55 gallon drum fermenters

[Beerandsuds]

For those that ferment in 55 gallon plastic drums, are you using the drums with the removable lids or just bungs? Finding a 55 gallon drum with a removable lid is proving hard, and I imagine bunged drums would be hard to clean out. Thoughts?

[Prairiepiss]

Removable lid. Bungs would be a pita. But if thats all you can get. There is a thread around here somewhere. That someone cut the top off of a 5 gallon bucket. Then cut a hole in the top of the drum. And pushed the bucket top down into the hole. It's tapered so it would tighten as you pushed it down. Then epoxied it or something. I was going to do this then I got my hands on 8 with removable lids.

[Beerandsuds]

Removable lid. Bungs would be a pita. But if thats all you can get. There is a thread around here somewhere. That someone cut the top off of a 5 gallon bucket. Then cut a hole in the top of the drum. And pushed the bucket top down into the hole. It's tapered so it would tighten as you pushed it down. Then epoxied it or something. I was going to do this then I got my hands on 8 with removable lids.

thanks, I think I should keep looking!

[Beerandsuds]

Any thoughts on fermenting in a lined, carbon steel barrel?

[Prairiepiss]

I personaly wouldn't. But others may. Some would just use it while others would use a drum liner. Big thick bag that will line the drum.

The coating can easily be damaged. Cleaning dents or what ever can crack or scrape it off. Then you have steel exposed to the ferment. Iron is one thing yeasties don't like. And it would rust the drum and add some iron and corrosion to the ferment.

Plastic drums are just much easier to handle.

[RScottyL]

Removable lid. Bungs would be a pita. But if thats all you can get. There is a thread around here somewhere. That someone cut the top off of a 5 gallon bucket. Then cut a hole in the top of the drum. And pushed the bucket top down into the hole. It's tapered so it would tighten as you pushed it down. Then epoxied it or something. I was going to do this then I got my hands on 8 with removable lids.

thanks, I think I should keep looking!

http://www.uline.com/BL_8154/Plastic-Drums

http://www.bayteccontainers.com/oppldr5 ... 4AodgCYAIw

Not sure where you live and how much it would cost to ship one of these to you!

You might also check eBay and Craigslist if you haven't already!

[Copperpot85]

I use a 55 gallon food grade plastic barrel with removable lid with lock ring. It has to removable caps on top. I put a 3/4 inch male and pipe out of it into a 5gallpm bucket of water for an airlock seems to work great for about 35 dollars. I don't think I would trust a steel barrel even with a liner a lot of times they have had petroleum products in them.

[Prairiepiss]

Ping pong ball airlock is much easier and cheaper.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=35751

[HolyBear]

I guess I was lucky, found one that had a removable lid and bungs... It was used for wistishisher sauce... It took a while to work that smell out but now its dany fine... Ive tried to find another but no luck so far. Guess ill just have to settle fer one with a removable lid...

[Rclark12]

curious to how you did get the smell out? Im looking at some 55 gallon drums currently but it is actually some 6 gallon pickle buckets Im fighting to get the smell out of

[wv_hillbilly]

Are you guys buying these online, or going somewhere that has had something shipped to them in the drums? I can get free 55 gal drums all day long, but the contained a flammable soap, so I won't be fermenting in them anytime soon.

[squeezins]

I got all mine from a local company that makes spaghetti sauce. The barrels I get were used to ship olives. Plastic barrels with screw on tops

[Bayou-Ruler]

Removable lid. Bungs would be a pita. But if thats all you can get. There is a thread around here somewhere. That someone cut the top off of a 5 gallon bucket. Then cut a hole in the top of the drum. And pushed the bucket top down into the hole. It's tapered so it would tighten as you pushed it down. Then epoxied it or something. I was going to do this then I got my hands on 8 with removable lids.

That was me................... It worked great, but I now have a drum with a removable lid.

[drinkingdog]

Here is a good place to get plastic barrels ect. Pretty good price too. http://www.ohiobarrel.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[seabass]

Or go to a home brew shop and ask what they do with empty malt extract barrels. I got mine with removable lid for $15.

[Beerswimmer]

Mine was less than $20.00 and held cherries. Perfecto!

[Rclark12]

Whe did you find the cherry barrel a fruit market or something? Tomorrow I'm going on a hunt for a 35 or 55 as well as some more 5-6 gallons because I thought I scored when I found perfect buckets and lids 2 weeks back but they were pickle jars and I haven't shook the smell out of em, tried kitchen soap , simply green, vinegar, bleach and with each one I also scrubbed and soaked for a night or so each time. Damn pickle scent is tough

[varocketry]

Several DRUM providers in VIRGINIA on Craiglist. All clean and had contained food materials. Plastic and metal drums. Some with screw-on lids, some clamp-on.

Check your local Craigslist or stop through Virginia.

