Anyone ever thought of buying an economy SS brewpot and using it as a fermenter? I know that it isnt the cheapest nor is it the standard homebrewer approach. I think some of the positives are:
The ability to heat sanitize it.
SS is used extensively in both the food and brewing industry
Cheaper than a conical.
more sanitary than a bucket or other plastic fermenters
Sturdier than glass carboys
I am seriously thing of buying one drilling a port on the bottom and adding a valve to drain fermenter. The part I cant quite visualize is some type of gasket to get a good seal and a closure system. Any Ideas?
Just wrap the lid with electrical tape. Drill s hole in the lid for your airlock and you should be good to go. I thought of it and also thought of using a keg. Never did it though.
There used to be a guy on here who would use his BK as a fermenter (haven’t seen him in awhile). I think he just put the lid on it and allowed the CO2 to gas off. He then would rack it to the keg for “secondary” and to avoid oxidation.
Hey thanks for the feedback, the reason I am thinking stainless is that you can heat sanitize and remove chances for infection it’s a proven practice. I thought about just leaving the lid on loose but think that is probably the biggest risk in the system. I think a gasket and some type of clamps would be all I need. I think I angora ng to go for it with an open ligand start out with something quick like a bitter.
Clamps and gaskets are overkill . nothing is going to lift the cover and sneak in. Nothing can live in a co2 saturated environment. I often ferment without an airlock. People have been open fermenting for hundreds of years. Just wash and sanatize. No need to sterilise
Put the lid on then wrap plastic wrap around the lid/pot. People do this when they do quick sours in there brew kettle to try and keep out o2 while the beer is being soured with lacto.
Go to theelectricbrewery.com and read their instructions for adding a spigot to a kettle. They have links to sources for a stainless spigot, washers, and o-rings.
I was fortunate to find a bit of the correct diameter for my spigot. I was not comfortable trying to use a step bit. Whatever bit you use, use plenty of cutting oil, go slowly, and dress the hole gently with a fine round file.
That site is pretty cool. I would like to go electric sometime in the future. I already have what I need to drill the hole( I have done a couple of kettles and buckets in the past.) Initially I was more concerned with finding a way to clamp lid down. I plan on ordering everything this week and complete next weekend.
Actually decided to just stick with fermentation buckets with a port 3 inches up from the bottom, in the end I felt the ease of moving a bucket into and out of a chest freezer was easier with a bucket. Also it really isn’t that expensive to replace a bucket.
