

 

[Darren]

Store clean, dry and upside down.

cheers

Darren

 

[albrews]

I've currently got my spare fermenters sitting full of a potassium metabisulphate solution, is this going to harm them and any beers that may sail in her down the track? How do you keep your idle HDPE containers in tiptop shape during downtime?

hi, i don't have mine full of metabisulphite solution, but i have about 500mls in the bottom and i have not had any foul brews.

cheers alan

 

[bugwan]

I'm with Darren and PoMo - store dry where possible. I also try to dry mine in the sun, as the UV light helps knock over a few nasties.

On fermention day (not always brew day, as I quite often no-chill), I simply fill with no-rinse Iodophor solution and tip it out before use.

 

[KoNG]

my spare one always has 5 litres or so of napisan solution in the bottom... in that is funnels, racking tube, taps, bottlers etc all waiting for use.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Would not ever use sodium met or bleach.

Bleach will attack the plastic over time.

Sodium met is only sold by incompatent brew shops

Best is to store clean and dry.

Or as Kong says, fill with a couple of litres of napi-san and put your taps,hose,funnels,spoons etc it it.


If it is clean and dry you wont have any problems.

 

[warrenlw63]

Drain them and then give them a good dry with a hairdryer. Gets all the moisture out. :beerbang:

Warren -

 

[jupiter]

not tested but you could clean and dry them out, putt some desiccant in them (like some silica gel scachets) and putting the lid on and sealing it up.

 

[tangent]

i use napisan for those stubborn skid....krausen lines

water and a sponge (occasionally detergent if I'm impatient with heaps of rinsing)

edit - THEN dry, store upside down

JUST before wort i use 1L of ortho-phos sanitiser SOLUTION, maybe 1/2 a litre sometimes if it's already had a good clean and a bit of hot water. that equates to about 1-2ml per clean.
stuff works like a bloody treat, never had an infection since i started using it.

but - i also take my taps apart and have a cool brush from Bill at HH that'll clean the spare change out of a scotsman

edit edit - and I wouldn't let PMS touch any of my HB gear, especially the plastic stuff. It's stinks so bad, you may as well store pickled onions in your fermenters between brews (long story)

 

[Whistlingjack]

Well, mine are stored for the next few months. I would have liked someone to keep them in use, but alas...

I soaked them, as usual, in sodium percarbonate and allowed them to dry completely. I then sealed the top with gladwrap and screwed the lid on tight. I'm pretty sure that this will keep everything out. I thought of filling them with CO2 as well, but this might have been "overkill".

My kegs are gassed, though.

Edit: Spelling...

 

[Lindsay Dive]

I'm with Darren on this one but may I add something, please take the taps out and store them in a sterilizing solution of your choice. My choice? a solution of Milton.

Lindsay.

 

[Whistlingjack]

Oh yes, of course take the taps out, but forget about the Milton for any longer than 24 hours or so. The sterilizing effect will diminish eventually and this may allow bugs to grow.

Best to do the same as the fermenters and keep them in a dry place, just sanitise them before use. I have mine in ziplock bags.

But hey, they are cheap as chips, so I may even replace them when I get home.

 

[xtrabyte]

After use I wash with a warm caustic solution then soak with chlorine for a few days, rinse a few times, air dry and store with the lid on. Before use I wash with hot water and disinfect with paracetic/peroxide sanitizer.

 

[johnno]

Afetr I wash mine I turn them upside down to dry. Then I put the lid on and just leave them.

I even found about 50 baby spiders in one once after not using it for ages.. Some mummy must have laid her eggs in there.

Made a great ale in that one

cheers
johnno

 

[Batz]

Bleach will attack the plastic over time.

Never noticed the plastic bottles bleach is sold in being attached,could be messy in the supermarket :lol:

I soak in bleach for a day or two,rinse and store upside down with the lid off.
I use Phos. acid on brew day.

Batz

 

[pint of lager]

Isn't milton just plain sodium met?

If it is, the effective part evaporates over time when made up, eventually leaving the solution ineffective and open to infections.

Clean everything thoroughly (pull taps apart, o'rings out, grommets and airlocks) air dry, seal and store. I put some tape over the airlock hole to keep dust out. Before the next brew, use a good no rinse sanitiser and you are ready to go.

On brewday, I have a bucket of napisan made up, ready to dump any utensil. Also a bucket of sanitiser. Wash the utensil immediately, then into the sanitiser and left till it is needed again. At the end of brewday, anything in the buckets is rinsed, dried and put away. Used solutions are dumped.

Moisture is an open invitation for bacteria and moulds to grow. Every so often we have a thread start up where someone has left some sanitiser in the bottom of the fermenter, returned after a break from brewing and found something growing in the fermenter. Pink was the latest colour.