Storing Fermenters

[EnergeticSloth]

Hey all
Im moving house over the next week and prob wont have time to brew for a few weeks was wondering what the best deal would be to do with the inactive fermenters?

1 Should i wash and sterlise as usual and then store?
2 Wash store and then sterilise when going to use?
3 Wash sterilise store and then sterilise beofre next brew?

:beer:

 

[Insight]

Option 2 should be your usual practice. Give them a rinse before sterilising on brewday if you are particularly worried about bugs/dust getting in since last brewday.

 

[enoch]

The main thing is clean and dry unless its going to have a dose of sterilizer in it to reduce the chance of the residual liquid going manky.

 

[Andyd]

My understanding is that even storing wet with sanitizer is dangerous because the sanitizer looses effectiveness due to oxidation and organic load, so if you leave them for a long period you've likely to have a nice little culture in there...

My preference is for dry storage.

 

[Tyred]

Clean, dry, store. Then sanitize before next use. If you want you can sanitize after cleaning, but before drying.

Basically option 2 or 3 but allow to dry.

 

[maltedhopalong]

Yeah, storing dry is important. If you close up a wet fermentor, you'll almost definitely have a yucky musty smell when you open it up in 3 weeks time. Even if you sanitize. Sometimes (tho unlikely if u santize well) you'll get mould.

Leave it dry, and maybe just leavethe airlock out of it so it can "breathe" while it's in storage. Give it a quick rinse out and sanitize when your'e ready to brew.

I know, my speeling and grammer is atroshus.

 

[Ash in Perth]

I give mine a good clean and store upside down, that will prevent even the smallest amount of water habouring microbes.

 

[Guest Lurker]

I give mine a good clean and store upside down, that will prevent even the smallest amount of water habouring microbes.

Even those really big shiny stainless ones you have?

 

[Double A]

What about drying a cube?

 

[TidalPete]

I give mine a good clean and store upside down, that will prevent even the smallest amount of water habouring microbes.

As I do but with the lid off & the bung hole open for air circulation. A quick rinse with boiling water & a sanitize before use next time.
I leave the fermenter out in the sun for an hour or so first to get all the moisture out.
Ditto for drying a cube & (I presume?) a ss conical.

:beer:

 

[enoch]

The main thing is clean and dry unless its going to have a dose of sterilizer in it to reduce the chance of the residual liquid going manky.

The steriliser comment was really more about kegs that are hard to dry where I have used a few drops of an orthophosphoric acid (or what ever it is) based sterilant to stop it going musty.