Upgraded my beer fermenter...

[MaryB]

Tired of dealing with plastic buckets that scratch easily and are hard to clean. This is the first of 2 stainless 14 gallon fermenters I am adding to the brew setup.. Spike CF10 Conical with a cooling and heating setup.

[rancher1913]

going pro huh

[gbrown]

Wow! You're serious about this, aren't you? I used old 5 gallon water bottles. I'm in awe.

[MaryB]

No glass for me, to many horror stories of broken fermenters and massive stitches. Plus it is even heavier than the current 5 gallon buckets I use that destroy my spine.

Major advantage of these are small heaters on the sides and a cooling coil that goes in the center so no need of a controlled temp fridge. And I can ferment each conical at different temps making it easier to do a lager and an ale at the same time. And cleaning is 10 times easier than plastic that scratches if you look at it wrong. And scratches can harbor beer spoiling bacteria.

[MaryB]

going pro huh

Thought about it LOL but my back says no to 16 hour days to startup a micro brewery...

[jonp]

Sweet. Did you get them used off probrewer or microbreweryequipment?

I'm setting here enjoying a Founders Centennial IPA after planting the garden (peas, broccholi, lettuce, potatoes, beets, turnip) thinking to myself that I've brewed better and for less

[jonp]

Wow! You're serious about this, aren't you? I used old 5 gallon water bottles. I'm in awe.

I'm still using buckets

[tinhorn97062]

Sweet. Did you get them used off probrewer or microbreweryequipment?

I'm setting here enjoying a Founders Centennial IPA after planting the garden (peas, broccholi, lettuce, potatoes, beets, turnip) thinking to myself that I've brewed better and for less

I have those same thoughts a lot. I absolutely hate buying a 6 pack for $14 and sit there thinking that my own blend is better and a a fraction of the price.

[tinhorn97062]

I love buckets- easy to clean, easy to move, cheap.

[pjames32]

Very nice Mary! I'm still using buckets, but use them 3-4 times then replace them. I just don't drink enough beer anymore to justify more than 5 gallon batches. Stainless is a dream to clean.

[Chainsaw.]

Wow! Nice step uo in equipment. I still use 5gallon buckets as primarys and glass carboys as secondarys.

[MaryB]

Sweet. Did you get them used off probrewer or microbreweryequipment?

I'm setting here enjoying a Founders Centennial IPA after planting the garden (peas, broccholi, lettuce, potatoes, beets, turnip) thinking to myself that I've brewed better and for less

Brand new Spike Brewing CF10... not cheap... but if it saves me labor well worth it.

[MaryB]

Wow! Nice step uo in equipment. I still use 5gallon buckets as primarys and glass carboys as secondarys.

That is the advantage of a conical, no secondary. I can dump the yeast at 10 days and then let it secondary without needing to move it and expose it to more oxygen. And it will be halfway carbonated already when I transfer to a keg. Pressure brewing at 15PSI so it speeds things up too!

[Chainsaw.]

Oh wow! I had no idea they would do that. Lots of good benefits.

Man I need to make up a batch!

[MaryB]

I am using buckets to brew wed.. still waiting for pumps, fittings, some parts I need... going to convert from gravity fed to a horizontal setup so I am not lifting 3 gallons of water to 6' in the air to fill the HLT...

Brew rig I am using...

[bikerbeans]

I prefer to cheat when i brew. I gave up all grain years ago, decided a commercial malt house could do a better job than i can. Stricly martial mash brewing for me. I also use single step fermentation with a 7 day cold crash before force pressure kegging. I find the three most important steps in good beer are,

Sanitation
Best liquid yeast you can find
Exact temperature control at all stages of the process, wort to drinking.

I would like to have a commercial system but would be hard to justify when Uncle Sam limits me and my wife to 200 gallons per year. Enjoy your new system and i am sure your back will be much happier.

BB

[MaryB]

Well I have 2 family members who come brew on it for their 200 gallon limit, and 3 friends do a batch here and there so it gets a lot of use.

All grain is more flexible to me for controlling the final flavor. And mashing in is easy... heat mash water to 162, add crushed barley, stir well, cover and wait an hour... a LOT cheaper too plus the spent mash goes to a friend for her chickens and horses(as a treat only) or I compost it for my garden...

[Lance Boyle]

You know I can see where you say that is a lot of money and it is but there are a lot of buts.


I am looking at my retirement in a few years so I get not spending money like crazy but that set up I think is not priced too badly. It’s about the price of what I have spent on a nice rifle (I realize rifles now cost more).

It should last a loooong time.


It simplifies a task you do now.


You get deep enjoyment from the hobby aspect without the body pain.



I say you did a smart thing. I don’t drink much anymore but the process interests me.

[mzlldr]

Hey MaryB, are you married ? If not , would you like to be ? Any woman who takes brewing as seriously as you do , deserves to have me as a partner ! Unfortunately , brewing outfits like yours are only seen in microbreweries out here in Australia , and are not commercially available to the general public at affordable prices . I am very envious of the results that you obtain , the range of flavours and tastes must be very gratifying . I had a friend who lived down the road from me who brewed beer from extremely primitive equipment and the results were mouthwatering , so much so that I drank commercial ( read "chemical" ) beers with reluctance . All the very best to you , MaryB
Mzlldr .

[Ozark mike]

Never made beer but my dad made cement mixers of white lightning in his time using pressure cookers