What's in Your Fermenter 2023?

[Classic Brewing Co]

27 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

Would have to be higher than that wouldn't it?

How would you transfer to keg I wouldn't want to try and lift it up when it had 20 plus litres in it

Or am I missing something?

It would be easily lifted on to a bench for kegging, roughly the same as a normal FV.

[Back Brewing]

14 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

It would be easily lifted on to a bench for kegging, roughly the same as a normal FV.

With my health problem I wouldn't be able to lift it even a normal FV

[Classic Brewing Co]

Just now, Back Brewing said:

With my health problem I wouldn't be able to lift it even a normal FV

Fair enough, I have been lifting 20+kg FV's high enough to bottle/keg for years but I have a few tricks like first putting them on something about 1/2 the height, take a deep breath & up to the bench.

Obviously erring on the side of caution as accidents can/do happen.

[Brauhaus Fritz]

7 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I am thinking of ordering one of these to increase production as I only have one fermenting fridge & I don't want to buy another.

I have to order an Ink bird & new heat belt for the other one anyway, so I may as well start off a fresh.

The way I see it if you set your target temp at 20c & the ambient temperature in the room drops below that, the thermostat turns the unit on to maintain the desired temp. It doesn't have a cooling function but that's not going to matter in the winter, besides down by the ocean & having a double brick house with high ceilings it doesn't get hot inside.

I have always had luck brewing at ambient temperatures with multiple fermenters so the 'Bucket Buddy' will be more reliable for specialist brews.

https://www.kegland.com.au/products/35l-ss-bucket-buddy-fermenter-with-integrated-heating-element

 

It probably depends of how cold it gets where you are. I am in the process of building a fermentation chamber out of a big Styrofoam cladded card board box, using a heating belt for $ 11. On the other hand I am also going to do a Marzen tomorrow, as it is very cold in Sydney and I have a big cooling bag, I put some 2l milk bottles inside with frozen water. Each bottle brings down the temperature for about 2 degrees, I just change them twice a day. I would love to get a fridge but don't really have the space.

[Back Brewing]

23 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Fair enough, I have been lifting 20+kg FV's high enough to bottle/keg for years but I have a few tricks like first putting them on something about 1/2 the height, take a deep breath & up to the bench.

Obviously erring on the side of caution as accidents can/do happen.

It's not that I can't it's just that 6 years ago after an operation I was told no more than 10 kilo's when I immediately had the operation it was no more than a half full kettle 

My wife helps me lift the FV and she would help with the brewzilla with the grain pot after that I will be all good because I just cube it and we both lift it the next day

Where there is a will there is a way

[Stickers]

On 5/18/2023 at 3:17 PM, Back Brewing said:

Just brewd the Abbey Blonde omitting the DME and hops in the boil, used Nottingham yeast at 20c will dry hop with 20g of Amarillo hops on day 4. OG was 1.042

After about 50 minutes activity started in the fermenter, does this seem a bit quick?

I sprinkled it in dry.

 

 

i use nottingham a lot and i find there are most certainly visible signs of fermentation within the first hour. bubbles start forming, i used to pop my phone camera on the top of the fv for the next hour and do a time lapse, all kinds of action

[Back Brewing]

I'm finding a situation now after 9 days it is still occasionally bubbling I took a gravity reading and it is 1.012 it on around 16c

I will take another reading on Sunday and Monday if it's the same I will keg it 9n Tuesday or Wednesday 

Your right it wasn't bubbling but they were forming in S lock

Edited May 26, 2023 by Back Brewing

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, Back Brewing said:

Where there is a will there is a way

Maybe better to say:

Where there is a wife there is a way

[Back Brewing]

Yes I have to agree she is fantastic if I am going to brew she leaves herself free knowing I am going to need a hand lifting the FV

[ozdevil]

9 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

It would be easily lifted on to a bench for kegging, roughly the same as a normal FV.

they wouldnt be easy lifting to a bench phil.

these fermenters are just the digiboil with the only real difference is the lid

ya looking at 23kg of wort + the weight of the steel

my advice if you purchase this is to ferment at bench height for the kegging

to be honest  i am not sold on these units as the heating is from the bottom which will raise the heat through the yeast cake

