Home Distiller

I have a few 25l ~ 30l fermentors that I use, but looking at larger volumes to run some of the recipes in Tried and True. However, looking online, food grade barrels seem a bit pricey, and I can't seem to find any large ones under 50 gal (I don't mind the size, but thinking a 25 gal would be cheaper).

What do you guys use for economical fermentors? Would something like a plastic rain barrel suffice?

55 gallon hdpe blue barrel is perfect size for a 15 gallon boiler to ferment enough to do three strips and one spirit. I also use 20 and 32g brutes but the blue barrels hold up to boiling water corn mashes much better. Took a while but I eventually found three for $25 ea or something like that on FB Marketplace that had been used for pepper brine ferments.

Check out these folks. https://lexingtoncontainercompanysonlin ... merce.com/

The link doesn't take you directly to suitable barrels but they have several sizes of used food grade barrels on the website.

As a rough guide for a pot still, three times your boiler volume is handy.

Try your local Drycleaner. They might have empty Sodium hypochlorite drums. I've gotten a couple of 100l drums from them.

NZChris wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:07 pm Try your local Drycleaner. They might have empty Sodium hypochlorite drums. I've gotten a couple of 100l drums from them.

Be sure to clean them out real good. We all know what happens when bleach gets mixed with ammonia or an ammonia based cleaner.

For me the main factor was storage and fitting into my portable fermenting cart. I use 6 gallon buckets and 4 of them fit into my cart which is just right for two runs in a 15.5 boiler. The cart is insulated and I use an aquarium Temperature controller.

I also agree with bushman, advice more fermenters but of "human" dimensions so you can manage them better and you can adapt to large or small ferments .. my biggest fermenter is 50liters, of course it is just a tip and everyone fits according to the own needs.

I found a 55 gallon blue.barrel in a car wash dumpster for free - and yes, I asked first. It previously had soap in it. Just be careful about what they previously contained. Some may have contained things like car wax or degreaser.

I also have two 20 gallon "Feed and Seed" containers and a 32 gallon Brute trash container. Plus a boat load of 5 gallon paint buckets.

Well, I use one 10 gal water butt from Home Depot with a false bottom & spigot installed - that was expensive at about $45. I got 2 15 gal (more ore less) blue barrels that was used for vinegar for $10 each and fitted them with spigot & false bottoms. Haven’t been disappointed yet. Hook a pump to the spigot and suck ‘em dry. No squeezing, no hanging, no foolishness.

Look on craigslist.org

River Rat wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:01 pm Check out these folks. https://lexingtoncontainercompanysonlin ... merce.com/

An hella lot better prices than I have seen online here, sadly they don't ship to Canada.

i just snagged two white food grade 55 gal barrels for free from a local beer brewery. As others have mentioned I find it easier to brew a big batch of mash so I can do two or three runs.

Myself find a brite tank valuable. Not completely the same as n beer brite tank but it helps to store a ferment or 2 while clearing a mash and it frees up your fermentors even if you do not have time to run.

My next purchase will an hdpe stock tank . For the price per gallon you really can't beat it. I wanted an all wood fermeter but worry about leaking. This is #2 hdpe, not sure why they say structural foam

Plan to build a wood frame around it (make it look like a barrel) and insulate with boat pour foam. So I can keep temps during mashing. If you have the space, this would be easier to clean than trying to reach the bottom of a barrel

SmokyMtn wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:59 pm My next purchase will an hdpe stock tank . For the price per gallon you really can't beat it. I wanted an all wood fermeter but worry about leaking. This is #2 hdpe, not sure why they say structural foam

Plan to build a wood frame around it (make it look like a barrel) and insulate with boat pour foam. So I can keep temps during mashing. If you have the space, this would be easier to clean than trying to reach the bottom of a barrel

Ive looked at them and they got a large foot print and lots of angle corners to deal with when cleaning. IMO.

SmokyMtn wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:59 pm I wanted an all wood fermeter but worry about leaking.

Ironically, three of the first four reviews complained that the tanks developed leaks.

• Bought one about a year and a month ago and it already has a leak.

• They seem to fall apart and leak after one season.

• Four out of the six I've purchased in the last two years have minute leaks that make them unreliable.

greggn wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:50 pm

SmokyMtn wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:59 pm I wanted an all wood fermeter but worry about leaking.

Ironically, three of the first four reviews complained that the tanks developed leaks.

• Bought one about a year and a month ago and it already has a leak.

• They seem to fall apart and leak after one season.

• Four out of the six I've purchased in the last two years have minute leaks that make them unreliable.

You realize those were exposed to the elements and livestock.

I don't put a lot of stock (no pun intended ) in online reviews anymore.. For the money, I'm willing to give it a try

Long ago I picked up two 30 gal ± black plastic 'barrells' originally swimming pool filters. I go with 24 gal x 2 & fill 15.5 keg still with 12 gal = 4 runs

Home Depot Storage tote are fairly convenient and you probably have them in the garage already
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/hdx-20 ... 1000845315

I use brute food safe garbage cans 32 gallon is easy to move or clean. You cam bou a wheeled dolly that attaches to the bottom.

My preferred fermenter is a 55 gallon HDPE barrel. Many used for pickles, olives or other brined vegetables during transport to canneries.

You can usually find these on Craigslist for 25 to $55 each. How many you buy and how use they are. If you live in an agricultural area or Industrial Area there should be a first for these near you.