[mabrungard]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

[TANSTAAFB]

Anyone have the Anvil SS bucket? The $200 tag on the Brew Bucket is why I don't already have one!

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[erockrph]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

I've never priced out conicals, but I'd think that the ability to spund and do pressurized transfers (and ferments, if that's your thing), would be worth the extra investment vs a stainless bucket.

[Andy Farke]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

I've never priced out conicals, but I'd think that the ability to spund and do pressurized transfers (and ferments, if that's your thing), would be worth the extra investment vs a stainless bucket.

I recently upgraded to steel fermenters, and went with buckets (the Ss Brewtech 7 gallon bucket) rather than conicals because I just couldn't justify the massive additional $$$ outlay that would be required. I use chest freezers as my fermentation chamber, and the conicals I looked at would require either getting different fermentation chambers or else going with a different chilling system, and I was looking at thousands rather than hundreds of dollars to get it done in one shot (for the number of batches I do). Not being able to spund/do pressurized transfers is definitely a downside, but I figure I'll ferment in the keg if I ever go that way!

Of course, everyone's situation is different, in terms of budget and space and needs! Just writing out my personal decision making process in case it's helpful for anyone else...

[Wilbur]

Anyone have the Anvil SS bucket? The $200 tag on the Brew Bucket is why I don't already have one!

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I have 2x 3.5 gallon minis and a 7 gallon brewbucket. I bought an Anvil fermenter, but returned it because I kept getting deep scratches and dents. My only complaints about the SS brewtech fermenters is the base on the mini's isn't attached, and the o-ring for the racking tube gets cut all the time. Doesn't seem to matter if I use food grade lube or not.

[bondra76]

Just use an extra keg that you have. Pretty simple and it’s multifunctional.


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[denny]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

I've found conicals handier than I thought I would.  So much so that I just ordered my 3rd Grainfather conical.

[jeffy]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

I've found conicals handier than I thought I would.  So much so that I just ordered my 3rd Grainfather conical.

I was looking at those last week and wondered if you paid full retail for yours.  They're kind of pricey, especially if you include the glycol chiller.

[denny]

I've said this many times:  I have a stainless conical but I didn't buy it to make better beer, I bought it to save me from injury.

If I were to do it over again today, I'd buy a stainless bucket fermenter since I don't believe that a conical is necessary for homebrewing.

I've found conicals handier than I thought I would.  So much so that I just ordered my 3rd Grainfather conical.

I was looking at those last week and wondered if you paid full retail for yours.  They're kind of pricey, especially if you include the glycol chiller.

I didn't because I'm a beta tester for them.  I didn't get the free, either!  But IMO well worth the money.

[ynotbrusum]

I don’t have conical, but a couple brew buckets and a 13 gallon Kegmenter as my stainless fermenters. The kegmenter with a floating diptube and spunding valve is a relatively reasonable Total cost and it will allow fermentation under pressure, pressurized transfer and drawing from the top for transfer.  Coupled with a Tilt, I figure I have a pretty good setup and don’t see conicals in my future, unless I just want to splurge...which could happen, if I can save enough to accumulate some funny money.

[Andy Farke]

My only complaints about the SS brewtech fermenters is the base on the mini's isn't attached, and the o-ring for the racking tube gets cut all the time. Doesn't seem to matter if I use food grade lube or not.

I have the same issue with the racking tube o-ring! Glad I'm not the only one...I just need to buy a bunch of replacements, I suppose.

[erockrph]

I don’t have conical, but a couple brew buckets and a 13 gallon Kegmenter as my stainless fermenters. The kegmenter with a floating diptube and spunding valve is a relatively reasonable Total cost and it will allow fermentation under pressure, pressurized transfer and drawing from the top for transfer.  Coupled with a Tilt, I figure I have a pretty good setup and don’t see conicals in my future, unless I just want to splurge...which could happen, if I can save enough to accumulate some funny money.

And this is why I love this forum. I don't know why I've never thought to get floating dip tubes for my fermentation kegs! That would be way better than blowing the trub out from the bottom, as I currently do. It would certainly do a better job at keeping gunk from making it to my serving kegs as well.

Not to drag this conversation too off-topic, but how well does the Tilt work inside a keg fermenter? I've toyed with getting one, but I worry that I won't be able to pick up a reading through the keg.

[ynotbrusum]

It reads through the kegmenter with no problem, but not through a chest freezer lid and the kegmenter, so I have to open the chest freezer lid for reading the Tilt.

[Descardeci]

I've been brewing for about 12 years. I was poor and I scrounged a lot of my early brewing stuff from yard sales and the like. I was so excited when I found a couple of beautiful glass carboys! Finally, I could SEE what was going on in my little science experiments! Over the years I've picked up more from moving friends and fellow brewers. I usually primary in my wonderful Spiedels but for long term aging I use glass. I saw some of the gruesome and horrific broken glass carboy threads pretty early on, but I ignored these cautionary tales. They did make me careful, and for 12 years I've been lucky.

Last night, that luck ended. I was dumping cleaning solution from a 5 gal carboy when it shattered. No idea if I bumped the sidewall or if it just gave out.  The pressure of the water rushing out of this busted glass balloon gave the shards a little extra velocity and I was instantly soaked and bleeding from my right (dominant) hand. I immediately went into first aid mode, grabbed a towel, made a fist around it, and raised it over my head. Not my first rodeo. I was able to find gauze, vet wrap, and alcohol and went to bandage it up. First look as I got it under running water? This isn't good, but it's not nearly as bad as it could be. Got it wrapped up, finally sat down with my hand over my head. Gotta call my wonderful and long-suffering wife. ”I'm OK." "WTF did you do now?" 20 years, she knows me well

16 stitches and a case of the dumbass later, I'm asking you to retire your glass carboys. I know, it won't happen to you because you're careful. Like riding a motorcycle, an accident is not a matter of if but when. I was incredibly lucky it wasn't worse. We have sooooo many options available now that we've never had as homebrewers before. Stainless buckets & conicals, loads of better plastic options. When I started this adventure glass was an awesome upgrade from my plastic buckets. But a plastic bucket never gave me stitches. Let em go folks, it's time!

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Glad you're ok, never used, only bucket but two reason in my country we don't use those glass carboy and I fear glass I knocking the things and shard of glass everywhere.

[coolman26]

My wife just stitched up a lady that was making wine. She picked up an empty with the neck handle. Got her foot and ankle. I never understood that dang handle anyway. I still use the 4 of mine occasionally. I only use those for my ipa beers. All others still go in 15 gallon plastic barrels. I’m buying stainless soon, just can’t decide which model. I do love my plastic I must say.