[jennyss]

9 hours ago, Stickers said:

used to pop my phone camera on the top of the fv for the next hour and do a time lapse, all kinds of action

Sometimes I shine a torch in my FV and gaze in looking for bubbles in the krausen lol 

[Aussiekraut]

11 hours ago, Back Brewing said:

It's not that I can't it's just that 6 years ago after an operation I was told no more than 10 kilo's when I immediately had the operation it was no more than a half full kettle 

My wife helps me lift the FV and she would help with the brewzilla with the grain pot after that I will be all good because I just cube it and we both lift it the next day

Where there is a will there is a way

That sounds very familiar. Been there twice and now, years after the 2nd surgery developed arthritis in L1-L5. Lifting things is hard, lugging full cubes from where I am brewing to the garage takes two stops. Well, not long now and it will all be in one place. I'll investigate a pulley to lift things to make life easier. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, ozdevil said:

they wouldnt be easy lifting to a bench phil.

these fermenters are just the digiboil with the only real difference is the lid

ya looking at 23kg of wort + the weight of the steel

my advice if you purchase this is to ferment at bench height for the kegging

to be honest  i am not sold on these units as the heating is from the bottom which will raise the heat through the yeast cake

I have studied them a fair bit, the videos by Keg Land & David Heath, in fact David states that the heating strip is above the yeast cake & heats from the sides rather than the bottom. I am also aware of the weight, but it also has a bung to connect a tube via the racking arm which as you know can de directed up or down clearing the trub.

ATM I have to lift a plastic FV high enough to be able to keg so it is much the same apart from being a bit heavier.

I am sure there are ways to get the beer into the keg without too much stress & I appreciate your comments.

To me this appears to be a high-quality unit with heating so really it voids the reason to get another fridge.

At a last resort I have a few neighbours that could help me lift it if needed.

Cheers.

 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, jennyss said:

Sometimes I shine a torch in my FV and gaze in looking for bubbles in the krausen lol 

I reckon we have all done that over the years Jenny. 

[RDT2]

2 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I have studied them a fair bit, the videos by Keg Land & David Heath, in fact David states that the heating strip is above the yeast cake & heats from the sides rather than the bottom. I am also aware of the weight, but it also has a bung to connect a tube via the racking arm which as you know can de directed up or down clearing the trub.

ATM I have to lift a plastic FV high enough to be able to keg so it is much the same apart from being a bit heavier.

I am sure there are ways to get the beer into the keg without too much stress & I appreciate your comments.

To me this appears to be a high-quality unit with heating so really it voids the reason to get another fridge.

At a last resort I have a few neighbours that could help me lift it if needed.

Cheers.

 

 

I bought one of those bucket buddies for my Flanders Red! I had big problems with the lid seal. It wouldn’t stay in the lid and kept falling out and when it did stay in it didn’t seal! I watched different videos on how to fit seals and it still wouldn’t work! Couldn’t put my Flanders in it and took it back exchanged for a Mangrove Jack fermenter much better unit imo and sealed no problems. No internal heating though! I would physically inspect one before buying and comparing to others if you were thinking of ordering one online! I have since also bought as Ss brewtech secondhand bucket (like new) and it’s better again! Don’t know if my bucket buddy was faulty but wasn’t risking it with another one! They are also very tall as stated and the mangrove Jack is tiny compared! Also stoked as my Brewtech fits in my bar fridge!

Edited May 27, 2023 by RDT2

[Brauhaus Fritz]

4 hours ago, jennyss said:

Sometimes I shine a torch in my FV and gaze in looking for bubbles in the krausen lol 

Sometimes I play guitar next to my fermenters and believe that the yeast makes the airlock bubble in excitement 

[Kegory]

8 minutes ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Sometimes I play guitar next to my fermenters and believe that the yeast makes the airlock bubble in excitement 

That would work particularly well with a hop forward beer 

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, RDT2 said:

I bought one of those bucket buddies for my Flanders Red! I had big problems with the lid seal. It wouldn’t stay in the lid and kept falling out and when it did stay in it didn’t seal! I watched different videos on how to fit seals and it still wouldn’t work! Couldn’t put my Flanders in it and took it back exchanged for a Mangrove Jack fermenter much better unit imo and sealed no problems. No internal heating though! I would physically inspect one before buying and comparing to others if you were thinking of ordering one online! I have since also bought as Ss brewtech secondhand bucket (like new) and it’s better again! Don’t know if my bucket buddy was faulty but wasn’t risking it with another one! They are also very tall as stated and the mangrove Jack is tiny compared! Also stoked as my Brewtech fits in my bar fridge!

