WHICH HOMEBREW FERMENTER SHOULD I BUY?

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

PRO VS HOMEBREWING kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJ3YlHaoq7Kkd68

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

1:17 What not to buy 3:17 My favorites 4:07 How to make fermentor for $7 8:16 Anvil Bucket Review 9:00 Pros and Cons of Conical Stainless Steel

[@wonyankeesays5661]

WORK ON THE FLOOR,,HAVE BREW EQUIPMENTMENT ON FLOOR,,,DO U EAT OF OFF FLOOR,,,ILL USE GLASS TILL THE LAST BATCH

[@markanibas8805]

Question for you. Live you videos btw. If you were to choose between the grainfather or the anvil 10.5 what one would you pick

[@kraftdinner5302]

Just a tip if one can't lay hands on a step bit: if you run the spade bit in reverse and use minimum pressure, it doesn't shred. It's more like etching your way through the material. I usually finish up with a bit of fine sandpaper and a razor blade held flat to the lid to cut through the "lip" that often occurs. I find a 1 1/8" spade does pretty well for #6.5 bungs.

[@xavisimon3095]

I am glad that someone with much more experience has come to the same conclusion. My instincts told me to start creating my own containers, but I was afraid of contamination from the spigot during the 2 weeks of fermentation if there was any small leak. On the other hand as a newbie you always want to see what is happening inside the fermenter at the beginning, I think nobody escapes having at least a small glass fermenter to start with.

[@Mozenator]

The amount of condensed information and life experience in this video astounded me. Love the fire-hose style

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Thx for taking the time time watch this A.M!

[@1tmagda]

AWSOME insight!! I used to make liquor, and everyone that supposedly knew something about it, told me something different, and made it complicated, but when I started to learn on my own, I found that it isn't complicated at all. They used fancy equipment, pressure and temperature gages everywhere, technical speak that only seasoned brewers used in order to make themselves finally feel smarter than everyone else. Thanks for being regular you for regular me!!!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Cheers Ted!

[@blindguy63]

Being a blind home distiller myself; I use and absolutely love, my fast ferment 7.9 gallon plastic conical fermenter. I turned the whole bottom end into a combination of stainless steel along with a half pint glass mason jar to replace the collection ball set up. The deal with being blind is; I don’t have to judge the height of an auto siphon in order to rack to pull off from the yeast. I just close the valve and drop the collection jar and dump The dropped out yeast, then go through my two step clearing process and drop the collection jar for the last time. I then put the hose attachment on and load the boiler and it’s off to the races. This set up works exceptionally well if you happen to be blind. A great video man!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Duly noted cheers brotha!

[@qh4007]

How do you see or hear the reply?? Confused always. Blind brewing not many have the skills kudo. electric or FIRE?

[@blindguy63]

Q H my iPhone is set in what’s known as VoiceOver mode. This makes the phone audible and you navigate by using different finger gestures. It works well. I also have a lot of audible devices; scales for weighing grains, a wireless temperature probe system that is in my still column, I also have an Audible temperature control unit, PID. Plus I also have an audible alcohol parrot; to check the proof while running. I absolutely love the hobby and I’ve made many different types of find alcohol spirits. Happy distilling! I almost forgot this; I also have a tilt smart hydrometer that runs through an app on my phone, that I use in the fast ferment to check gravity and temperature while fermenting. Also; my stainless steel 8 gallon boiler sits on a 1800 W hot plate, plus I have a 2000 W in tank electric heating element. The heating element is run through the PID. When I get close to run temperature; I turn off the hot plate and run on the in tank element and PID alone.

[@davidrogers6262]

Hey Mike, I didn't know you were interested in home brewing also. I've watched you with George and HATS OFF TO YOU BROTHER! I use plastic big mouth bubblers and just rack off easily with eyesight. No issues. I even have a depth charge hop spider to dry hop as well. Only spent $35 for each 6 1/2 gallon bubbler and you can get it with a spigot with it. $40 for the spider that I use periodically for infusions also in the fermenter. Check out Northern Brewer! Cheers Mike! Plastic Rules!🤟

[@rayfox212]

Happy distilling

[@Zachary-Daiquiri]

im gonna be fermenting 1 gallon test batches in glass, but thanks to your sage advice and expert comedic delivery Ill be paying home depot a visit on any batch bigger than that

[@jeffrhone4200]

I've used plastic, glass and even in the 90s grunge era stainless steel milk containers. Worked on a dairy farm. All worked great with the right tools. Never dropped a glass carboy but that would be the end of glass for me. That's alcohol abuse right there. Channel is amazing. Thanks

[@coppert4nk]

Im so thankful to finally find someone that dreads carboys as much as I do. Switched to buckets with spigots and I'm never looking back.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Smart man! Trial and error amigo!

