Stainless Fermenters

[Bridges]

My first brew from my stainless fermenter is bottle conditioning now, tasted super straight from the ferm though and am very happy with the ease of cleaning and lack of smells from it. I was planning to dry hop but was really impressed with the hop flavour so didn't bother. I'm not entirely sure that is due to the fermenter, more likely the heavy handed application of late hops.

 

[HBHB]

There's a lot to be said for a towel wrap and a carry harness on the glass ones. One of the local guys almost gave his foot as a sacrifice to the gods of mead a while back. Lucky lad to be here still. Mine have a heavy metal loop at the neck and a carry harness. Saves a lot of safety issues, but still not 100%.

 

[indica86]

I like the idea of these too.
Stop making me want things Martin.

Good thing my wife just got a job.

 

[pk.sax]

I washed it with sodium perc., then tried to lift it and it was all slippery. The rest is shown in the photo. :unsure:

Oh ****. Yea, I exclusively use it in the red crate. Even makes the yeast go faster but...
Sorry about the OT posts Martin. I wonder if your steel fermenters fit inside a milk crate perfectly...

 

[HBHB]

Oh ****. Yea, I exclusively use it in the red crate. Even makes the yeast go faster but...
Sorry about the OT posts Martin. I wonder if your steel fermenters fit inside a milk crate perfectly...

All Good.

No, they don't in milk crates. Tried that a few weeks ago.

 

[Screwtop]

Can't figure why anyone wants a 30L fermenter when our kegs are 19L. After filling with 22-23L and using a blowoff tube there is heaps of headspace. Late home from work yesterday and today so have still not kegged the beer. Will post pics of the valve and pickup then.

The more I look at this thing the more it makes sense, should have bought two instead of going glass. They are so easy to use and clean it's a no brainer. I want clean tasting beer, thats what I have always endeavoured to produce. Have invested so much in this hobby with that in mind, why would I stop short and persist with plastic fermenters, false economy.

Screwy

 

[Cocko]

I have 2 of these, they fit perfectly side by side in my ferm fridge.

I have no more up load space and am having bluetooth issue getting my pics to my lappy.... I am still using glad wrap on them with my old ferms o-rings and all seems good in the world.

Anyway, I have just kegged the 2, after 4 days CC'ing. First use.

Report:

First impressions; I am not overly in love with tap/s but on initial cleaning, I realised it does its job well - well, as good as any taps that opens and shuts, I guess, but it opens quick and snaps shut leaving maybe 1 or 2 drips - so good. Taking samples through the tap is a little tricky, due to the instant speed of flow, but easy to work out - so again, all good.

Tastings: Can't say as definitely as Screwy but my samples tasted great, hard to tell if different than plastic and being a filthy NC'er who knows if I will ever see this benefit...

CC'ing: This is where I really noticed a difference. I assume being SS, a more consistent thermal material [Or something like that] , once the temps where down and the FV itself was cold, dang, thats **** dropped like a pair of Yob's pants at the Mardi Gras... And the yeast cake was hard enough for a moon landing - Awesome!

Cleaning: Again, I have to give these little fellas a pat on the back, for ease of cleaning - the open top is the obvious advantage but the ability to scrub, use steel wool [Not that I did, but you could] and then visually check in the light reflection is great.

Volume: These are advertised as 25L - I would say more like 28-29 with head space - I brew, FULL willow blue type cubes, which hold about 23L - I have 23L kegs, and are usually perfectly full to the lid seam on fill, I didn't adjust for these FV's and had more than enough head space, that said - I wouldn't pitch on a yeast cake in them LOL..

I wouldn't say these are best thing I have added to the brewery but all the same, I look forward to see what they will bring with more use. I guess it is time to start chilling or finding a SS no chill option and removing plastic from my brewery to know for sure if it is/was playing a part, not that my beers have an issue that I know of.

EAB - Cocko.

 

[HBHB]

Thanks for your thoughts and comments Screwy and Cocko.

We've also been playing with them and so far so good. I still prefer conicals for the ability to clear away the yeast without a transfer, but in absence of a lotto win for most guys, these will fill a niche nicely.

So far so good with the standard taps, a few guys have swapped them out for ball valves, but the standard tap doesn't appear to have too many difficulties from trub etc. i think it's a better and safer option than glass, certainly better than throw away plastic ones and should serve brewers for many years to come, provided they're looked after.

Mangrove Jacks have taken on board the feedback we've passed on and there will be future changes to design, but at a level to keep them within reach of guys struggling with mortgages and family financial commitments etc.

They'll make a good investment for guys looking for a step up in quality for sure.

