Is a glass Big Mouth Bubbler's air-tight?
- Thread starter NeverDie
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You may be referring to the lids that screwed on. They replaced those with the "universal" lid, which has a silicone gasket to seal to the fermenter.
I think he’s referring to the universal lids. I’ve read a few reviews complaining of them pushing up and relieving excess pressure. Some people fix this by taping or weighing them down. It was of the of factors for me to lean towards a Speidle. Been curious of they’ve gotten this fixed as well.
The universals are VERY air tight. I'm pretty sure the OP is referring to the original screw-on lid. That was not. You can't even buy the screw-on type anymore.
With respect to the universal lid, the issue with them has been resolved by some of our intrepid experimenters here. Flipping the silicone seal seemed to do the job of keeping it down. Also, trimming off the largest silicone ring. I did these two things (thanks HBT) and no problems. I have six of them.
With respect to the universal lid, the issue with them has been resolved by some of our intrepid experimenters here. Flipping the silicone seal seemed to do the job of keeping it down. Also, trimming off the largest silicone ring. I did these two things (thanks HBT) and no problems. I have six of them.
I have both - a 1.5 gallon "little big mouth" with a screw on lid, and a behemoth 6.5 gal with the push-on lid. They both seal well, though the big one needs masking tape around it to keep it from popping off under CO2 pressure.
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NeverDie
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Looking at the most recent reviews of it here: https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/big-mouth-bubbler-6-5-gallon-plastic-fermentor, there are a lot of complaints about the lid popping off under fermentation induced CO2 pressure.
I see you said glass. If you haven't already got glass look at this first: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/
Then decide...
Then decide...
I've got 6. You can trust me. Flip the silicon seal. Remove the largest rib with scissors. NO problem.
I have the plastic ones by the way. I'd never use the glass ones. Haha.
Right here... more posts in that thread regarding the scarey glass BMB...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...stories-compendium.376523/page-9#post-6304186
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NeverDie
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Right here... more posts in that thread regarding the scarey glass BMB...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...stories-compendium.376523/page-9#post-6304186
Thanks for the heads up! I'm officially scared to death now. What an ungodly horror show.
However, for aging purposes, aren't glass or stainless steel the only options? Doesn't oxygen penetrate through plastic and oxidize the contents? Or, is that inconsequential?
What about plastic imparting plasticy tastes onto the mead? Or, is that a myth too?
I had nonetheless briefly considered getting a Fermonster, because they're so darn inexpensive, but then I read a lot of the reviews saying they developed stress fractures and failed. Yipes! That would surely negate any cost savings. Is that a concern with plastic BMB as well, or are they immune to that?
Looks salvageable. I’d drink it..little glass never killed anyone that lived to tell about it.
TY for the heads up on that. I’ll definitely give them a second look.
Blacksmith1
Captain Cheap
I have one of these. It seals perfectly and has enough room for your mead and any additions, including a small dog. 
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NeverDie
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Do you age your mead in that too? Or, if not, what do you age it in?I have one of these. It seals perfectly and has enough room for your mead and any additions, including a small dog.
All myths. These fermentors are made from the same material that your coke and bottled water come in. No oxidation, no taste.
Some of the first-run production of glass BMBs had serious thickness consistency problems. Thick in some areas, thin as a lightbulb in others. Like what @passedpawn posted above. The company supposedly addressed the thickness issue in later production runs (or more likely had their Chinese contract mfr address it), but I'd be leery of buying one, especially on the used market. You never know what quality you're getting.
The plastic BMBs are pretty robust, though.
The plastic BMBs are pretty robust, though.
Brett_Bellmore
Me and my better half.
https://www.ptonline.com/articles/barrier-pet-bottles
Obviously bottled water isn't going to oxidize, what would it do, become Hydrogen Peroxide?
Sodas stored in plastic bottles do notoriously have a shelf life, though. There are things you can do to extend the shelf life, but they tend to involve oxygen scavengers that, when they've been used up, are used up. And you're only looking at a 16 week shelf life, at that.
Which is fine for coke, because, who stores a plastic bottle of coke in the basement for a year or five?
Mind, in larger containers the situation gets better, because of the reduced ratio of surface area to volume, and because the plastic tends to be thicker anyway.
The bottom line for me is that while it's not insane to think you can age alcoholic beverages in the right plastic, I'm more comfortable with glass, I KNOW that's good unless it breaks.
