What Can I Use To Ferment In?

[Acasta]

Not sure where to post this, but;
I want to try and make a few mini batches, but i only have 2x23 fermenters.
I have a bunch of platic storeage boxes, i was thinking of maybe brewing in those. im only doing about 4.5L batches.

 

[bum]

You should be able to buy small demijohns at your LHBS. They're basically large glass bottles used for fermenting in. They aren't all that expensive usually and are a much better bet than using some box that used to be used for god knows what. Only thing with demijohns is that you can't put a tap on the so you need to siphon the beer out.

 

[under]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

[Jimboley]

Not sure where to post this, but;
I want to try and make a few mini batches, but i only have 2x23 fermenters.
I have a bunch of platic storeage boxes, i was thinking of maybe brewing in those. im only doing about 4.5L batches.

P.E.T. is the way to go,
I have seen 2L Juice or coke bottles with a hole drilled into the lid for an airlock & grommet.

Without any more info on these plastic boxes I cant really comment.

make sure that it is a food safe plastic, and there shouldnt be any corners, nooks or crannies for bacteria to get in and spoil your brews.

You can brew small batches in the large fermenter, as long as your are VERY clean the extra head space shouldnt be a problem.

Square containers are a bit of a problem because of the corners, also be waring of 2nd hand containers as they may have scratches or score marks in the bottom or side.
You need a super smooth surface that wont harvest germs/wild yeasts/bacteria.
Food grade buckets at Bunnings come in a range of sizes and are really cheap, maybe you could give that a go?

 

[Daniel.lear]

One of those 10L white plastic handipales from the big green shed should do. You would have to either install a bulkhead fitting of some sort for a tap or you could just siphon.

Leary.

 

[Acasta]

Wow, i never really thought about these suggestions,
i love bunnings so ill go there tomorrow!

 

[Screwtop]

Wow, i never really thought about these suggestions,
i love bunnings so ill go there tomorrow!

Bet you come home with more than just the pails........................ grumble.....mumble.........frikkin Bunnings

 

[haysie]

i love bunnings so ill go there tomorrow!

The VB of the tradesmans world. Its there, its convenient, heaps of em, geez they suck.

I have done small batches in the home delivery 15 litre bottles, mine are quench but neverfail etc, get the drift. Downside is syphon but I dont bother, rack via tipping to a vessel with tap i.e fermenter.

 

[alowen474]

Buy a 10L water from the supermarket and ferment it with the water.

 

[unrealeous]

I hear all this talk of brewing in a bag - but it turns out its just mashing and boiling etc..

Why not pioneer brewing in an actual bag. You could start your own thread and start calling all the old timers dirty names.... Sterilize bag, fill bag with wort, add yeast, tie bag closed, ferment....

You know you want to...

 

[bum]

I hear all this talk of brewing in a bag - but it turns out its just mashing and boiling etc..

Why not pioneer brewing in an actual bag. You could start your own thread and start calling all the old timers dirty names.... Sterilize bag, fill bag with wort, add yeast, tie bag closed, ferment....

You know you want to...

Been done already:

http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000373.php

 

[unrealeous]

Been done already:

Been done already to make prison wine using an old sock and some mouldy bread maybe... I'd like to see someone make a batch up for a competition or a case swap (suggest a victorian or a queensland one though) h34r:

 

[haysie]

Been done already to make prison wine using an old sock and some mouldy bread maybe... I'd like to see someone make a batch up for a competition or a case swap (suggest a victorian or a queensland one though) h34r:

What do you suggest for the OP`er?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I hear all this talk of brewing in a bag - but it turns out its just mashing and boiling etc..

Why not pioneer brewing in an actual bag. You could start your own thread and start calling all the old timers dirty names.... Sterilize bag, fill bag with wort, add yeast, tie bag closed, ferment....

You know you want to...

You mean like this....



Just a little something I've been working on. Prototype = success .. more development next time I'm bored and have nothing to do.

Spillsmostofit fermented many a small batch in 10L decor food storage containers from kmart or wherever - I used 15L drinking fountain bottles like haysie.. just little carboys. Now I have a few 4-5L glass demijohns.

Make a little more than you think you will need.. I find that in small batches you lose proportionally more to kettle trub, fermenter trub etc etc than you do in a 23L batch.

TB

 

[Benniee]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Looks like that is an old link - more up to date one here.


Benniee

 

[Bribie G]

I hear all this talk of brewing in a bag - but it turns out its just mashing and boiling etc..

Why not pioneer brewing in an actual bag. You could start your own thread and start calling all the old timers dirty names.... Sterilize bag, fill bag with wort, add yeast, tie bag closed, ferment....

You know you want to...

In the UK in the early 70s, Tom Caxton (the Coopers of the day) beer kits came in a can with the yeast under the lid, and also a big fold out poly bag which you placed in your (dedicated of course) plastic garbage bin, put kit and water into bag, pitched yeast, tied off loosely with a twistie tie and left for ten days in the cupboard under the stairs. Worked very well indeed.
Hull North Country Breweries (the company that Ringwood Yeast originated at) sent their beers out to the trade in huge bag in a box containers as well which were served by air pressure. Also worked superbly.

Polypins are very popular in the UK, a smaller version of the above.

More to bags than meets the eye.

 

[StewTurner]

I have done a couple of experimental batches in 3 liter apple juice bottles that I had saved. I wanted to try out some basic recipes to get a feel for different hop flavours. I just used about 250 grams of LDM, 50 grams of dextrose, then play with hop additions. I made a pretty good version of a Little Creatures Bright Ale using Cascade and B-Saaz, and currently have a batch carbing up that I hope will be along the lines of an Aussie 'premium' beer (I used Hallertau to about 20 IBU).

The downside is that you need an accurate set of scales, because the hop additions I used were only about 1-2 grams each, so a little bit over could make a difference when scaling up the recipe. Also, brewing in a 3 liter bottle, I only wind up with about 2.5 liters in the fermenter, and less than 2 liters of beer in bottles. So if I make a good batch, there's not much to enjoy. But if you use LDM, it only takes about an hour from start to finish, because it's quick to cool to pitching temperature.

Give it a go, it's fun and a great way to apply some of the new knowledge you pick up on AHB.

 

[Nick JD]

I ferment in various vessels, but I always prefer a tap. Siphoning is for petrol thieves.

 

[superdave]

At my last visit to bacchus brewing/craftbrewer I saw plastic bags in the fermenters. Downside is it requires siphoning still. They also hope to have the bags for sale soon too.

 

[crozdog]

what about bladders from wine casks?