"Rain barrel" fermenter?

[zolakk]

I just came across this article about building a bottom drain rain barrel out of PVC and a rubbermaid garbage can and it dawned on me that this might make a good fermenter, especially for > 5 gallon batches where the standard brew bucket is too small. Just might work, I might try this and see

How to Build a Rain Barrel for less than $100

 

[Revvy]

Brute garbage cans are pretty famous as being great for cheap, huge volume fermenters. BYO did an article on them years ago.

My LHBS sells them, and in fact I was watching a video about the restaurant MOMOFUKO in New York, and David Chang uses them to make huge vats of fermented sauces and kimchees.

You can see the white 10 gallon ones scattered around the room in various wide shots, like on top of one of the metal cabinets.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg2gmp5fB2o[/ame]

 

[Black_Marsh_Brewer]

The Brute garbage cans work very well, here's my setup for primary fermenters at home. I use two 32gal brutes.

 

[Revvy]

Hey black Marsh, are the white versions a more "rigider" plastic than the black ones?

I'm looking to do a plastic boil kettle setup like the videos and stuff I talked about in this thread, and I want a 10 gallon boiler. I want a relatively "rigid" plastic, like a standard ale pale. I've been wondering about the 10 gallon white rubbermades.

Or are they the same "springy" plastic as the black ones?

 

[CGish]

The Brute garbage cans work very well, here's my setup for primary fermenters at home. I use two 32gal brutes.

Have you modified the lids to seal tightly?

If not, how long do you leave a batch in these?

Thank You,
Cody

 

[Black_Marsh_Brewer]

Hey black Marsh, are the white versions a more "rigider" plastic than the black ones?

I'm looking to do a plastic boil kettle setup like the videos and stuff I talked about in this thread, and I want a 10 gallon boiler. I want a relatively "rigid" plastic, like a standard ale pale. I've been wondering about the 10 gallon white rubbermades.

Or are they the same "springy" plastic as the black ones?

Revvy, the Brute are the standard LDPE plastic that the black ones are made of, however, the bigger you get them the heavier they make the plastic. I have a grey 20gal one that feels only slightly less heavy than a regular pail. If you have any doubts, I got mine from a restaurant and janitorial supplier where I live. They usually have the white ones available and don't mind hauling one out for your to poke at. It would be very interesting to see one as a boiler.

 

[Revvy]

Revvy, the Brute are the standard LDPE plastic that the black ones are made of, however, the bigger you get them the heavier they make the plastic. I have a grey 20gal one that feels only slightly less heavy than a regular pail. If you have any doubts, I got mine from a restaurant and janitorial supplier where I live. They usually have the white ones available and don't mind hauling one out for your to poke at. It would be very interesting to see one as a boiler.

That's where I was planning to get one at if I go that route. I can find 8 gallon fermenter buckets for about the same price, but with a 10 gallon I have plenty of room not to worry about boilover if I have a pre-boil volume of 7 gallons.

 

[Black_Marsh_Brewer]

Have you modified the lids to seal tightly?

If not, how long do you leave a batch in these?

Thank You,
Cody

Cody,

I have done nothing to seal these tightly, I kind of do it old school leaving the lid loose to allow CO2 to escape, letting the krausen go wild rather than restricting it, while the lid prevents mircobes from falling in. I don't seal them and/or use a blow-off tube or airlock, as long as the yeast takes, they are usually too active to cause other microbial infections.

I always sanitize them heavily, and I only use them for primary fermentation, after which I rack to corny kegs for secondary fermentation and carbonation. With the 32gal fermenters I can easily put 25gal of wort in the fermenter and it still has enough headspace so that there is no mess coming out from under the lid.

I usually only use them for 7-10 days primary fermentation, but I have done some big beers where they were left in the primary for 4 weeks before racking and I have had no issues because of the containers. I only had an issue once, and that was when the yeast didn't take.