[@dhagey90]

So glad I watched this. Was going to buy a speidel but didn’t realize you could get those food grade buckets at Home Depot.

[@alexcarter8807]

I'm juuuuuust getting interested in this stuff, and my first batch is going to be fruit juice from Wally World and some leftover brown sugar that's been sitting around my shop for years, and amazingly I have a brewing supply only about a mile away so I'll get some yeast from there. Yep, ferment it right in the bottle it comes in.

[@sniperdgs]

ive been brewing for a few years. i know winco has 5 gal. didnt know the home stores had food grade through...

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

@@sniperdgs solid feedback braj!

[@cameronharris8848]

Plan on doing the same for small cider batches. Probably make some 5 gallon ones for beer too. I have glass carboys but I'll save those for long term storage or sours. Cheers!

[@imacracker515]

Love the frugalness nature of this video. That's what Im all about. And OMG, you are so correct about glass. My first homebrew was using a bunch of stuff I got for free. Which included a 6.5 gallon glass carboy. Never again. After that batch I went out and got a plastic bucket and was no longer scared of severing tendons from a broken carboy. Fuck glass.

[@ralphbarker3662]

Gotta say i love your channel and subscribed. I have been brewing for 20 yrs and love your content. I tell people all the time you don't need that fancy BS. I do use conical fermenters but I am a cheap bastard and harvest liquid yeast to reuse. I see guys with fancy automated mid 4 figure "home brewing" systems and think "dude wish I had that much money to blow". Keep it up Amigo you are rocking it.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Sounds like we are on the same page, cheers RB!

[@johnyboy19685]

Very informative I’m always surprised at just how much money some home brewers will spend on needless and not necessarily better equipment. Good advice from someone who has the experience.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Plastic bucket $5... Spigot $3... Short Circuited Brewers shirt on while filming... PRICELESS! I do not own a glass fermenter any longer either!! PET (fermzilla) have been good to me as well. Plastic fermenter.. This is the way baby yoda!! Cheers Braj! 👍🍻

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Cheers brian

[@MetalHeadSolid]

First thing I thought was, “hey I watched him when I set up my electric set up” then it was “wait he has shirts... I want one”

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@MetalHeadSolid haha! Nice!

[@RG-yz8ov]

Luv my fermzilla all rounder! It's sick as f@*k. Pressure fermenting is to brewers what coke is to Charlie sheen

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@RG-yz8ov lol never heard that analogy.. but it's a good one!! 👍🍻

[@Frozenwinter84]

I bought a Spike 5 gallon conical used and I absolutely love the thing. I brew a lot of lagers so the tc coil and heating pad make temp control much easier than my old method of sticking a bucket in a modified chest freezer.

[@dianag8069]

I just upgraded from a plastic bucket to a Spike Flex and I absolutely love it. Its so sexy and way easier to clean than plastic. Totally worth it.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback thx Diana 🍻 ❤️

[@jeremyallen3614]

I use a 9.25 gallon stainless steel bucket fermenter from More Beer and I LOVE it! I also use the 30 L speidel fermenters and they're cool as well

[@mhausenfluck]

I bought a Blichman Fermenator conical stainless steel fermenter back in 2004. It was an awesome purchase. It makes it super easy to reuse yeast and is easy to clean. It wasn't cheap, but it has more than paid for itself over the years.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Awesome feedback thanks Mike!

[@cameronbarenbrugge649]

I have that same Anvil SS. Definitely a great purchase. 6.5 Gallon buckets with spigots are also only like 12 bucks at my local brew shop, so i have several of those too.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Thats a really good price! No tools required

[@GrzegorzDurda]

I have glass fermenters with full size lids and Stainless steel spigots. Glass is the most non reactive and non porous next to Stainless, which can still harbor bacteria in the brushed metal finish so it required extra care in cleaning unless it's polished. Stainless also requires a bit of seasoning meaning that it brews tastier and better after some batches. Glass is always consistent. Glass requires handling care but aside from the handling procedure it's the best medium in existence for brewing and can last a several lifetimes. Just get ones with Spigots and you're set.

