Fermentation vessels

[SlickMick]

About the only reasonably priced vessels over on this side of the Pacific are the carbouys used for home brewing beer.

Has anyone experienced using them in mead making? I am interested especially in the possibility of odours or taints in flavour coming from them that may be detrimental to good mead making

[c10250]

In my opinion, if you're not going to use a stainless-steel fermenter, then a glass carboy is the way to go.

[Ben Brewcat]

Carboys are pretty much the standard for any home fermentation. Definitely stick with glass if you can; it doesn't hold odors, is harder to scratch, cleans well, is impermeable to oxygen, and is easily sanitized. Cons are they're fragile (especially when full), difficult to get mashed fruit in and out of, and can be subject to cracking from thermal shock if you pour boiling must/wort/water/whatever into them. So don't do that .

[nursebee]

Glass is all I use

[SlickMick]

Sounds as though glass it is.

I have found a place where I can get a 23 litre glass carbouy. Pricey but probably worth it.

[Camp9]

Sounds as though glass it is.

I have found a place where I can get a 23 litre glass carbouy. Pricey but probably worth it.

Glass is great for mead, and there is a plastic carboy avilable here that I've used and made good mead with. This isn't the water carboys you'll buy with water in stores. It's made from a different formulation of plastic. Its light and won't break, not sure how long with will last and hold up compared to the glass, but so far it been ok.

Camp

[joe_s]

All I use is glass. Some 5 gallons and a 6 and a Half gal

[BWrangler]

Hi Guys,

I like the "Better Bottle". It's a 6 gallon plastic bottle designed especially for brewing. Resembles the water carboy bottles. But it's made out of a different plastic that's harder and less permeable to air and odors/flavors. I haven't detected any residuals from brewing in them.

Much lighter and safer than glass.

Regards
BWrangler

[SlickMick]

This is all very interesting. I can see that I'll have to do some more research over here to see what else I can get hold of.

[TodesSchatten]

I've been making beer and mead on and off for 18 years I have always used plastic bucket fermenters they are less expensive, lighter and easier to clean the carboys the only thing better IMHO is SS conical fermenter but the expense has put me off

[Noelle]

I use a plastic bucket style for the primary fermentation. It has a lid with a hole dead center for catching all that lovely gas. I use a hose into a bottle of water in the beginning instead of a little air lock. This type of fermenter is great for adding fruit and taking it back out. When all the messy stuff is done - then I use a nice glass carboy. Nice and clean. Heavy as all heck but still the best for the job.

happy brewing!