I Found A Fermenter!

[Matty McFly]

Hey Internet,

I found this fermenter on the side of the road yesterday, it's hard rubbish collection so everyone is going on a frenzy.

However, it's a bit filthy and I'm wondering if it's safe to use if I clean it up. Someone's probably had it in their shed for some time.

Here's a pic:
http://postimg.org/image/h9qzv26d7/

Is it beyond salvaging? I would also need to buy a tap & airlock, but that's cool.

If it is salvagable, what's the best way of doing it?

 

[stakka82]

Check the inside. See if the inside is scratched.

If it's scratched I'd get rid of it. If it's just super dirty, go to town with sodium perc/napisan and hot water, maybe several times then rinse, sanitise and leave to dry.

If you are feeling super paranoid maybe hit it with bleach, but I think the above should be ok. Make sure you give the tap thread a good scrub too.

 

[Matty McFly]

The outside is a bit scratched but not much, the inside isn't.

There's a bit of discolouration, too. Is that a problem?

I keep seeing Napisan on this forum, what is it? As far as I know it's a clothes presoaker.

I have White King Oxy-Lift fabric stain remover. It's a big keg thing of powder. Is that it? Or is it something completely different?

 

[WarmBeer]

A brand new fermenter can be had for less than $20. Even if you're Kit'n'Kilo, you'll be spending more than $20 on a batch of beer.

Do you really want to risk all that time and money for the sake of picking up somebody's discarded, and obviously filthy dirty, second-hand, skanky fermenter.

Go to Bunnings, or a local brew store, buy a new one.

 

[dicko]

It could have had anything stored in it h34r:

If you need a fermenter buy a new one.

+1 for WarmBeers comment.

Cheers

 

[Mick74]

I put one out yesterday and can personally vouch for it's good condition....but I doubt it has made it's way from Sydney to Melbourne though.

 

[Matty McFly]

If I can salvage this one I don't see why not to use it. I'll clean it the best I can and just chuck a $10 Coopers kit in there with some dextrose and see what happens.

I'm a broke uni student and can't really justifying buying another fermenter. Plus I don't want to have to treck it to Bunnings and drill holes, etc.

I did a bit of research on the Napisan thing. Is this okay? It doesn't appear to be scented.

 

[WarmBeer]

If I can salvage this one I don't see why not to use it. I'll clean it the best I can and just chuck a $10 Coopers kit in there with some dextrose and see what happens.

You're not taking place in the upcoming Vic Case Swap, are you?

Carry on doing what you're doing.

 

[bum]

If I can salvage this one I don't see why not to use it. I'll clean it the best I can and just chuck a $10 Coopers kit in there with some dextrose and see what happens.

I'm a broke uni student and can't really justifying buying another fermenter. Plus I don't want to have to treck it to Bunnings and drill holes, etc.

So your mind is made up. What's the thread for?

 

[manticle]

Active ingredient should be sodium percarbonate and it should be unscented.
If so, use with boiling water. Clean then rinse well, then sanitise.

 

[Matty McFly]

I have the exact one in the picture. It doesn't appear to be scented.

I just wanted to get some opinions from people, Bum.

 

[bradsbrew]

It could have been used to store poison, unlikely but there is the slight possibility. I would not even use that one to store grain in let alone ferment in. Not because its dirty but because you dont know whats been in it. No need to be drilling holes in the bunnings ones either.

 

[sp0rk]

You're going to have to trek to bunnings or your LHBS to get a tap anyway, why not buy a whole new one that hast next to no risk of already being infected?
I was a poor student once and couldn't afford a second fermenter, but I stopped drinking for a week and had some money spare to buy another one
if you do buy another one, there is no need to drill holes
Just chuck your tap in, pull the o ring out of the lid, throw away the lid and use the o ring to hold gladwrap down as a lid

 

[GalBrew]

If I can salvage this one I don't see why not to use it. I'll clean it the best I can and just chuck a $10 Coopers kit in there with some dextrose and see what happens.

I'm a broke uni student and can't really justifying buying another fermenter. Plus I don't want to have to treck it to Bunnings and drill holes, etc.

I did a bit of research on the Napisan thing. Is this okay? It doesn't appear to be scented.

It would almost be cheaper to buy a new fermenter.........I personally wouldn't go near that thing.

 

[Matty McFly]

Shame, I was so excited when I saw that. I'll chuck it back on the road.

Thanks guys.

Edit: I just looked up the Bunnings fermenters, they're so good! I thought they were just big buckets. I feel like an idiot for forking out $85 for the Coopers kit now! I'll definitely be buying a few of them.

However, what does one do about an airlock?

 

[sp0rk]

However, what does one do about an airlock?

Read my previous post

if you do buy another one, there is no need to drill holes
Just chuck your tap in, pull the o ring out of the lid, throw away the lid and use the o ring to hold gladwrap down as a lid

There is no need for an airlock, the co2 will find it's own way out

 

[stakka82]

Hey, on this, on the weekend I bought a bunnings fermenter and gladwrapped it.

This is my first time gladwrapping. Due to infection issues with the rest of my gear I didn't want to use the o-ring from one of my other fermenters, so I just used a few rubber bands.

It's at high krausen at the moment (watching the krausen develop after pitching was cool) but is not bulging with pent up co2 as I have seen a mate's gladwrap do which would mean its not even close to air tight.

Is this gonna be a potential oxidation issue after the bulk of fermentation ceases and it loses positive pressure?

 

[peas_and_corn]

No

 

[sp0rk]

It shouldn't
co2 is heavier than air so it will form a blanket on top of the wort
it'll find it's way out when it's ready and will also push any air out of the way
She'll be right, just relax and let it take it's course

 

[stakka82]

Awesome, thanks.