Brewing New England IPA in a Cheap Fermenter

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Proof that you don't need expensive equipment to make great beer! Great video, Martin! It was awesome watching your engineering mindset at work.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Thanks man!

[@cantthinkofausername8698]

*expensive fermenter

[@GentleGiantFan]

For those with the non spigot fermonsters, you could add a gas/liquid ball lock disconnects and a floating diptube for something similar to the Fermzilla All Rounders.

[@johng4503]

I just did that and it works great!🍻

[@TheBruSho]

A great inexpensive way to brew, I had a similar fermenter for years and made a ton of awesome beers with it, especially if you make a few mods!

[@tman9338]

Any vid or details on your similar fermenter ?? Going to convert some used spiedel fermenters I came across.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Yeah really goes to show you don’t necessarily need the bling.

[@johnmisrahi9922]

I've been brewing since 1998, and while I have upgraded certain things (bottling to kegging, better sanitation etc), I've made literally hundreds of batches fermented in free discarded plastic food safe buckets..admittedly I haven't done any scientific comparisons, but you definitely don't need anything expensive if you don't want it. All I know, is I moved on from glass carboys that were so popular back in the day - after a couple of terrifying accidents

[@daibowen1]

Literally the perfect video for me right now! I want a cheap, small, clear fermenter that will fit in my small fridge (ferm chamber). I was wondering about modding something for better brewing practices too. This video is exactly what I needed!

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Awesome - good luck with your own mods.

[@itznolimitz]

I made several of these with keg gas and liquid bulkhead posts from morebeer and the solid lid, combined with a floating dip tube and they worked pretty well. They can definitely take 5-10psi but I always kept them around 3 or 5 with a spunding valve. My problem with the lids is they crack along the threads very easily. I'd doesn't have anything to do with the pressure, I've had them crack on me before I was using pressure, once that happens you have to make a new lid and move your posts over... I finally broke down and went with an all rounder, I think I found my new favorite fermenter for now..

[@tman9338]

How many batches do u think u were able to get out of your lids before they cracked a???

[@leandromacedo9742]

I loved it. Mainly because we can improve processes without spending too much. Congratulations Martin. Hugs from Brazil.

[@koopaklaw11]

Great tips, I'm going to be attempting Brusho's NEIPA next week and I've got a couple fermonsters. I don't think I'll be able to modify them in time but I'll keep this in mind if anything goes awry.

[@vincelafore4281]

Great idea. So I used it and did something different.i already had all the parts and pieces. I used the T fitting and attached a floating dip tube with a screen on a bucket fermenter. Now I can purge when I dry hop and do a closed transfer. Thanks for the idea. Now I'm off to dry hop my NEIPA. Cheers👍

[@MRW3455]

Great hack with the bottle neck, but could you have just put the bung in underneath so the fat bit was in the vessel which would have avoided it being ejected (in case people don't have a spare lid)?

[@CarlPapa88]

Didn't even think about putting the bung in from the under side of the lid. 😆

[@RecipeswithBen]

I saw the craft beer channel do something similar to this and the only other thing I think that could help was bubble some co2 up the spigot while dry hopping.

[@vincelafore4281]

Floating Dip tube on the top fitting and gas in on the side fitting

[@tomknight2366]

Great bit of DIY on the fermonster! Next up extreme mode: bottle conditioning NEIPA

[@Saccian]

Thanks for showing how you did the mods, I might just do this with mine.

[@tooidiotsbrewingcompany8137]

Awesome Fermonster hack. I do have a couple Fermzillas that I pressure ferment in, but I will have to try this with my Fermonster when I need an additional fermenter.

[@ricoviq1185]

Really cool channel, keep it up, this should be one that takes off. Good editing, good pace, good content. Subbed!

[@fifis101]

Well done! Pretty solid proof you don't need to go stainless. Stick with your less expensive plastic pressure fermenters & you're got all the conveniences without the price tag.

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Put the bong up from the innside. Upside down.

[@riverman8245]

Great video. What a load of fun to have brewing a beer. Can’t wait for the next video. 🍻

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Thank you!

[@wd6358]

Nice hack on that fermenter. You should change the grain bill to get a lighter NEIPA. Flaked Oats and flaked wheat would pair nicely with that 2 row and white wheat malt

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

I like the sound of that.

[@jaskats1]

Safety note - Always fill a fermenting vessel with water before conducting a pressure test. This way the vessel will crack and not explode.

[@seanbutterworth1815]

Put the bung in from the inside of the lid? That taper will never push through the lid hole.

[@RKOmccall]

Careful having the blow-off starsan higher than the fermenter. Any drop in temp before ferment starts will cause a siphon and suck it in.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Good point.

[@jcinsaniac]

I am trying to replicate this carbonation cap modification, but I am having a difficult time getting the cap to seal. Did you have to use anything exotic, Martin? I'm considering getting some 3mm thick, 24mm ID and 34mm OD silicone washers...I'd like this to work, giving me a low pressure gas injection port. Another use would be to attach one of the Kegland OXYBAR tap heads - that would give you gas in, beer pickup and a PRV for a very low price. My mod fits a thermowell, a carb cap and a blowoff line...carb cap is the troublemaker.