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NeverDie
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Argh... The cognitive dissonance is killing me. On the one hand, the science (like the article you linked to) says that the oxygen permeability of plastic is a problem for long term aging of mead. On the other hand, passedpawn owns six plastic carboys and says it's no problem. Maybe passedpawn is merely making beer and not mead, and so aging isn't important to him?
Brett_Bellmore
Me and my better half.
Like I said, the ratio of surface area to volume: It's going to take a lot longer for a significant amount of oxygen to penetrate a 5 gallon or whatever container, than it is a 2 liter bottle. More oxygen may be penetrating, but the larger volume can soak up a LOT of oxygen before you start to notice any changes in flavor.
Also, thickness matters, a lot. Pop bottles are as thin as practical, to minimize cost. His plastic carboys might be ten times thicker, and proportionately more resistant to oxygen diffusion.
So, plastic carboys probably ARE practical for aging. I just feel more comfortable with glass, because I know it's essentially impermeable over a period of centuries, not months. And cleans up well; My Fastferment conical sanitizes well enough, but you can what sort of mead I was aging in it even after cleaning, some of the volatile components diffuse right into the plastic. With the glass you haven't got a clue.
Anyway, my impression is that beer is actually more oxygen sensitive than mead, due to the hops. And, yes, people have been known to age it for long periods. Had a friend who lost some home brew in capped glass bottles in the basement for a couple decades, and he swore the stuff turned out incredible.
You're right, I'm making beer. I apologize, I didn't even notice until this moment that you posted in the mead forum. I have made mead & wine, but I only aged it in the fermentor for about 6 months.
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NeverDie
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In this case, I suppose I could use a big mouth bubbler for a secondary until fermentation is completed. Then, move the mead to 1 gallon glass jugs for aging. I think for primary I would probably use stainless steel, because then there'd be no worry about scratches when degassing the mead using a drill and a degassing tool.
Is the spigot that comes with some of the BMB's easy to disassemble and thoroughly clean? Any issues with leaks? I'm leaning toward a spiggoted plastic BMB, to make filling those 1 gallon glass jugs at the next step easier....
Is the spigot that comes with some of the BMB's easy to disassemble and thoroughly clean? Any issues with leaks? I'm leaning toward a spiggoted plastic BMB, to make filling those 1 gallon glass jugs at the next step easier....
Blacksmith1
Captain Cheap
secondary is a plastic carboy, in the case of my cider a primo water bottle, my bochet is in a 6 gallon vintage shop plastic, both recycle code 1.
key here is long term for which I bottle which keeps my carboys and fermenters open for my next batches.
I've made a lot of wine in my BMB's. Plastic degasser wand and drill have not caused any scratches, though I'm sure I've nailed the sides tons when doing it. So I don't think you have any worry there.
I just added spigots to all of my BMB. I don't know about the ones that came with the BMB, but the ones I bought can be disassembled. More here on that topic:
Spigot height in carboy?
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NeverDie
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
Because of your influential commentary, I ordered one: https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/siphonless-big-mouth-bubbler-ported-6-5-gallon
Thanks!
You're gonna also want the harness: https://www.northernbrewer.com/coll...es/products/northern-brewer-universal-harness
Trust me on that.
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NeverDie
Well-Known Member
Supposedly it's included for free.
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NeverDie
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"Now Includes our Universal Harness for lifting, transporting and ensuring your Big Mouth Bubbler lid stays in place during even the most intense fermentations. A $22.99 value!"
Kool. And you won't have to wrap the lid with masking tape like I do.
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NeverDie
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Reporting back: I started a 5 gallon batch of M05 Mead today in my brand new siphonless 6.5 gallon plastic Big Mouth Bubbler. The straps that came with the BMB, when properly adjusted, do indeed hold the lid down. To complement this BMB, I think I'll probably order a 5 gallon BMB to use as a secondary.
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NeverDie
Well-Known Member
Hmmm. Looks like racking using a closed loop transfer (to avoid oxygen exposure) might be possible:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...er-from-fermonster-big-mouth-bubblers.585875/
However, using the new second generation fermentasaurus might be an even better choice for such things. I suppose that would be the next level.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...er-from-fermonster-big-mouth-bubblers.585875/
However, using the new second generation fermentasaurus might be an even better choice for such things. I suppose that would be the next level.