[Rclark12]

There are a few guys selling hundreds on craigslist here, they say food grade but dont know what was in them

[Beerswimmer]

Whe did you find the cherry barrel a fruit market or something? Tomorrow I'm going on a hunt for a 35 or 55 as well as some more 5-6 gallons because I thought I scored when I found perfect buckets and lids 2 weeks back but they were pickle jars and I haven't shook the smell out of em, tried kitchen soap , simply green, vinegar, bleach and with each one I also scrubbed and soaked for a night or so each time. Damn pickle scent is tough

Just a local business and a surprise!!! Pickle barrels will be pickle barrels forever IMO. Try a new source.
:

[lampshade]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

[Rclark12]

I found ones with whistishire (excuse spelling) and some with vinegar, not sure what smell will be easier to remove, mite buy one of each I'm sure I'll find some use for the extra barrel for some project or another.
And for me and most I read from the 55 gallon will/does make enough to fill your boiler several times, for me it will be easier then using a bunch of separate buckets but will only be useful in summer when it's warm out

[Prairiepiss]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

I don't ferment a whole 50 gal in mine. I have them setup so that I get 3 10 gal runs out of each ferment. My UJSSM drum is 45 gal ferment. 15 gal of grains and some wash stay in there for the next generation. And I run 3 10 gal runs. And top it up to 45 gal for the next gen. My rum drum is 40 gal I pull 3 10 gal runs off. And leave the rest in for the next gen. I can do 3 runs in a day. Or one a night for 3 days. No problems yet. And a lot nicer then a whole bunch of buckets sitting around.

[squeezins]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

I used a 20 gal boiler and ran 2 batches on 1 ferment and at 5% the yield was still pretty low.

[lampshade]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

I don't ferment a whole 50 gal in mine. I have them setup so that I get 3 10 gal runs out of each ferment. My UJSSM drum is 45 gal ferment. 15 gal of grains and some wash stay in there for the next generation. And I run 3 10 gal runs. And top it up to 45 gal for the next gen. My rum drum is 40 gal I pull 3 10 gal runs off. And leave the rest in for the next gen. I can do 3 runs in a day. Or one a night for 3 days. No problems yet. And a lot nicer then a whole bunch of buckets sitting around.

Thanks, Mr P, your response helped me see the big picture.

Now another question, please: How big is the pot that you use to cook the mash, and where did you get it? Also, what do you do while watching the still? (I think that last question might be worthy of a new thread.)

[HolyBear]

curious to how you did get the smell out? Im looking at some 55 gallon drums currently but it is actually some 6 gallon pickle buckets Im fighting to get the smell out of

Sorry for the late response didn't catch yer question. Ifn I member right, I washed out with a hose for the bulk of it, then washed with heavy bleach water, then oxyclean and antibacterial soap. It still took a couple ferments befor it was completly gone...


Another feller asked where to get them? Try a farm supply store, ifn they don't have em, they prolly know who does...

[junkyard dawg]

Star-San is a no rinse sanitizer that claims to be very good at removing smells. Ya gotta remember that plastic is porous and that pickle smell is going to be persistent.

[Rclark12]

Thanks guys, yes I have tried everythings for pickles nothing worked, picking up a 55 gallon from a guy who has many that had either vinegar or whistishire sauce so that will be my next battle. thanks for the tips!

[Rclark12]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

I don't ferment a whole 50 gal in mine. I have them setup so that I get 3 10 gal runs out of each ferment. My UJSSM drum is 45 gal ferment. 15 gal of grains and some wash stay in there for the next generation. And I run 3 10 gal runs. And top it up to 45 gal for the next gen. My rum drum is 40 gal I pull 3 10 gal runs off. And leave the rest in for the next gen. I can do 3 runs in a day. Or one a night for 3 days. No problems yet. And a lot nicer then a whole bunch of buckets sitting around.

Thanks, Mr P, your response helped me see the big picture.

Now another question, please: How big is the pot that you use to cook the mash, and where did you get it? Also, what do you do while watching the still? (I think that last question might be worthy of a new thread.)

I have actually been wanting to make a 'What do you do while the still is running" thread but just never did it. I never go far from it but Ill go out side the garage and chop wood or clean the garage or do little things like that as it goes, other times I sit in front of it. Like I said Im never far from it Im kinda just used to it taking up my day any way

[Prairiepiss]

50 gallons is a lot of wash to distill. Does one distill multiple batches or use a 50 gallon boiler?

I don't ferment a whole 50 gal in mine. I have them setup so that I get 3 10 gal runs out of each ferment. My UJSSM drum is 45 gal ferment. 15 gal of grains and some wash stay in there for the next generation. And I run 3 10 gal runs. And top it up to 45 gal for the next gen. My rum drum is 40 gal I pull 3 10 gal runs off. And leave the rest in for the next gen. I can do 3 runs in a day. Or one a night for 3 days. No problems yet. And a lot nicer then a whole bunch of buckets sitting around.

Thanks, Mr P, your response helped me see the big picture.

Now another question, please: How big is the pot that you use to cook the mash, and where did you get it? Also, what do you do while watching the still? (I think that last question might be worthy of a new thread.)

Not really cooking a mash for these fermenters. Just sugar wash. The first gen I used my still boiler to boil water to melt the sugar. On the panela I put it back in the boiler to boil it. But on the second gens just using hot backset and dunder to melt the sugar. Then closing and adding to fermenter.

Why running the still. My runs are pretty quick. At 3 hours or so each. I'm pretty busy changing out jars. But I play around with my aging experiments. Bottling the stuff that done or pulling botanicals or wood out of others. I also do the brew room dishes clean up and whatever else I find needs done around the brew room. Messing with the next gen getting it ready to ferment. Or just sit on my butt and read up on the forums.