Well in the first place they are from Keg Land & as I am in Adelaide there is no way I can inspect one. They are 700mm high compared to an Ambi 30l FV which is just over 500mm. The Coopers is shorter.

I have been dealing with KL a long time as others have & so far all of their products are great quality as well as their price & shipping costs, not to mention their excellent customer service.

We have a Mangroves Jacks distributor close to me & I have seen the smaller SS version of theirs, apart from having no heating function they are way too expensive for just a fermenter, in fact it would be cheaper for me to order from Hop & Grain than the Adelaide dealer.

I am not 100% sure what I will do but I was leaning towards the Bucket Buddy with heating.

It is good to get opinions from other brewers & I was hoping someone on here have used them.

I appreciate your input & I will investigate all of my options before I buy anything.

[Classic Brewing Co]

40 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Well in the first place they are from Keg Land & as I am in Adelaide there is no way I can inspect one. They are 700mm high compared to an Ambi 30l FV which is just over 500mm. The Coopers is shorter.

I have been dealing with KL a long time as others have & so far all of their products are great quality as well as their price & shipping costs, not to mention their excellent customer service.

We have a Mangroves Jacks distributor close to me & I have seen the smaller SS version of theirs, apart from having no heating function they are way too expensive for just a fermenter, in fact it would be cheaper for me to order from Hop & Grain than the Adelaide dealer.

I am not 100% sure what I will do but I was leaning towards the Bucket Buddy with heating.

It is good to get opinions from other brewers & I was hoping someone on here have used them.

I appreciate your input & I will investigate all of my options before I buy anything.

I have come to the conclusion that if I was to purchase this unit it would be best placed on the kitchen bench alongside a power point & wouldn't have to be moved for kegging.

Of course, with an AG brew the only downside is then lifting the cube high enough to transfer the wort from the cube.

There are siphoning options of course but in the event of a k & k brew, most of the ingredients could be mixed at a lower level & then lifted into position on the bench & then topped up & pitched.

So, the jury is still out on this.

[RDT2]

53 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Well in the first place they are from Keg Land & as I am in Adelaide there is no way I can inspect one. They are 700mm high compared to an Ambi 30l FV which is just over 500mm. The Coopers is shorter.

If you look on the keg land website they have dealers you might be able to find one in Adelaide that stocks them and you can have a look that way! 

[Back Brewing]

26 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I have come to the conclusion that if I was to purchase this unit it would be best placed on the kitchen bench alongside a power point & wouldn't have to be moved for kegging.

Of course, with an AG brew the only downside is then lifting the cube high enough to transfer the wort from the cube.

There are siphoning options of course but in the event of a k & k brew, most of the ingredients could be mixed at a lower level & then lifted into position on the bench & then topped up & pitched.

So, the jury is still out on this.

Don't you hate that you get a good idea and then someone says hang on a minute 

[Classic Brewing Co]

17 minutes ago, RDT2 said:

If you look on the keg land website they have dealers you might be able to find one in Adelaide that stocks them and you can have a look that way! 

The only one that exists as far as I know is our good friend @Hoppy81 in Whyalla 350kms away, I am sure even if I offered him a beer, he is not going to bring one down to show me 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

Don't you hate that you get a good idea and then someone says hang on a minute 

Ah well, everyone is entitled to their opinion but either way more planning is involved.

[Back Brewing]

It's all about brainstorming everyone pitches in

I've been sitting here thinking about getting the cube into the fermenter 

[Cheap Charlie]

2 hours ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Sometimes I play guitar next to my fermenters and believe that the yeast makes the airlock bubble in excitement 

Sort of like singing to plants makes them grow better, could be something in that mate!