Using same fermenter for different styles of beer

[Franham]

Hey all. 

Was wondering if you thought it would be ok if you were to use the same fermenter for different styles of beer?

Like say if you were to brew an ale, then in the same fermenter brew a stout afterwards. Would the ale leave flavours that would affect the stout? (big deal I guess lol). And say would the stout leave a flavour on following brews? (which would be an issue).

[Pints]

16 minutes ago, Franham said:

Hey all. 

Was wondering if you thought it would be ok if you were to use the same fermenter for different styles of beer?

Like say if you were to brew an ale, then in the same fermenter brew a stout afterwards. Would the ale leave flavours that would affect the stout? (big deal I guess lol). And say would the stout leave a flavour on following brews? (which would be an issue).

All should be fine if u clean it properly brother

[slp]

I use unscented bleach with coopers kit and brewed few different beers and havent noticed any taste or smell transferring over from a earlier brew

Though ill probably get a new FV for ginger beer next time, my FV still smells of ginger after 2 brews

 

Edited September 12, 2021 by slp

[Franham]

18 minutes ago, slp said:

I use unscented bleach with coopers kit and brewed few different beers and havent noticed any taste or smell transferring over from a earlier brew

Though ill probably get a new FV for ginger beer next time, my FV still smells of ginger after 2 brews

 

Yeah good one. I read that if you want to brew sarsaparilla, you need to get another fermenter so same idea.

[ChristinaS1]

When it comes to beer, taste and smell generally do not carry forward using standard cleaning methods (Napisan etc), even if you make a lager after making a stout.

The only time you might want to use a different fermenter is if you use a diastaticus yeast (Belle Saison, many Belgian yeasts) as it is hard to get rid of and could contaminate your subsequent brews, leading to lower than expected FG and over-carbonated bottles. That being said, unscented bleach should take care of diastaticus, but personally I would play it safe and use a separate FV for diastaticus yeast.

To get diastaticus out of your bottles, treat them with an overnight soak with a capful of unscented bleach per bottle....Whether you use diastaticus yeast or not,  periodically treating your bottles with an overnight soak with unscented bleach is a good idea, to get rid of the biofilm.

Cheers,

Christina.

Edited September 12, 2021 by ChristinaS1

[Spursman]

8 hours ago, ChristinaS1 said:

.Whether you use diastaticus yeast or not,  periodically treating your bottles with an overnight soak with unscented bleach is a good idea, to get rid of the biofilm.

My cleaning regime is as follows:

After drinking contents rinse bottle about a quarter full with warm water 3 times.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of laundry soaker (cheap coles plain brand) and fill bottle to top with warm water. Cap and store.

On bottling day empty out and rinse 3 times with warm water. Swirl tops around in the sink to rinse also.

 

Works well for me. My lhbs owner strongly advised against bleach saying you'll never get rid of residual smell/taste. Now, he may have been trying to steer me on to his cleaners and sterilisers but had no adverse reaction to my method.

As has been said before, there's more than one way to skin a cat - find a way that suits your requirements best and stick to it.

[slp]

1 hour ago, Spursman said:

Works well for me. My lhbs owner strongly advised against bleach saying you'll never get rid of residual smell/taste. Now, he may have been trying to steer me on to his cleaners and sterilisers but had no adverse reaction to my method.

As has been said before, there's more than one way to skin a cat - find a way that suits your requirements best and stick to it.

Maybe he was talking about scented bleach. I use (1 cap per 5 liters of water) to clean my FV and bottles and never had any issues in 10~ brews

you have to be careful when using bleach (gloves, eye protection, cold water, good ventilation) what i dont think you need to do with the proper cleaners and sterilisers so that might be the safer, easier route for most

[ChristinaS1]

With bleach (yes, use unscented) it is all about the dose.

To achieve intermediate level disinfection use 500-800ppm of bleach; 500ppm = 10ml/L, which is roughly a capful per bottle. That is probably the dose required to kill diastaticus, and works for removing biofilm too. 

Cheers,

Christina.

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by ChristinaS1

[Spursman]

On 9/13/2021 at 11:38 AM, ChristinaS1 said:

With bleach (yes, use unscented) it is all about the dose.

To achieve intermediate level disinfection use 500-800ppm of bleach; 500ppm = 10ml/L, which is roughly a capful per bottle. That is probably the dose required to kill diastaticus, and works for removing biofilm too. 

Cheers,

Christina.

 

Well if it works for you then I'm happy to give it a try.  Just one query. I'm using PETs and I read somewhere here that the Coopers ones have a special lining inside. Bleach won't damage that?

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 hours ago, Spursman said:

Well if it works for you then I'm happy to give it a try.  Just one query. I'm using PETs and I read somewhere here that the Coopers ones have a special lining inside. Bleach won't damage that?

If you stick to the the guidelines with the bleach including other cleaning/sanitising products you will not damage the PET bottles, this also applies to using hot water. They will stand a small amount when rinsing, but it's best to use warm-cold water. Finally store them out of direct sunlight.

[Bribie G]

The Coopers fermenters are made with polypropylene which doesn't pick up scents and flavours in the same way as their old polyethylene (HDPE) barrel shaped ones - and including the various "fermenters"  sold as water carriers at Bunnings, BCF and so on. The insides are hard and almost glassy compared to the old school FVs.

A good way of cleaning and deodorising them is to use a quarter of a cup of sodium percarbonate which you can get from various home brew suppliers (surprised that Coopers haven't brought out packs of it in their accessories range). Vanish and other "napisan" type products are about 30 to 40 percent sodium percarbonate and the unscented ones are ok, just use more. Fill the FV with warm water and leave overnight.

Then rinse well and finally sanitise with Starsan, phosphoric acid or similar. I never get any flavour carry over.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Same process for me with the sodium perc. I don't get flavour carryover from different styles, and my fermenters are the HDPE ones. I have used bleach at times when I've run out of perc, as long as it's rinsed properly and dried it shouldn't cause any problems. Residual chlorine can affect beer flavour but allowing it to dry gets rid of it anyway. 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Did this for a fermenter a couple of weeks back when I did some reading on what can kill brettanomyces. Bleach apparently won't kill it with a high pH. Lower the pH and its a super weapon apparently. Can't smell a thing in that fermenter and she is as clean as a whistle.

Word of warning. You must dilute the bleach first though before vinegar goes in otherwise it will release chlorine gas. In a confined space potentially very very dangerous. As a precaution anyway do it outside like I did and no problems.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/581270

[Spursman]

2 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Did this for a fermenter a couple of weeks back when I did some reading on what can kill brettanomyces. Bleach apparently won't kill it with a high pH. Lower the pH and its a super weapon apparently. Can't smell a thing in that fermenter and she is as clean as a whistle.

Word of warning. You must dilute the bleach first though before vinegar goes in otherwise it will release chlorine gas. In a confined space potentially very very dangerous. As a precaution anyway do it outside like I did and no problems.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/581270

Thanks Greeny,

Very interesting article. Presumably the solution could be used as a PET bottle cleaner and sanitiser also. Would you fill each bottle with it or just swirl a bit around and reuse on other bottles too?