What kind for fermentation bucket

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BatteryMan

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Looking for some advice/inspiration for Fermenting vessal i should get,
any anybody has bought or used recently to reccomend ?
 
All i can recommend if you must see airlock activity is get one with ridges around the outer edge of the lid (similar to the one below) this makes a better seal as the lid is stiffer where it joins the FV.


1591204832325.png
 
I always like to see what's going on inside my FV so i'll always recommend a clear one. Completely personal choice however that's what I like. I've used Better Bottles (PET Carboys) for years however just upgraded to a Fermzilla All Rounder.
I find bog standard fermenting buckets easy to clean however because you can't see through them and they are sometimes difficult to get a seal, they are very annoying!
I'm not at the stage yet to want anything Stainless Steel or conical but i'm sure it will come!
 
I do all mine using 1 x Youngs 33l bin and 2 x Youngs 25l wide neck bins... All plastic opaque. I do have a 30 l ( did have 2 until an accident ) glass dj and it never gets used now. My bins work a good rotation of ferment, rack get another on then bottle . Like many, I have so much gear I never use. Must have a clear out.

I would not pay this but you can research. same bins.
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/young-s-wide-neck-wine-fermenter-25-litre-2759.html*****************************/catal...ation-vessel-full-colour-graduated-470-detail
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/33-litre-fermentation-vessel-full-colour-graduated.html
 
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My advice would be to go with the simple plastic buckets as most people have suggested. I've only been brewing for about 6 months and already looking for my third fermenting vessel due to issues with others. I've gone for slightly more expensive and fancier ones before and come across issues with both!

All i can recommend if you must see airlock activity is get one with ridges around the outer edge of the lid (similar to the one below) this makes a better seal as the lid is stiffer where it joins the FV.


View attachment 26966

Do you know where I can get one of these well sealing ones, with ridges from? Can't seem to find any on the usual home brew stores I buy from!
 
Do you know where I can get one of these well sealing ones, with ridges from? Can't seem to find any on the usual home brew stores I buy from!

The one that @Chippy_Tea has posted a picture of is a Bigger Jugs (i think). I have one, good quality bucket...didn't seal the last time I used it so had no activity on the bubbler. Fermented fine though.
 
This is a better picture and below you can see the ridges on the lid.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/33-Litre...048600?hash=item3641418b98:g:X0EAAOSwFpBeymUS


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33 Litre Ritchies Fermentation Bucket with Hole for Tap + Lid with Grommet for A
33 Litre Ritchies Fermentation Bucket with Hole for Tap + Lid with Grommet for A

Ritchies 33 litre fermentation bucket is perfect for brewing beer, lager, cider or wine as it is made of food grade plastic - Polypropylene.
It has a scale on the side showing the aprox. volume of liquid. The Scale ranges from 4litre-25litre on one side and 5litre-25litre on the other.
Although the scale only goes up to 25l, the buckets full capacity is 33 litres.
There is a hole (diameter 27mm) near the bottom for you to fit a tap.
The lid has been drilled and fitted with a grommet seal for fitting an airlock.
Great for a full 40 pint brew and more.
You'll need an airlock and tap with this bucket. Please note the airlock and tap are not included.

Dimensions:
Capacity 33 litres
Height (inc lid) 39cm
Diameter at top - 38cm
Diameter at top (inc handles) - 41cm
Diameter at bottom - 32cm
 
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When I brew either home pressed apple juice or turbo cider I use water drums as per the picture below. They are only 19.5 litre in volume. I initially fill them to around 14 or 15 litres and once the most vigorous fermentation period has passed you can add more juice in stages to bring them up to around 18.5 / 19 litres.

However, it can take up to a month to fully ferment out this way, but your end product is quite mature.

Post use I swirl them out with hot water to remove most of the debris, then add 4 scoops of Home Bargains Oxy Wash, £1.49 for 1kg, and fill them to the top. The crud gradually breaks free from the sides and the upward air movement forces it to the top.

For any stubborn stuff you can use a demijohn brush or long handled bottle brush.

They then get rinsed in cold water and have 1 litre of starsan swirled around them.

Never had a dodgy brew in over 5 years of use.

PreCovid days I scrounged them off car dealerships.

I made an adaptor for the air trap using some rubber tube.

BA8D4F96-20D6-4F94-93AC-6A64D1500290.jpeg
 
The best bucket I've ever had was a youngs 33ltr job. Looks identical to the bigger Ritchies one that chippy mentions. Sealed every time, never let me down.
It was in use for over 10 years but got replaced about 4 years ago as it had got rather scratched. Should have kept it as every bucket I've had since hasn't sealed properly.
I know you don't need to see airlock activity but it's something I've grown up with so now can't do without.
Has anyone got the 25ltr Ritchies bucket in use? Would be interested to see if that seals property. I only brew to 19/20ltrs now so the bigger bucket would be a waste.

Cheers. Tom
 
Brew2bottle will sell you a 25 litre plastic FV for about £7 and a 15 litre one for about £4. I've just replaced one of my 5 year old 25 litre bins with a new one, since it was beginning to get a little tainted, and bought two 15 litre ones for smaller brews.
These items, at less than £10, will be perfectly satisfactory for the majority of brewers, they are cheap to replace and do the job. A 33 litre plastic FV is fine if you brew slightly larger volumes or you want to guarantee keeping the brew inside the FV at all atimes. And I would buy one on that basis , but I only brew 22litres and less, and have only had two brews in over 100 since restarting brewing which have tried to escape the FV at the beginning of the primary.
On the downside I'll bet most plastic FVs leak at the rim to lid seal, but to me that's not a problem, If I want to see airlock bubbles, and I think the lid to FV seal is leaking, I just use four strips of cling film over the rim of the FV which does the job.
 
as a newbie I wasnt sure what fermentation vessel to use -most designed for wine making seem to be 30litres which seems a bit big as Im starting with 5 litre recipes.

I ended up buying 3 of these, which hold 12 litres for £10.99 (fleabay).

s-l500.jpg


theyve worked out pretty good -they are strong and clean up easily, the only thing is the lid is hard to get off if its put on fully.
 
I always like to see what's going on inside my FV so i'll always recommend a clear one. Completely personal choice however that's what I like. I've used Better Bottles (PET Carboys) for years however just upgraded to a Fermzilla All Rounder.
I find bog standard fermenting buckets easy to clean however because you can't see through them and they are sometimes difficult to get a seal, they are very annoying!
I'm not at the stage yet to want anything Stainless Steel or conical but i'm sure it will come!
More light is bad. The white ones are transparent enough.
 

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