[@connorrivers798]

Was given a free spike conical which I use at a local pro brewery. 100% best way to go. Still use plastic buckets when the conical is in use! Glass should only be used if aging otherwise it's a miserable headache. Cheers!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

I have a spike conical coming our way this week. Can't wait!

[@connorrivers798]

@@HOMEBREW4LIFE If you can use yours as a unitank, get yourself a bitchman spunder and your gold.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

@@connorrivers798 right on CR, thank you!

[@GarySylvester]

Hey! Excellent video...I was NOT expecting you to go the cheap route! I was anticipating total endorsement of robocop stuff I can't afford/justify. Cheers!

[@beermaker1100]

Anvil brew bucket, I have 2, one of if not the best purchase I have ever made for brewing. Probably 20 batches on each one. Fantastic! Easy choice

[@beerreview5488]

I've used plastic buckets for 20 years, no complaints.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

my man

[@magiofthoth]

Your 10 dollar bucket is the best thing I've seen, thank you for saving me a shit ton on shipping and buying big glass ones

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Much appreciatied thx for watching magi!

[@johnfraney3893]

I have two conicals: fermentasaurus and catalyst. Disadvantages: fermentasaurus is harder to clean; they both let in light so their environment must be dark. The fermentasaurus can support pressure transfer to reduce oxidation, but the pressure kit is not available on my model any more, and I drink the beer fast enough to stay ahead of off flavor. With the removable bottom, I can rack the brewing beer of the trub and spent yeast easily. I don't save yeast. But some fermentation adds sink to bottom and are easily removed too. The fermenters are light, and I can read the wort level from the outside.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Excellent feedback John! Much appreciated, cheers!

[@patrickharrington9772]

I have a new Spike brewing Flex fermenter. It has the ability to add many accessories. As you can afford them. The Wort Chiller, water pump and thermometer make cooling your wort really slick, quick and easy.

[@diegocarrillo1298]

I ferment in a Grainfather. Love it. #1 easy to clean. #2 no risk of glycol leaking into beer #3 easy to monitor temps. I used to ferment in kegs, hated racking beer, transferring to serving keg, never got accurate temps without thermo wells and cleaning kegs more often than I needed sucked. Great video as always!! Stay safe out there.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Thanks for the feedback! Cheers Diego

[@trentfelzien6929]

The best fermenting bucket is at Academy Sports - 6 Gallon HDPE with a lid is $13. Add a cheap spigot, airlock, and wala!

[@mayhem5851]

I'm about 9 months late on commenting here. Learned a lot from you. I enjoy listening to how you do it. When using a spade bit on anything plastic that I've done, I run the drill in reverse. I think the points on the side of the bit are melting and smoothing out the plastic more than ripping it the other way. Takes a bit longer, but you can get it done.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback! Thx sludge

[@erichoward5190]

@@HOMEBREW4LIFE hate to bother but I’m a newb but have been a huge fan of IPAs can you link me a how to get started what I need to brew yummy beer. Loved your video but had watched another video and the guy had a wall of hood and spices and I thought is it super complicated to brew my own Tia 12:19

[@billhautz5861]

First fermentation in my new Anvil SS conical completed yesterday, can’t wait to use the rotating arm. So jazzed to not have to use a racking cane. Won’t be using the glass carboys anymore. I do like my Big Mouth Bubbler with spigot though but plastic buckets would still be cheaper. As far as I’m concerned the only reason to have a clear fermenter is to watch the little yeasties partying and after you’ve seen that a couple of times the only reason is to show non brewers the magic. I’m good with watching the air lock now!

[@Gjeffyg]

I bought a 10 gallon spike unitank and i liked it so much i bought a second one. The stainless conicals make the fermentation, kegging and cleaning so much better in my opinion.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Top of the line! thanks for the input

[@brodarte]

I have the FastFerment plastic conical fermenter and really love it. Easy to use, easy to clean.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback cheers!

[@10wyliesoccer]

I have 3 spike half bbl fermenters with all the fixings and I do not regret my purchase at all. Yes it was almost 4 grand in total but I bought them over time and used the klarna 12 month 0 percent financing which helped. They are beasts and are so easy to clean. Fermenting and spunding under pressure will do things for your beers you could never dream of doing in plastic especially IPAs. My only issues is the prvs release at around 13psi and the jackets and cooling could they sell you cannot get down to 34 to use them as proper brites without some extra modifications. That said I've got them dialed in and am totally in love. The many gold medals in homebrew and professional arenas show it.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Jacob Wylie phenomenally feedback jacob. Thx braj? 🍻 ❤️

[@Vykk_Draygo]

Glass carboys are great for bulk aging, don't want to use plastic for that. But I agree, cheap plastic buckets work fine for fermenting.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Exactly vykk draygo

[@Winteryears]

I've used both glass and plastic, the same vessels, for decades. The plastic is stained and probably scarred with billions of micro scars. Both still preform their function well enough, no major infections attributable to either. I've broken one glass carbouy in my life, due to heat shock due to my own carelessness. I use the plastic for initial brewing of grains, and as a sparger, glass for finishing. A note: I mostly distill my wash now. The hops I grow are mostly a perennial decoration.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback Brian!

