300 gallon fermenter!

Any hardware used for mashing, fermenting or aging.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
thatguy1313
Distiller
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:14 pm
Location: Bulldawg Country

300 gallon fermenter!

Post by thatguy1313 »

So today I was offered a 300 gallon hdpe barrel that has been used for rain water collection ... for FREE! Of course I can't turn it down but when the hell am I gonna have the money to do a 300 gallon ferment? Much less the time to run all that! Any other ideas what I can use it for?
No, officer, I wasn't distilling alcohol! It was probably that guy!

Important information for new distillers
woodshed
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2970
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:21 pm
Location: Pagosa Springs,CO

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by woodshed »

Recirc tank for cooling.
User avatar
bearriver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 4442
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:17 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by bearriver »

I'd use it as a septic tank for my Dobermans, and be happy to have it.

I would also consider using it in an aquaponics setup. A friend of mine has a dozen or so IBC totes over 200 gallons each. The short story is he uses them for tanks to raise fish, who's effluent is used to feed indoor plants.
Last edited by bearriver on Wed May 27, 2015 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
thatguy1313
Distiller
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:14 pm
Location: Bulldawg Country

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by thatguy1313 »

Thought about cutting it in half and making a couple canoes outta it.
No, officer, I wasn't distilling alcohol! It was probably that guy!

Important information for new distillers
User avatar
cranky
Master of Distillation
Posts: 6516
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:18 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by cranky »

thatguy1313 wrote:Thought about cutting it in half and making a couple canoes outta it.
That would be a shame. You can use it to collect rain water :moresarcasm: . or raise tilapia in it (very popular with preppers) or go ahead and do a 250 gallon ferment instead of 300. You might have to build a bigger still though but doing the math, if you build a 25 gallon still and strip 20 gallons at a time that's only 12.5 runs, so figure 12 stripping runs. Not really so bad when you think about it. Now figure 3 strips to a spirit run and you only get 4, 20 gallon spirit runs and a years supply of hooch from a single ferment. Sounds pretty reasonable to me. :D
User avatar
Truckinbutch
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 8107
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:49 pm

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by Truckinbutch »

cranky wrote:
thatguy1313 wrote:Thought about cutting it in half and making a couple canoes outta it.
That would be a shame. You can use it to collect rain water :moresarcasm: . or raise tilapia in it (very popular with preppers) or go ahead and do a 250 gallon ferment instead of 300. You might have to build a bigger still though but doing the math, if you build a 25 gallon still and strip 20 gallons at a time that's only 12.5 runs, so figure 12 stripping runs. Not really so bad when you think about it. Now figure 3 strips to a spirit run and you only get 4, 20 gallon spirit runs and a years supply of hooch from a single ferment. Sounds pretty reasonable to me. :D
:wave: I like the way you think .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by goose eye »

Ole boys would keep it for water. Water is a good thang to have.

So I'm tole
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10344
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by still_stirrin »

goose eye wrote:Ole boys would keep it for water. Water is a good thang to have.

So I'm tole
+1 times 10!
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Rng4
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:43 am
Location: Florida

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by Rng4 »

I use something similar for cooling water. It sits outside my stilling shed and I run the lines thru the shed wall. Keeps all the heat outside and gives me more room in the shed. I have a buddy that works on one of the largest ranches in my state and I can get all the 300 gallon totes I can carry.
User avatar
Danespirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2647
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:09 am
Location: Denmark

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by Danespirit »

goose eye wrote:Ole boys would keep it for water. Water is a good thang to have.

So I'm tole
Yep..! Rainwater is coolingwater for free.. + you can put a tap in there and have water for your garden. :idea:
User avatar
thatguy1313
Distiller
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:14 pm
Location: Bulldawg Country

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by thatguy1313 »

Just picked it up. Guy owned a kennel and was collecting all the condensation from the air conditioners. Said he filled the barrel in two days :shock: its already got a tap at the bottom and a hose out the top that would work perfectly for an air lock.
No, officer, I wasn't distilling alcohol! It was probably that guy!

Important information for new distillers
User avatar
cranky
Master of Distillation
Posts: 6516
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:18 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by cranky »

thatguy1313 wrote:Just picked it up. Guy owned a kennel and was collecting all the condensation from the air conditioners. Said he filled the barrel in two days :shock: its already got a tap at the bottom and a hose out the top that would work perfectly for an air lock.
So do I see that 25 gallon boiler in your future?
User avatar
ga flatwoods
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3192
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:40 pm
Location: SE GA Flatwoods

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by ga flatwoods »

You would be best served with a cheap ($35) pool pump going in the top six inch hole and pumping off the clear if you intend to utilize the whole potential of the barrel
.
Ga Flatwoods
The hardest item to add to a bottle of shine is patience!
I am still kicking.
Ga Flatwoods
User avatar
thecroweater
retired
Posts: 6084
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:04 am
Location: Central Highlands Vic. Australia

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by thecroweater »

What ^ he says +1
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
hellbilly007
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 585
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 10:59 am
Location: Never one place very long

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by hellbilly007 »

And I thought I was really doing something with a 80 gallon fermenter. Good score.
RandyMarshCT
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 718
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 7:46 am
Location: Hopkinton, RI

Re: 300 gallon fermenter!

Post by RandyMarshCT »

woodshed wrote:Recirc tank for cooling.
This is exactly what I would use it for. Perfect size.
Life member, representative, and proud supporter of the Hobby Distiller's Association.

http://www.hobbydistillersassociation.org
Post Reply