Square fermentor idea/experiment.

[S.E]

Hey Mark, this tread has got me thinking, I may try a variation of your experiment.

I have an aeration kit (aquarium pump with air filter) I wonder if I left it pumping filtered air above the wort for a day or two? All as I would need to do is remove the air stone, push the tube through the airlock grommet so it’s suspended over the wort and leave the lid on slightly loose.

 

[S.E]

All this talk of open fermenting has reminded me of these guys trying their hand at brewing. You may want to check this out and remember its particular important not to add too much yeast.

 

[mje1980]

Might work sean, let us know if you try it. I'd reckon a day or two max though.

I just top cropped some yeast. Seemed to work as usual, collected half a glass jar, topped up with cooled boiled water. Then roused gently with the spoon. Tomorrow arvo I'll bring it up to the kitchen bench and siphon into a closed secondary.

 

[mkj]

Thinking about sinks as cheap SS vessels, wonder if you could use one for a boil kettle or mash tun too. Electric element, not gas fired.

 

[Weizguy]

Would you use a rubber plug in the sink? How would you seal it?

 

[Vini2ton]

Love your work.Different ideas keeps us ticking.Beware of those tubs.They get brittle after a while.I use them(32 lt ) for storing stubbies and many are patched with packing tape.Ponder...chinese gold mine shafts.

 

[mkj]

Would you use a rubber plug in the sink? How would you seal it?

I was assuming some kind of metal fitting. Old sinks have brass plugholes.

 

[S.E]

Mark it’s just occurred to me that there may be a flaw in your process. As you are fermenting in a small fridge you are not really open fermenting as the fridge is a closed container so will still retain co2 and restrict fresh air movement around your fermenter. You also mentioned that you have been avoiding opening it which won’t help.

If you don’t get the desired result this time try again with the fridge unplugged and the door wide open for a couple days. Ambient temps are favourable here this time of year.

I occasionally open ferment in my fridge here but don’t get anything like the thick rocky head I used to get in the UK fermenting in an open room.

 

[mje1980]

It gets opened a few times a day . I know what you're saying though. Will see. I tried this because a lot of the reading I did mentioned the actual shape of the fermentor, particularly the height to width ratio was key to the flavour development. Something about surface to air ratio as well, not just purely the fact that it was an open ferment, although that seems to contribute as well.

Jesus mate, I'm now tempted to ferment one on the kitchen bench haha.

Will update later on, I'm going to transfer to a standard plastic fermentor for the rest of the fermentation.

As soon as I can figure out the auto siphon

 

[mje1980]

Unless it goes sour, you'll taste the result at the stoutfest, via the engine.

 

[sponge]

Make it sour..


You know you want to

 

[mje1980]

Haha, mate, my 2 sour carboys are already full . But I did put 5 litres of this batch that didn't fit into the tub into my funky cube with some brett c and MJ dark ale yeast .

 

[S.E]

I was thinking the air to surface ratio could also be restricted in a closed fridge as the air can’t move freely over the surface or at least as freely as it would in the open.

I need to brew for stout fest this week (actually I already had but its disappearing fast) so I think I will open ferment it and leave the fridge door open to see if it makes any difference.

We may end up with a few cubes of sour stout. Never mind we could blend them or make sponge drink it all.

 

[sponge]

After a few RIS's I'm sure it won't make much of a difference what's in my glass.

 

[mje1980]

Ok, so I siphoned it into a fermentor. On tasting of the hydro sample I'm quite happy with it. Very nice ester profile. I'm looking forward to drinking this through the engine on the day . So far, at this stage I think it's worth further exploration.

 

[mje1980]

Going to try a pale ale next up in the square. 1.050 so it will be bottled.

 

[mje1980]

So I've cubed some of the porter ( ready for the beer engine ) for our next club day, and bottled some for my own selfish consumption. Sample still tasted very nice and I'm looking forward to drinking some. I'm doing dry July, though I'm making an exception for the club day.

 

[Not For Horses]

I remembered last night that I'd actually done an open ferment recently.
It was 3 months ago.
In the back room.
Then I forgot about it.
Now it's half the original volume and mouldy and obscenely disgusting.
Think I better try again.

 

[mje1980]

Eeeeew. I racked the beer after 3 days for that reason, it needs to be transferred while there's still some fermentables left, otherwise, well, you know why .

 

[Mardoo]

I remembered last night that I'd actually done an open ferment recently.
It was 3 months ago.
In the back room.
Then I forgot about it.
Now it's half the original volume and mouldy and obscenely disgusting.
Think I better try again.

Don't just chuck it out. Does it taste OK?