Cheepo Fermenter

[MrJay83]

The wife wants me to brew a pineapple sparkling wine for her and rather than go out and buy equipment for a small batch I might only do once I'm thinking of just cobbling something together.
I was thinking about a couple of 5l water bottles with the large mouths (one for primary & secondary) and fit them with taps & bungs I have. Would this good idea or is there a simpler DIY fermenter people use?

 

[soupdragon]

Not sure if bungs will fit the open top of the bottles but I've used them with a grommet fitted into the bottle cap. They work well

Cheers Tom

 

[Clint]

Would the plastic be too brittle to fit a tap?

 

[soupdragon]

And the body of the bottles may have loads of ridges moulded in for strength.
With no tap fitted, I'm happy but with one I think you're into the unknown

Cheers Tom

 

[MrJay83]

Would the plastic be too brittle to fit a tap?

Only one way to find out.

And the body of the bottles may have loads of ridges moulded in for strength.
With no tap fitted, I'm happy but with one I think you're into the unknown

Cheers Tom

Didn't think about the ridges. I'm pretty sure the lidl 5l only has a couple bands on them.

 

[RichK]

I've used an Aldi 5L water bottle to ferment a batch of wine. Drilled the top for a gromett for the airlock. A syphon negates the need for a tap.

 

[MrJay83]

I've used an Aldi 5L water bottle to ferment a batch of wine. Drilled the top for a gromett for the airlock. A syphon negates the need for a tap.

I'd do that but I broke it and only have a couple of taps to hand. Went to Lidl today and the 5l wouldn't suit a tap. I got a rectangular 5l (with a handle) from somewhere before but just can't remember. Tried Tesco and Asda.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Would one of these do the trick, 10L Bucket With Handle & Lid | Ampulla Packaging Ltd, it state it is food safe

 

[MrJay83]

Would one of these do the trick, 10L Bucket With Handle & Lid | Ampulla Packaging Ltd, it state it is food safe

That is more than perfect. I was thinking of going into a deli to ask if they had any empty Hellmanns commercial tubs. That will save my shame lol.

 

[Rodcx500z]

going into a deli to ask if they had any empty Hellmanns commercial tubs

No shame there mate, look on it as saving the planet

 

[MrJay83]

Greta approves

 

[marshbrewer]

The only downside I found using things like these as wine fvs was the yeast could land and settle on the ridges, making racking clear wine a bit tricky (but not impossible)

 

[jof]

I found the plastic ones are quite good for primary fermentation, but you should use glass demijohns for racking as (previously mentioned) yeast sits on the ridges

 

[MrJay83]

This is the recipe I'm going for. Seems to be a quick turnover so I'm not too bothered if it stays a bit hazy. I'll cold crash on the secondary and bottle for at least a month.
First time trying a wine so excuse the question if daft but what's the issue with the yeast on the ridges?

 

[An Ankoù]

I've used 5 and 7 litre ex-water PETs and they work just fine. Don't try to fit a tap, but use a syphon. Use one of your beer fermenters for first fermentation then rack into the PET. don't worry about ridges. You're going to use a sparkling wine yeast or champagne yeast, which settles out pretty well anyway and you need to carry a little bit over to the bottle to carbonate the sparkling wine. Be sure to use strong bottles.

 

[MashBag]

Don't bother with taps. Just syphon it out, (much more accurate).

PET & HDPE Plastic are OK for fermentation. Glass or stainless for storage. In wine making you leave the yeast to settle, preferably on the bottom. Settling in the ridges will make the wine cloudy again, the second you move it. Wine yeast doesn't flocculate and set hard like say s-04

Are you making this as fizzy or still wine?

 

[MrJay83]

Think I'll have to go with water bottles. The buckets linked above have an £18 delivery charge.
Yeap siphoning is how I'll do it. I found a health store near by that sells wine kits and the little wine siphons.

 

[MrJay83]

Are you making this as fizzy or still wine?

Fizzy. I've got a load of Magners Irish cider bottles from before I started kegging so I'll carb it up to 3 volumes (gone that high with them before).
Maybe a silly question... Is the sugar calculation the same for wine yeasts?

 

[soupdragon]

Think I'll have to go with water bottles. The buckets linked above have an £18 delivery charge.
Yeap siphoning is how I'll do it. I found a health store near by that sells wine kits and the little wine siphons.

How about these?

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/collections/clearance/products/10-7ltr-make-your-own-bucket-lid
Not sure what the postage would be but if you get a few extra bits and bobs the cost of the bucket is easily absorbed

Cheers Tom

 

[MashBag]

Fizzy. I've got a load of Magners Irish cider bottles from before I started kegging so I'll carb it up to 3 volumes (gone that high with them before).
Maybe a silly question... Is the sugar calculation the same for wine yeasts?

Yeah