[@BrewabitRick]

Result brilliant 👍🍻

[@coryserratore5951]

Not a lot of headspace to work with, but could you use the trick of suspending a sack of hops from the inside of the lid using a pair of food grade magnets (one in the sack, one on the outside of the lid) to avoid O2 exposure? Just pull the exterior magnet at the appropriate time to dry hop.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Yeah I love those magnet tricks.

[@satwatamdas4669]

Martin you are so talented.. I just love love you budddyyy... I think you should have a beer company.. I am so so so much impressed... Just felll in love with your contents... 😍😍😍👍

[@cameronarthurnoble]

I have a NEIPA in my fermonster right now! 🥳🥳🥳

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

CHEERS BRAJ!

[@lukejamieson5138]

Great video - kind of pre-empted some of my questions around an O2 free brewing environment for NEIPAs and such. BUT, can we now definitively answer the question: is it possible to successfully bottle oxygen susceptible beers (without a full CO2 setup)? Keep up the great work!

[@normlang1994]

We had a great time tasting that beer. Do call if you need us again! 🍻😉

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

You can absolutely count on that! Thank you both!

[@shanebeasley8191]

could u have just pushed the bung in from the bottom of the lid?

[@christopherskilton5232]

Goes to prove you don’t need pricey equipment to make good beer but a small mortgage in Hops 😂….Good work as always 👍

[@sterlingb7075]

I live in Raleigh. Is there a way to try your beer? I see it on untappd. Thanks! Really enjoying your videos

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Yes maybe so! Send me a message (email in description)

[@markfolkes5110]

I think this is a good idea. I cant fit an off the shelf presurised fermentor in my undercounter fridge so I think this could be a good hack for me. Anyone else done a similar thing?

[@DimpieDeBruyn]

Next test ... replace tap with another disconnect (add CO² during fermentation and use as transfer post after fermentation) ... add blow-tie top disconnect - ferment under pressure of say ±7PSi?? ... Could this not work? ... Is adding pressure from the bottom even a thing? 😏

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Hmm I wonder.

[@pctansill]

Great video! How would you scale it for 5 gallons and any water corrections (I use distilled)

[@sambloke1327]

The colour change from before and after adding those hops does look to me like it got oxidised, would be interesting to see you trying it again after a week or two. Do you have the same beer but fully closed fermented?

[@EricVandenAkker]

I think that's more the yeast settling out

[@sambloke1327]

@@EricVandenAkker could well be, but it looks dark for a NEIPA to me.

[@breadbaconcheese]

why not invert the bung

[@tman9338]

Fantastic. I just came across some used spiedel fermenters and wanted to do the same thing. Where did get your gaskets to seal fitting?? Your max pressure?

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

I picked those up at my local homebrew store (Atlantic Brew Supply). I only tested at a few psi.

[@tman9338]

@@TheHomebrewChallenge Great. Gonna test @ 10psi with water outdoors. Thinking heat and weight is good gauge before trying beer.

[@Furyofwaaagh]

We actually have safety sun-glasses (light reactive lenses), not as cool as yours but we try

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

Haha that’s much cooler!

[@neileyre6019]

British ingenuity..love it. Maybe you grew up watching Blue Peter, eh? I’m just getting into brewing not at the whole grain stage yet but loving this vid mate! Keep it up. I just subscribed👍🏻🤓

[@millpigco]

How long did you wait to do your tasting? I used to be able to bottle NEIPAS and wouldn't see or taste the oxidation for about 20-25 days. A true test would be waiting 30-45 days and see how it pours/tastes then.

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

About 4 weeks.

[@SandstormCloudwave]

It didn't really prevent krausen eh

[@pctansill]

Bought all the stuff but having problems getting the carbonation cap to seal to the plastic bottle (added o-ring). Any tips and what kind of bottle did you use?

[@pctansill]

Strike the second question

[@jamesturek665]

Funny , that’s my fermenter!

[@hejdingamleraev]

Personally I'd pay up for a stainless steel fermenter if I wanted to ferment under pressure, instead of building a plastic beer bomb 😅

[@smntsn]

This plastic fermenter is 5 dollars in my country :) YES IT IS REAL :)) Also thanks for this great video. I also switched to SS fermenters but plastic is not bad at all (before tenth fermentation and if cleaning is well made). Also PLEASE make a video about Voss Kveik. I tried it and loved it for first use but later it is not a really clean as everyone says. Maybe a hype?

[@TheHomebrewChallenge]

“Brewed in a $5 fermenter” would be a much better video title!

[@JackBWakeham]

Looks more West Coast than East Coast , or it got oxidized.

[@M.J.C.W.]

why not just invert the bung

[@sheppodiddly]

To me homebrewing is all about doing things frugally and not spending the earth, hacks like this and using your brain rather than chucking money at stuff is the way to go, food grade magnet dry hopping (HB4L) would of made this even better. Great video 👍

[@dvitsupakorn]

Is it supposes to be that dark color with this particular grain bill?

[@bartdegroof4783]

Im wondering too

[@shaneh5316]

Hello

[@JohnDoe-es5xh]

Useless video. King keg can't or will not deliver their products till now to Europe. Actually we are looking for other PET vessel manufacturers, which are more durable for common preasures. Pakistan may be an option, hence they are recycling PET bottles en masse and they are cheap.