[@terryprice731]

I recently purchased a 7.5 gal. Anvil fermenter with heating element for $168, and I'm amazed at the workmanship and accessories for the price. I love it. And BTW, I started about a year ago with Plastic buckets, but struggled to maintain optimal heat for fermenting in the winter.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

right on Cheers Terry!

[@paulfennell01]

Got a Chapman ss fermenter, does the job, comes with a 3 piece ball valve, easy to disassemble and fully clean/boil..

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Hell yeah paul thx for the feedback!

[@bababendot]

Great Video! I have all types of fermenters now, from better bottle to brewbucket, to chronica BMEl to spike unitanks and ss unitanks, I would not go for the conicals but i would go for Unitanks. If you go stainless go big. Huge advantage of unitanks is pressure fermentation, sounding for NEIPAS, TC fittings for 0 oxygen dry hopping and transfer and the best part is the cleaning, can take boiling PBW, saves water, saves cleaning chemical, saves time.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

sounds like you make a lot more money than me lol!

[@bababendot]

@@HOMEBREW4LIFE My bad, didnt mean to sound braggadocious. was just saying unpressurizable conical as an upgrade from brewbucket is not worth it. Better off getting a unitank.

[@MikeP350]

There are several pros to glass carboys to be fair. They are not oxygen permeable, they hold a much tighter seal than any bucket style fermenter. More moving parts = more room for failures or leaks. They do not scratch easily, nor harbor any bacteria or odor. Glass is an easily sanitizeable surface, and they can last for decades if taken care of. Yes they are heavier, and take 5 extra minutes to clean. They are actually much easier to clean in comparison to something like a stainless conical with 10 different ports and fittings. Ive used the same glass carboys for 10 years without dangerous incidents either. I still enjoy my PET big mouth bubblers as well though. Plastic isnt a bad choice, easily replaceable and cheap...Cheers 🍻

[@Beesa10]

I like the idea of glass fermenters but for practicality, safety and cost I always arrive back at the plastic options. I don't like the thought of trace chemicals leaching from the plastic into my brew or tiny scratches in the plastic harbouring bacteria but I've used my coopers plastic fermenter many times with no problems.

[@MikeP350]

@@Beesa10 I haven't had any problems with any plastic fermenters I have had. I love to be able to see the fermentation activity as well. That's why I am partial to glass or transparent plastic really. Want to upgrade to stainless bucket-style fermenters, but not being able to see the beer is a bummer to me

[@SCROWMD]

Yes. Yes.Yes. I have a basement full of plastic "carboy" fermenters and hated cleaning them. I bought the 7.5 gallon ANVIL SS conicals (2) about 3 years ago ,sooooo worth it. Great product, great price, super easy to clean. No issues at all. They are my " go to " fermenters. I also have 2 "Fast ferment" plastic conical fermenters. They are a good product, a bit hard to clean though . I have to use silicone tape to dope the threads ,otherwise prepare for a leak. I use these when I wish to reharvest the yeast. Oooh, I forgot the plastic buckets. yes , have a few of them also. Don't really use anymore.Great for holding all the wands,hoses,air locks though Cheers !

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

solid feedback, cheers Sean!

[@joshbarr6390]

Live and you learn. I bought a glass carboy because I was worried about using plastic. The obstacles didn't bother me too much, but I see the consensus about food grade buckets being generally preferred. I could have multiple batches fermenting for much less 💰. Mainly, I hope I can make drinkable beer while I slowly piece together more/better equipment for future brews.

[@OrKkTeKk]

Hot tip from someone who's worked in a lot of kitchens. The pads of your fingers and some good soap are the only cleaning tools you need. No scratching and a perfect clean. Favorite band, flogging molly

[@AndJusTIceForRob]

Just stumbled on this video in August 2020 having never run across your channel before. I love your video and info delivery style. Keep it up! I hope to see more stuff by you!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Cheers robert!

