New Fermenters By Coopers

[evil_as_skeletor]

Ha ha I wish, no just a big fan like you.

I have plans to try and make something similar & have purchased the hops but I'm waiting to get my temp control sorted so I can use lager yeast properly.

I saw the other thread and it will be a help getting something close brewed.

I am not too sure if I should even be attempting to pass on advice, but in another thread I was quoted that there is a yeast called Saflager S-189 Dry Lager Yeast that does its job at an ideal 9-12^C.
That sounds great for me because I will hopefully be doing my fermenting and brewing in the garden shed and spare fridge!

Just thought I would mention it as it can apparently be used in the Sam Adam's recipe.

 

[Golani51]

Something we took from the Germans in WW2.. Jerry Cans!

Easy to clean: sodium percarbonate (Napisan)
Cheap: $22
Economical on fridge space: 3 side by side if your fermenting fridge
Range of colours: white AND blue
Handles: makes them easy to carry while you make beer to make more love handles - win :win :lol:
Chickens: don't fit in the cap unfortunately.

Do you just cover the spout with gladwrap and rubber band?

 

[pimpsqueak]

I am not too sure if I should even be attempting to pass on advice, but in another thread I was quoted that there is a yeast called Saflager S-189 Dry Lager Yeast that does its job at an ideal 9-12^C.
That sounds great for me because I will hopefully be doing my fermenting and brewing in the garden shed and spare fridge!

Just thought I would mention it as it can apparently be used in the Sam Adam's recipe.

Here's the thread I was referring to when I mentioned the S-189 Swiss Lager Yeast

 

[Wolfy]

Do you just cover the spout with gladwrap and rubber band?

I do, and you can get them at Crown Concepts (not too far from you) for less than $10.
If I fill it up or have an active yeast, I'll use a blow-off-tube for the first few days, but cling-wrap works fine in most situations.

 

[Golani51]

I do, and you can get them at Crown Concepts (not too far from you) for less than $10.
If I fill it up or have an active yeast, I'll use a blow-off-tube for the first few days, but cling-wrap works fine in most situations.

I go there a fair bit. For general I will use my regular fermenters, but these would be great for lagering. Do you use these only? How do they handle the heat of a 'nochill'?

How do you connect a blow- off tube? Just a tube going through the cap with a bit of silicon to seal off, and have the other end in a bucket of water?

Thanks,

R

 

[TmC]

Do you just cover the spout with gladwrap and rubber band?

I also found that those little sandwich bags, you get 100's for a couple buck work well, i was always cutting off way too much gladwrap so this minimises losses for me

 

[Wolfy]

I go there a fair bit. For general I will use my regular fermenters, but these would be great for lagering. Do you use these only? How do they handle the heat of a 'nochill'?

How do you connect a blow- off tube? Just a tube going through the cap with a bit of silicon to seal off, and have the other end in a bucket of water?

I drilled a hole into the cap and then force the blow-off tube into it (after softening it with some hot water), looks like this: http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x37/k_w...eer/pcunion.jpg

I do use them often as a primary/only fermentor, I don't no-chill, but when I soak them in hot tap water and sodium percarbonate they do 'bow' a little in the middle but after a few uses and treatments like that still hold their shape fairly well.

 

[manticle]

A loose lid on a cube works just as well as glad wrap.

I ferment in them often. To clean - boiling water and napisan is an almost instant scunge remover.

 

[Samuel Adams]

I am not too sure if I should even be attempting to pass on advice, but in another thread I was quoted that there is a yeast called Saflager S-189 Dry Lager Yeast that does its job at an ideal 9-12^C.
That sounds great for me because I will hopefully be doing my fermenting and brewing in the garden shed and spare fridge!

Just thought I would mention it as it can apparently be used in the Sam Adam's recipe.

Cheers, will give it a go.

 

[Golani51]

Thanks for the info. I will grab some tomorrow. I think that if they are washed with hot water, they can be turned on the side and there should not be any issues with bending due to softening of the plastic.

R

 

[philmud]

This thread is kind of reassuring - I opened my (Xmas) Cooper's kit today and mixed up a K&K Mexican Cerveza. I was a bit concerned when I saw that there was no airlock (I had thought this was how you know the fermentation has started?) - I also doubt I'll buy a kit fermenter again - it seems like the job they do doesn't really require a specialised piece of equipment.

 

[ploto]

A tip for those who just got a Coopers fermenter kit, check what the hydrometer reads in tap water (20C) and adjust your readings accordingly, they are notorious for being out of whack.

 

[adz1179]

A tip for those who just got a Coopers fermenter kit, check what the hydrometer reads in tap water (20C) and adjust your readings accordingly, they are notorious for being out of whack.

+1 for this... my coopers DIY kit fermenter was a fair bit out... check out the AHB sponsors for a cheap alternative

 

[philmud]

A question about this fermenter: it holds quite a bit of water (beer) before the water line reaches the tap - I imagine that when I'm bottling, I'll have to tilt the unit forward to bottle the last dozen bottles - presumably this will stir up any sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. Is there any way to avoid this? Just a very gentle tilt?

 

[asis]

A question about this fermenter: it holds quite a bit of water (beer) before the water line reaches the tap - I imagine that when I'm bottling, I'll have to tilt the unit forward to bottle the last dozen bottles - presumably this will stir up any sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. Is there any way to avoid this? Just a very gentle tilt?

Yep just tilt gently. If you have someone to help you bottling you will be able to see when the sediment is being disturbed, it'll settle out in the bottles anyway if you do disturb a bit. :icon_cheers: