1 - 2 Gallon Fermenter Options?

[TempTest]

Hello! I am still speccing out my stovetop brewing gear but currently thinking I'll go for 2 gallon brew length, possibly as low as 1 gallon if I try a particularly big beer or just want to experiment with something. What fermenter options do I have at this size? I'm guessing the normal Young's plastic buckets (I've seen these in 5 and 10 Litre varities) and demijohns... Anything else?

I've seen this https://www.brewdemon.com/clear-conical ... ystem.html but I don't think it's possible to get it in the UK.

Thanks!

[Pinto]

Another option is the the homemade "Yorkshire Square" fermenter....AKA 16L PP clear storage crates

Used the 16l and 33l ones several times, and two stack nicely into my fermentation fridge so I can run two beers at once. Come with secure (but not gas tight so no airlock needed) lids for around the 7-10 quid mark.

[gobuchul]

The cheapest option would be the 5 litre water bottles from the supermarket. Drink the water then you have a 1 gallon demi for £1.10

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore ... duct/19029

[boingy]

For 2 gallons I'd probably just use a 3 gallon Young's bucket.
Another option might be the 15 litre water bottles some larger supermarkets sell. Example:

http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore ... t/33763278

They can be hard to clean though.
If you are going to use things like storage boxes, check that they are food safe.

[TempTest]

Thanks for the replies. Pinto, could you give me a link to the sorts of boxes you mention? I'd like to see what dimensions and volumes they are available in. These aside, I think my options are (in summary) 10Ltr Young's fermenter, 2 (or 3) off demi john/5Ltr water bottle from supermarket (disposable).

Of course I could use the 15 Ltr water bottle from supermarket but hard to clean makes it out of the question unless it's cheap enough to be disposable...

[Pinto]

Boxes like these :

http://www.tesco.com/direct/plastic-sto ... d=711-8385

Available in sizes from 10 to 80 litres. Just make sure they're marked with the knife and fork stamp or the recycled arrow with "PP" or "5" in the centre. Tescos ones afaik are food safe

[JamesF]

My understanding is that you should generally avoid the coloured ones. The clear ones are apparently far more likely to be food safe.

That's what I use for curing bacon anyhow, and it's not killed me ye

[Hoptimus Fine]

I use water bottles from asda/tescos or any other large supermarket, I use the mineral water for a mini mash/stovetop brewing (when its a test batch). then keep the bottle as a fermenter at under £2 for the water and bottle its a no brainer.

you can reuse them or treat them as "disposable", in fact I did a 10l brew, where I split the mash in half, and did two different brews with the same mash yeast etc, just wanted to see the difference between hops, two water bottles, used the water in the mash, keep the empties and used both as fermenters for two 5 litre brews.

Hope that helps/makes sense

Hoptimus

[TempTest]

Thanks Pinto & JamesF, will keep an eye out.



Hoptimus Fine,

That is exactly what I was initially thinking of. Depending on how big the beer is I was planning on fermenting in either 1 or 2 supermarket water bottles (I use Tesco Ashbeck for brewing anyway!). My concern is however that depending on the beer depends on the brew length (due to the mash volume, etc). As a result my intended brews will be anywhere between 5L and 10L (only). Therefore, should be fine in terms of fitting into two 5L water bottles - Although on that note, how much headspace do you leave in these for fermentation? Perhaps fill 5L bottle to 4.5L?

Anyway, my only concern is whether there will be an issue splitting the batch into two (identical) and when packaging (possibly in a Corny, still to decide) put them back together again. I'm wondering if it'll be okay to do that or not... Any experience? I originally posted the question here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71391

Thanks!

[boingy]

Depends on the yeast and the recipe but much more than 3 or 3.5 litres in a 5 litre bottle and you are risking the yeast climbing out.

It's fine to "recombine" the finished product but if you are going to split a batch for fermentation you have a golden opportunity to ferment with different yeasts or at different temperatures to experiment. Being the lazy git that I am I'd be aiming for a single fermenter to reduce the cleaning and sanitisation.