[@rodandanner2132]

I've used plastic for almost 6 years. Now I've moved up to a electric mash and boil unit by Brewers Edge. I can ferment in it as well. I'm making a ginger saison today, and will be using my new electric equipment.

[@justinshively6360]

@Rodan Danner Did you modify your M&B lid? I have a M&B and I can't see how I would make fermenting in it work. Thanks!

[@ChristopherViola]

@@justinshively6360 a little late for a reply, I know, but the Brewer's Edge Mash and Boil Series 1 has an optional distillation and fermentation lid on Amazon, Williams Brewing, etc. The newer one has a lid that I guess can be converted.

[@mitchellcox1912]

On the gaskets. I use Vaseline thin coat will do. This causes the rubber to expand and give you a good seal. Ive had the same lid gaskets for 12 years.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback Mitchell cox!

[@mitchellcox1912]

@@HOMEBREW4LIFE Thanks for making homebrew on KZbin fun again. Most of the brewers at the start of KZbin are gone.

[@jonnyrmoore]

Team plastic 4 life. I had some money to spend on upgrading my kit recently and went for my first fermentation fridge and keg set-up. Temp control and reducing oxygen is way more important than what you ferment in. Stainless looks nice, but also takes up space, that you might not have if you live in a city or whatever. Plastic FV in a fridge, controlled by an Inkbird, and you're golden 🍻

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

I completely agree. I think the biggest part of homebrewing is temp control by far. We arent really worried about pressure transferring since we drink 5 gallons within a week, but id be more weary about it if the beer sat for weeks and months

[@StagArmslower]

After 10 years of brewing I got Klarstein Maischfest 30-Liter capacity fermenter. It's the cheapest you can get but I was sick of plastic bucket and I had tendencies to over fill them. SS fermenter can be cooled faster before pitching yeasts, this one has flat bottom and didn't have the dip tube but that's easy fix. I gonna like it

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Epic feedback thanks stag!

[@mtdewcowboy1]

I use the Demon plastic conical fermenter. Paid $40 for them and they have lasted for over 2 years without issues, still using them

[@chozomonkey]

Solid vid. I have a plastic conical. It's nice, but I don't think the conical is necessary. I use a plastic bucket most of the time and save the conical for when I'm doing secondary that I expect lots of sediment or trub in.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Same! Cheers john!

[@robross6462]

Braj! Great video and appreciate the Megaman theme! Been homebrewjng for many years. Started on plastic buckets then moved to glass, then moved back to plastic when I dropped 5 gallons in the kitchen 🤦🏻‍♂️. A bucket fits in a small cheap fridge for inexpensive temp control. Winning! Also make a lot of wine so I repurposed the glass carboys for this. Wish I could switch to stainless here, but need like 40 gallons so it’s just not cost effective.

[@liammalarky3483]

I do my 1st (with cheesecloth) and 2nd (decanted) fermentation in plastic bins, always have. I keep an eye on (age) my wine in carboys (demijohns) simply because I've had them since 1983. Then I bottle them.

[@1nv1c7u5m4n30]

If it is that hot in the back of your residence you may have excess HVAC line under your house. Allot of new construction will do this wherein they are paid by the foot of HVAC they install, some states have cracked down on this, however to vastly improve your air flow you can shorten your HVAC lines so you have good pressure through the line. Just by doing this you can GREATLY lower your electric bill and increase the comfort in your house by quite a bit. Thanks for the great video. I also went down the glass carboy rabbit hole but I was given my fermenters by friends who were moving back east and didn't want to haul them. Really appreciate your thoughts on this subject. Next brew is going Home Depot route because why not. You've gained a subscriber.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Cheers my dude!

[@LakeHighiii]

So....I like the video and think that most of it is good advice. I still use glass carboys, among other things, including my stainless Blichman 25 gallon Conical fermenter, 5 gal. oak barrels and buckets. Here is why I still use 5 gal. and 8 gal. glass carboys a lot. They are 100% sanitizable and practically scratch proof and could last 100 years if cared for properly. I only use heat treated Italian glass (not Mexican, not Chinese), so they are almost impervious to breaking. And, yes, you can still hit them with a base ball bat or shoot them with a sling shot and break them. You can see the krausen, color and progress of the brew. I don't have a bad back yet and can still lift them safely with dry hands. I do use plastic fermenters too, and like them. They have a life span. They can get scratched. That scratch can harbor hard to clean microbes and can contaminate your brew if you are unlucky. One disadvantage of plastic over glass, for me, is that I also sometimes make wine and mead which can sit in secondary for 6 months to a year. Plastic is too prone to micro osmotic oxidation over time and a slightly bad seal which might only affect a beer ever so slightly over two weeks, especially while pushing out CO2, can ruin a year long project on a Pino Noir or Cabernet.