 

[hopbrad]

The Brute garbage cans work very well, here's my setup for primary fermenters at home. I use two 32gal brutes.

what brand are the spigots on the bottom? any leaking issues? i just picked up 2 of these.
I tried to use one of those blue rain barrels, 35 gallons, with a weldless ball valve as my spigot. but got an infection on my second batch. First infection ever in 5 years of brewing. wondering if the ball valve was culprit. i have read they are hard to sanitize

 

[Black_Marsh_Brewer]

hopbrad,

The valves are no-brand thread in weld-less plastic spigots I got from the LHBS. I paid 5.00 CAD for them. Only problem I have with them is that they are 3/8" faucet. When you have 25 gallons in the thing, it takes a long time for a 3/8" faucet to drain it all. As for leaking, no problems at all. I used a hole saw to cut the hole for the spigot and then used a combination of a razor knife and a piece of 1000 grit wet use sandpaper and sanitizer to finish the cut edge of the hole. The big thing I found was to take extra care to only polish the absolute edge of the hole so as to prevent scratching. After that just made sure to have a flat silicon gasket on either side of the fermenter and seal it hand tight. to test it I have filled the cans to the brim with water and let them sit for a day. Checking for leaks every hour or so. No problems.

The problem with these cans, as with any plastic fermenter, is that absolutely any scratch and you have a place for bacteria to hide that can't be sanitized anymore. What is the spigot made of? If its metal the chance its the culprit is zero, as metal is not a place that bacteria can infect well, if its plastic, check it with a light and looking glass carefully for any damage.

Eventually, when I get more money, I will be switching to some form of stainless steel fermenter. I hate the idea of spending 60 bucks on a garbage can that I would have to toss if it got scratched and infected.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

Not to mention the cost associated with a 10+ gallon infected batch. Even with bulk ingredient purchases that is likely to be a $30+ brew.

 

[hopbrad]

hopbrad,

The valves are no-brand thread in weld-less plastic spigots I got from the LHBS. I paid 5.00 CAD for them. Only problem I have with them is that they are 3/8" faucet. When you have 25 gallons in the thing, it takes a long time for a 3/8" faucet to drain it all. As for leaking, no problems at all. I used a hole saw to cut the hole for the spigot and then used a combination of a razor knife and a piece of 1000 grit wet use sandpaper and sanitizer to finish the cut edge of the hole. The big thing I found was to take extra care to only polish the absolute edge of the hole so as to prevent scratching. After that just made sure to have a flat silicon gasket on either side of the fermenter and seal it hand tight. to test it I have filled the cans to the brim with water and let them sit for a day. Checking for leaks every hour or so. No problems.

The problem with these cans, as with any plastic fermenter, is that absolutely any scratch and you have a place for bacteria to hide that can't be sanitized anymore. What is the spigot made of? If its metal the chance its the culprit is zero, as metal is not a place that bacteria can infect well, if its plastic, check it with a light and looking glass carefully for any damage.

Eventually, when I get more money, I will be switching to some form of stainless steel fermenter. I hate the idea of spending 60 bucks on a garbage can that I would have to toss if it got scratched and infected.

yea i could see that with the 3/8 valve, but still beats using a carboy with auto siphon a bunch of carboys. i just did a quick search and they sell 1/2 inch spigots like that so i might give them a whirl, or just boil my ball valve each time before and after fermentation.
me and my buddy have been splitting up our 25-30 gallons into 6-7 carboys but cleaning them and using the autosiphon gets old. plus we like the idea of 1 big fermenter that can gravity feed into our kegs or bottle bucket. that first batch was so great for it. and with the 1/2 inch ball valve, it flowed nicely.
ill post a pic of ours once we fit them with the ball valve or 1/2 inch spigot.

 

[CGish]

Cody,

I have done nothing to seal these tightly, I kind of do it old school leaving the lid loose to allow CO2 to escape, letting the krausen go wild rather than restricting it, while the lid prevents mircobes from falling in. I don't seal them and/or use a blow-off tube or airlock, as long as the yeast takes, they are usually too active to cause other microbial infections.

I always sanitize them heavily, and I only use them for primary fermentation, after which I rack to corny kegs for secondary fermentation and carbonation. With the 32gal fermenters I can easily put 25gal of wort in the fermenter and it still has enough headspace so that there is no mess coming out from under the lid.

I usually only use them for 7-10 days primary fermentation, but I have done some big beers where they were left in the primary for 4 weeks before racking and I have had no issues because of the containers. I only had an issue once, and that was when the yeast didn't take.

Thank You. I have one of these for a wine primary, but I have not tried it for beer because of the sealing issue. I'll have to try it now.

I wonder what my wife would say to a fifty gallon brew kettle ...