Martin

 

[lael]

I have 2 of these, they fit perfectly side by side in my ferm fridge.

What is the width of the inside of your fridge cocko? I was wondering if that might be possible...

 

[Screwtop]

Ok finally got around to kegging the beer, the stainless fermenter was washed and draining in double quick time....so easy.

Picks as promised below:

The space taken up by the yeast during fermentation wort level 21L

After a hose out, so easy. Pickup is about 20mm off the bottom (above yeast cake)

Ball Valve

Screwy

 

[TidalPete]

Getting a couple of your standard ss fermenters ASAP Martin ---
https://nationalhomebrew.com.au/multi-purpose-parts-and-accessories/fermenters-parts-and-accessories/mangrove-jacks-stainless-steel-fermenter-25l

They're closer to 30 litres than a quick squiz indicates. :super:

Thanks for the pics Screwy. :beer:

 

[dicko]

Thanks Screwy.
@HBHB, Martin, do you know when the model with handles will be released??

 

[Batz]

Thanks Screwy.
@HBHB, Martin, do you know when the model with handles will be released??

Yea, I think I may save my $$ up and get a couple with handles. I've been brewing 31 years in plastic, another year won't kill me.

Batz

 

[HBHB]

It's already been released in the starter kits Dicko. I 'd say it'll take a while to filter through for the individual units.

Not much we can do.

 

[Screwtop]

Getting a couple of your standard ss fermenters ASAP Martin ---
https://nationalhomebrew.com.au/multi-purpose-parts-and-accessories/fermenters-parts-and-accessories/mangrove-jacks-stainless-steel-fermenter-25l

They're closer to 30 litres than a quick squiz indicates. :super:

Thanks for the pics Screwy. :beer:

Yea, I think I may save my $$ up and get a couple with handles. I've been brewing 31 years in plastic, another year won't kill me.

Batz

You'll forget the cost after the first clean believe me. The pic is after a hose out, you can see the bit of a scum line from the yeast. Gave it a clean with SodPerc which seemed like overkill really. Maybe a drop of dish liquid in a couple of litres of water and a chux wipe. After hosing out the yeast I thought I'd be more happy to reuse yeast recovered from one of these also.

Interested to know from other users (Cocko) if they have noticed a totally different smell when opening the fermenter and cleaning it. I mean totally different to what I have become used to over 40 years of fermenting in plastic.

Impressed!

Screwy

 

[clio]

Screw top, can I ask where you sourced steel tap to fit this fermenter?

 

[Screwtop]

Screw top, can I ask where you sourced steel tap to fit this fermenter?

Wish I could say clio, don't think I've bought a ball valve in maybe 4 years, the most recent purchases were 3 piece to replace older one piece. Have ordered these before http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-BALL-VALVE-316-Stainless-Steel-1-2-6-off-flomax-leaver-type-/251481098889?pt=AU_Boat_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a8d710a89

Screwy

 

[Cocko]

What is the width of the inside of your fridge cocko? I was wondering if that might be possible...

Sorry for the delays, mate - It is about 645cm - I need to turn the 2 FV's slighty so the taps fit, but they fit!

Interested to know from other users (Cocko) if they have noticed a totally different smell when opening the fermenter and cleaning it. I mean totally different to what I have become used to over 40 years of fermenting in plastic.

Impressed!

Screwy

Agreed Plisk Screwy, the smell is completely different being there is no real smell. It makes you realise how much odour was/is a plastic ferm that you just slowly grow to accept as normal.

Cheers

 

[Screwtop]

Sorry for the delays, mate - It is about 645cm - I need to turn the 2 FV's slighty so the taps fit, but they fit!



Agreed Plisk Screwy, the smell is completely different being there is no real smell. It makes you realise how much odour was/is a plastic ferm that you just slowly grow to accept as normal.

Cheers

My thoughts also Cocko!

A taste test of the two now carbonated beers reveals some differences. Put the two in front of the wife and she immediately preferred the aroma of the batch fermented in SS over the one fermented in plastic. The aroma is similar to many of my previously homebrewed beers, just a hint of homebrew about it, where the aroma of the beer fermented in SS is clean. Taste test was the same, she thought the batch fermented in SS was more bitter. Hops are more bright in this batch and the malt and yeast esters more discernable. Flavours in the batch fermented in plastic are muddled, the wife thought it tasted watery, probably as it's a small beer, an ordinary bitter, and in this style the individuals make the show.



Very happy with the results.



Screwy

 

[AndrewQLD]

They sell them with handles individually in NZ, probably sent over all their initial samples from china
and dumped them here in Australia to get rid of them.
I too will wait until imake release them here with handles, not much use without handles to lug them around with.