[@serafinjustin]

I recently purchased a the Northern Brewer SS fermenter. I returned it. For the price it felt cheap in comparison to my SS Brewtech fermenter at a similar price point. But, I’m using buckets these days.

[@Rally825]

Dude! First of all, thanks for the info. I’ve been making mead and other wines for about a year now and am just getting started brewing. My meads all ferment in plastic (or repurposed 4 L wine jugs) and I was wondering if I needed something special for beer. You just got another subscriber, not just because of the good info, but the fact that your banter is hilarious, and I was thinking the whole time “This is a guy that would be fun to have over to a barbecue and have a few beers with!” Now I’m headed to your channel to check out other videos.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

much love braj, cheers!

[@DavidChouiniere]

I have the Anvil, plastic and glass carboy. My favorite is the Anvil! I use the glass for cider and plastic in a pinch. Thanks for the great plastic DIY tips!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

ha, sounds like we were separated at birth lol

[@deanrising6577]

Just found your channel and absolutely love your style man. I was drawn in by the photo of the fermenters and thout I saw the Anvil. I was excited to see you reviewed it. I had just bought one and haven't used it yet. Oatmeal Stout is ready to brew any day now. I have used buckets and glass. lucky I never broke it but for sure hated them. I wanted to grow up and have a man's fermentation vessel so I got that sexy beast (Anvil) because the price was right and i wanted it more than I feared my wife's disappointment. Anyway, thanks for the fun video. I'm off to see more of your stuff.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Welcome aboard Dean! Enjoy that Anvil (and Stout!)

[@arnienz1962]

Good content.. i still use my Coopers 23L plastic fermentor that came with my 'start homebrewing' kit like7 years years ago. Works a treat.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

good man sean

[@muskokawildmangravelcyclis4867]

I hope I'm not too the party and I also hope that I'm not repeating a comment. I mostly use clear food grade plastic bags as a liner in a 6 gallon bucket. The bags are about $1. You put a zip tie around the top (Similar to closing a loaf of bread) and the CO2 escapes. If it is a beer that is dry hopped you just cut the tie, add the hops then use a fresh zip tie. At the end you rack into your keg and throw the bag away.

[@nickolascalhoun6504]

I bought a spike flex and absolutely love it! Everything works fantastic out of the box and it has the ability to upgrade parts and add glycol if you want to invest more later on.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Awesome feedback Nickolas! Have a braj weekend 🍻 ❤️

[@sardogskipper]

Gasket material you can buy bulk from grainger or mcmaster/Carr. Cut to fit. Super glue ends..

[@christophermorrisiscool]

thanks *for the info, i have a lot to consider.. i have 2 carboys but was looking top upgrade my fermentation game!

[@davidbohrer5052]

Im getting back into brewing and was about to buy glass, thanks for helping out.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Much love David!

[@connorwolfe150]

We have recently started fermenting into corny kegs. blow off tube to the gas post or a sounding valve if you want to pressure ferment. Cut an inch or 2 off of your pickup tube and reinvest that fermenter money into a keg washer. Hell could even have a dedicated fermenting keg and perform a closed transfer to a serving keg.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

solid feedback, thx Connor!

[@Mark-yx5ul]

I was very lucky and won a raffle for an SS brewtech conical. I like using it but I must say I would not buy one at its price point. 1) It has the bottom port that usually gets clogged and I can't drop my yeast and trub out of it. 2) I can't apply CO2 pressure to the top to force the trub out because even though the lid provides a good seal you can't apply more than 1 PSI before the gas pisses out the top. 3) It is too tall to just toss in my Keezer to cold crash and you pretty much need buy a product specific solution for temp control (although I'm currently working on a work around with a new ANVIL product). 4) Mine is first gen and has handles, but they are metal wire with no padding so it hurts to lift while filled. 5) If I plan to buy another stainless fermentor I would almost certainly go with ANVIL!! I have several other products of theirs and they are all no bullshit top quality at a realistic price.

[@williambellavance8784]

Love my anvil buckets. The cooling coil kit with an ice bath in cooler work awesome too for lagers. They work great, cheap, and I 2psi no o2 transfer all the time.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

I agree, solid feedback William!

[@dwinsemius]

Right arm. Got glass one from the local homebrew store. Picked it up from the basement after one fermentation and the entire bottom fell off in one piece. Went back to the store and they implied it was my fault and wouldn't stand by it. So I bought another one and one of the sides fell out with 5 gal wort in it. Basement covered in sticky malt. Store still would not stand by it. I know for a fact that I had not dropped it at any point. Only plastic from here on out. Still holding resentment about my homebrew store failing to support their product.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Those are some pretty bad stories Dave. I wouldnt go back there, and i would tell everybody not to go there

[@jcinsaniac]

Great vidja...excellent $7 solution. Would like to hear later on if you have the issue some others have with the Anvil fermenter - peeps say the spigot starts leaking and it's hard to get it to stop. Of course, it usually starts right after you drop a new brew in. I'm using a crappy big mouth bubbler. Cheers, braj!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Will do. the Anvil Foundry and fermenter have been perfect so far but stay tuned!

[@JeremySharpSMSG]

Finally somebody refused the glass carboys. These buckets are WAY better. Spigot friendly, cheap, easy to clean, easy to store.

[@crabmansteve6844]

I use my glass carboys for wine and mead, I get to put them away for months and months at a time after racking and only have to handle them every once in a while. I'm beginning the beer side of brewing and I can't imagine using glass for beer since everything is so much faster when compared to wine and mead. Especially mead. I have mead that's got another full year to go.

[@KC10Chief]

I love your videos! I've been brewing for 12 years but still pick up all sorts of great tips. I hate glass too. I spent an evening in the hospital getting my hand and foot stitched up because of one of those carboys. I could hardly give the rest of them away! I have two Grainfather conical pro fermenters with the glycol chiller and they're great. Is it necessary? No. But I can now brew and ferment in my garage. Here in Oklahoma, temperatures can be sub zero in the winter and 110+ in the summer. The Grainfather setup keeps it all at a steady temperature regardless of what the ambient temperature is. My wife prefers all this stuff to be outside. They're a snap to clean as well. And yes... sexy as hell.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Right on Matt, welcome aboard!

[@Morventhus]

Finally bought an anvil crucible after living the plastic and glass life... All I can say is forget glass... And that I love my anvil though only brewed once or twice... Fully agree on the yeast keeping... We don't use it often... But it is fun to do now and then

[@thebeastoffroad4248]

I love my grainfather conical fermenter. Currently have 2 and the grainfather glycol system. Honestly will never use a plastic again. Not there I anything wrong with plastic but I just like the ease of cleaning and not having to lift a fermenter in and out of a fridge.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Brew on braj!

[@tarthey]

I wish more homebrew shops stopped selling glass carboys as part of their "premium" kits. Like most people probably, I started with a kit and it came with a big glass carboy. Well, that ended up as a bad idea when two years later the bottom fell off when carrying a pliny the elder clone through my kitchen. Wife was not happy. Give me my anvil fermenter every day of the week. Being able to rack via spigot was life changing.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Yeah man, glass fermenters are whack and super dangerous

[@mellon2444]

The Anvil Fermenter is solid. Got mine on the Facebook marketplace for under the $130 mark too....bonus! Cheers Braj! Great video as always.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

#AnvilBros Cheers TM

[@zeljkokresic8632]

I've got a a grainfather conical for 3 years now and would highly recommend it. The glycol unit is way too expensive but a bucket with ice works great for temp control. Keep up with the great videos!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback thx braj!

[@vexy1987]

So I ferment in a 6 gallon plastic bucket in my garage, with a DIY heater I built from a $9 thermostatic control switch and $16 car fan heater, I put it all in the cardboard box my bucket arrived in lined with foil insulation, and wrapped it in a few blankets and was able to maintain a 90f ferment in my 46f garage with Kveik yeast, smashed it!

[@belotguillaume1351]

Curious but isn't the life expectancy of these fermzillas 1-2 years only? Think I read that somewhere and it's the only thing holding me back, complete deal breaker to me

[@vexy1987]

@@belotguillaume1351 I wouldn't know, I use a cheap bucket!

[@DrNatemiester]

What about acid corrosion on a stainless steel fermenter? Thanks for all the help in saving me money!

[@suburbangarage4608]

Earned Sub. Also I picked up the Klarstein SS fermenter for $89 on sale last month. After using it twice I honestly like it better than the Fast Ferment one for normal brews. They are super easy to clean, move, use in general. I only wish it had a temp control insert. Great thing I can probably add one myself at some point.