[Hoptimus Fine]

I have a routine for experimenting and one for small brews.

Experimenting: (different hops, boil additions/spices/herbs or yeast)

-brewed to Final volume of 10 L
- split the wort into two before boil (which effectively creates two 5L brews in the end)
- do my two boils
- cool,
- add to their 5l bottles

mini batch (5l or 10l)

-5l batch I use the water bottle
-10L batch I use a youngs 2 Gallon fermenter and it works a treat.

What you are proposing to do, is a 10l brew and once cooled split between 2 x 5L bottles, if that's the case use a youngs 2 Gallon fermenter its fine, you can split it between two 5L bottles and add together at bottling/kegging stage without problem (I have done this before), you increase the risk of infection but only slightly. Its easily do-able but I see little point unless like I mention above you want to split into two different batches i.e. half dry hopped and half not for experimentation purposes... if not then save the faff and use a 2gallon/15L fermenter.

As for headspace, I mark the 5L waterline on the bottle before using the water, I try and get it back up to there, little headspace mate, I leave the lid on screwed very loosely, at this point I suggest you find a way to catch the krausen when it escapes, as I have loads of spare fermenters I usually put the 5L bottles in there, if they are all in use a black bag works for catching all the escaping krausen. When I brew in small batchs I use pots on the hob, so filtering the leaf or pellet out of the final liquor is tricky so I inevitably end up with leaf or pellet mess in the fermenter, believe it or not this actually works in ones favour because the pellet dust and the odd leaf usually ends up in the neck of the bottle creating a natural filter that blocks the krausen from escaping out the lid but the excess CO2 can still escape.

Hope tat helps and makes sense

[Hoptimus Fine]

To add, as I did one of these on the weekend I can post pics if desperately required.

[TempTest]

Thanks for the update chaps.

boingy: That's interesting, I did not expect *quite* so much krausen... I thought it'd scale with brew size and I've never noticed it to be *particularly* bad in my 5 Gallon fermenter. Actually a single fermenter would be more cleaning/sanitisation given that I'd have to purchase a reusable 10-15 litre fermenter. If I went with 2x 5 Ltr bottles they'd be disposable (and come clean and sanitary - though I'd probably give a quick spray of StarSan).

Hoptimus Fine: Thank you for the offer but I don't think I need any photographs... I understand the process but interested in your knowledge and experience more than anything The headspace stuff was very interesting - Absolutely important that I don't let the krausen run away so I'll either need to give more headroom (ideally) or sit it in a tub trug. My preference for the former option is one of my reasons for small batch is the fact it does not take much room. Once I've got a tub trug out for a small fermenter getting in the way I may as well pop the 5 Gallon fermenter out . I'll have a look at the Young's 10 or 15 Litre fermenters... Which would you recommend for a 10 Litre brew length? I use the 5 Gallon for my 5 Gallon brews and find the headspace if affords fine enough so I suspect they'll have left adequate room in the 10 Litre that it'd do the job.

Something else you guys might be able to help with based on stovetop experience:

I filled the largest pot I currently own to 3.5 Ltrs. This left about 5cm headspace. It took ~25 mins to get to a boil and ~30 mins before it got particularly vigorous. This has given me a bit of concern about the ability to boil 10 Ltrs or 18ish Ltrs. I'm still deciding between getting a 12 Ltr pot or a 20 Ltr pot. Everybody seems to recommend the latter but unless I'm able to get that to the boil then it's just a disadvantage - Bigger, more evaporation loss, etc. How does ~30 mins to get 3.5 Ltr to a boil sound? Is that 'normal' or slow? You think it'd have issues with larger volumes? I know it's hard to say but... I won't have the ability to test a larger pot until I've already purchased it...

[Hoptimus Fine]

I have a 15L pot, with 13l in it takes about 30 minutes to get a boil on. (Gass full whack)

8L in my 13L pot take about 15 to 20 minutes.....

Both are guestimates as I have never really timed it to the second.

What are you boiling on, lecky or gass mate?

[TempTest]

Gas (According to the oven/hob manual it's a 3kW rapid-boil ring I'm using).