[@bertusbeensteen4709]

I love my SS brewtech brew bucket. I just overbuild my starters, so.no need te harvest yeast. Still it collects really well in the cone at the bottom. The rotating racking arm gets me clear beer to the keg, and sometimes I just bottle straight from it. Saves a shitload of time cleaning, stainless steel is the way to go. The anvil is hard to get here in the Netherlands, but although I was not shure it would be worth the 200€ for the brewbucket, it definitely is!

[@wileyr4]

Some of the best info! Thanks!!!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Thx for watching Dr. Roberts!

[@A1Lonestar]

It’s been 2 years since you made this video. How is the anvil still holding up and do you find yourself using it more or using plastic buckets.

[@dopstjom701]

I brew in RSA and until the last 3 years, supply has been limited but even though plastic conicals and stainless steel have hit the market I'm brewing good beer in just 25l plastic fermenters. Crazy but it's true.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback Dops!

[@jsaing]

I have 2 SS Brew buckets and love them. I hated siphoning and cleaning my glass carboys. And after seeing pictures of broken carboys, I made the switch. Now I have to figure out what to do with all these carboys.

[@jimp5024]

In addition to the dialog, really like the background noise, the Short Circuit Brewers Shirt, Stihl Farm Boss Chainsaw. Chainsaws go good with brewing. Own em both but, really endorse my Spike CF10 fermenter.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MinnesotaFats]

Good to factor in clean up and sanitation time also. Makes the stainless worth it in my opinion.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Totally agree!

[@rodvikvr]

Ss Brewtech Chronical Brew master edition. Love it! Although at first I miss being able to see the activity like you could from a carboy. Temp control in Murrieta was a must. Prior to the Brewmaster I would avoid brewing the summer months because fermenting when it's 100° sucks! Breaks down and cleans up easy.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Killing it braj!

[@rogerplourde1151]

i use allrounder,6,5 gallons ,and i absolutly love them,,can drink straight from it on most beer

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Ive heard great things! Thx for the feedback & cheers! -CH

[@noartifacts1983]

I stopped homebrew due to lacking space. Haha i wished I had found your channel back then. But slowly I'm trying to get back into it!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

You got this!

[@zheilman6]

Good video. I have the SS Brewtech 14g brew bucket and I absolutely love it and have been making great beers out of it if that helps anyone. I split 12 gallon batches with 2 other brewers and it's been great for us. We had to swap out some gaskets around the spigot after a couple of years but thats it. I wish there was a way that I could dump the yeast out of the bottom but that's my only un-fulfilled request with it.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Cheers!

[@zacharydacus6720]

I originally used 2 1 gallon glass fermenters and switched to single 2.5/3gallon brewdemon conical fermenter best decision I made only wish I had the money to go bigger at the time

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid feedback zach thanks

[@darthtitteous1215]

I have a catalyst, about 2 or 3 years old, I can’t remember, at the time I thought it was an excellent purchase, nice plastic conical fermenter, easy to use, fun to use, and fun to clean even, now I wish I had known about the anvil fermenter before I bought catalyst lol.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Matthew Titterington ha, we pretty much have the same exact story. Cheers matt!

[@ChuckUnderFire]

Only exception to your glass rule: use growlers to ferment if you only have gear to brew small batches. Or if your running yeast/dry hop experiments.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

absolutely. Good call

[@AitaOMila]

thanks for this video.... I agree with you totally on the glass I own an Anvil, and love it....and guess what if you don't have time to cool the wort you can transfer the hot wort...and wait until next day till it coiols down to pitch t o put it in you fermentation chamber.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

absolutely! thx for watching

[@ffwast]

That anvil fermenter was looking pretty good to me in the homebrew shop until I remembered that was like ten times as much as the buckets on the next shelf

[@tonyc1782]

I've got a Spike, Delta Brewing and 2 GF Conicals... My favorite by far is the GF since it has the heating element already built in. Since I'm a HUGE fan of Kveik yeast, these are my gotos... but for any that I'm aging in my fridge? DBS and Spike.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

solid feedback, cheers Tony!

[@straycat62]

Anvil fan here. and plastic brew buckets. My local homebrew store they are like $6-7, already drilled. Sweet deal.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

holy crap joe, are we the same person lol. Cheers braj!

[@a_reptiledysfunction5267]

Very informative. I tend to gravitate towards tools/equipment that will outlast me every chance I get