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New brewer needing advice on fermenter

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  • New brewer needing advice on fermenter

    So I can get an expensive starter kit from Makro or I can wait until things settle a bit and some more of the supply shops open. Decided to do a hodgepodge type thing in the interim. I have a lot of thin tubing so can easily make a diy airlock and already have a 23L pot and a digital thermometer, so in theory all I need is a large fermenter in order to get started.

    I see at Makro they have the 25L Big Jim water dispensers for fairly cheap. Would one of these work? Since it is a water dispenser I would assume it is food-grade plastic.

    https://www.makro.co.za/catering/pla...00000310490_EA

    I am not overly worried about the ABV on the first couple of batches so feel that a hydrometer is not needed for now. Will use this setup as a temporary stopgap measure until things settle down to level 3 and couriers are fully functional again and I can then hopefully get a proper starter kit to go on from there.

    Was thinking of making this kit to start with - Mangrove Jacks classic Dutch lager
    https://www.makro.co.za/beverages-li...1-1ea980167cf6

    All advice appreciated
    There once was a man from Nantucket.
    Who brewed his beer in a bucket.
    He put the wort into there,
    to cut down on the air.
    Then drank it all up like a muppet.

  • #2
    That water thing will work. A hydrometer isn't just for figuring out what the ABV is, it's also to make sure you don't blow up your bottles (remember what happened in that MyBB thread?). It tells you where you're starting and when your yeast has finished doing it's job. Yes, you can do a first few batches without a hydrometer. I agree. To be safe though I would then make sure you give the kit enough time to finish. Two weeks at least.

    Also, without the kit, you don't get things like a bottle capper, thermometer, cleaning/sanitising products, etc. It's also going to be a pain to clean the inside of that water container after fermentation (unless you get your hands on some caustic brewery cleaner to help along). Kits are really the best way to go, and those Craft Brewery kits are arguably the best kits to get started with. Those SS fermenters are amazing. Would LOVE to get my hands on one.

    Comment


    • #3
      You could input all the values into brewers friend recipe calculator and it will give you a ballpark figure on ABV ect.

      Look at the bottom of the Big Jim water dispenser it will have a number of it is 1 or 2, or if it has a knife and fork on it, its safe for use.
      If you don't have a capper you can use PET bottles (they tend not to explode untill you learn the basics. That said if you wait about 10 to 14 days after visible signs of fermentation, you should be safe to bottle.
      Originally posted by FriedPiggy View Post
      So I can get an expensive starter kit from Makro or I can wait until things settle a bit and some more of the supply shops open. Decided to do a hodgepodge type thing in the interim. I have a lot of thin tubing so can easily make a diy airlock and already have a 23L pot and a digital thermometer, so in theory all I need is a large fermenter in order to get started.

      I see at Makro they have the 25L Big Jim water dispensers for fairly cheap. Would one of these work? Since it is a water dispenser I would assume it is food-grade plastic.

      https://www.makro.co.za/catering/pla...00000310490_EA

      I am not overly worried about the ABV on the first couple of batches so feel that a hydrometer is not needed for now. Will use this setup as a temporary stopgap measure until things settle down to level 3 and couriers are fully functional again and I can then hopefully get a proper starter kit to go on from there.

      Was thinking of making this kit to start with - Mangrove Jacks classic Dutch lager
      https://www.makro.co.za/beverages-li...1-1ea980167cf6

      All advice appreciated
      Do you want to be good or be praised - Epicurus
      Do what you do to the best of your ability, and blessings will follow you

      Comment


      • #4
        Legendary. Thanks for the replies. I was thinking of going this route as a temporary measure until the brewing supply shops could catch up with orders, but I see that Beerlab now says that their basic brew kit will be back in stock on the 8th so I might just wait until the 8th and order that one so I have the right stuff from the get go.

        Basic kit comes with everything except bottles. I have been saving up my bottles though so should have enough for a 20L batch before it is ready
        There once was a man from Nantucket.
        Who brewed his beer in a bucket.
        He put the wort into there,
        to cut down on the air.
        Then drank it all up like a muppet.

        Comment


        • #5
          Not all bottles can be capped with your regular twin lever Emily cappers either, just FYI. Lion and Castle Lager 750ml bottles work fine along with a bunch of others, but some like Devil's Peak bottles for instance, don't.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by FriedPiggy View Post
            <>so in theory all I need is a large fermenter in order to get started.<>
            Just get your hands on a bucket .... problem solved

            Screenshot_1.jpg

            You don't really need the airlock .... you could make one, or just use a tube with one end inside a container with water (Google blow-off tube)

            You also don't need the tap ( I actually hate taps on fermenters) as you could syphon the beer out the bucket once fermentation is done.
            The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Toxxyc View Post
              <>To be safe though I would then make sure you give the kit enough time to finish. Two weeks at least.<>
              Says the man ( Mr Impatient ) that was all eager to bottle his brew after a few days of fermentation
              The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by JIGSAW View Post
                Says the man ( Mr Impatient ) that was all eager to bottle his brew after a few days of fermentation
                It's a government type thing. Do as I say, not as I do. :P

                Comment


                • #9
                  Last question on this topic (for now at least)

                  Which one of these would you lot say is better?

                  https://www.beerlab.co.za/products/b...iant=219543824 (no bottles)

                  vs

                  https://www.thebrewery.co.za/shop/ho...-diy-beer-kit/
                  There once was a man from Nantucket.
                  Who brewed his beer in a bucket.
                  He put the wort into there,
                  to cut down on the air.
                  Then drank it all up like a muppet.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    The first one. You want that hydrometer and capper.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks Tox. Its cheaper as well. The Brewery will get an order from me though as they sell the 500ml PET bottles I plan on using for my first batch. Plastic is less dangerous if it explodes so plan on using PET bottles for the first couple of batches until I am more comfortable with the whole process.
                      There once was a man from Nantucket.
                      Who brewed his beer in a bucket.
                      He put the wort into there,
                      to cut down on the air.
                      Then drank it all up like a muppet.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I personally wouldn't get any of those .... would be much easier and probably cheaper to buy the parts loose. At the same time you're also not forced to make the "LME kit brew" that comes with those all-in-one kits.

                        Yes you need a hydrometer, but go do some research, those Coopers hydrometers are absolutely CRAP! I wasted money on 2 when I started brewing ... they're inaccurate. So there's your first thing to buy loose (Sold-out @ Beerlab)

                        For a start I would just get THIS and THIS .....the rest as you go along. Bucket can probably be had for under R200 from a plastic store.... even the spoon.


                        ....then start putting money aside for a fermentation fridge/cabinet

                        .... after that comes kegging setup

                        ... and thats basically the advise i would give my younger self instead of wasting money like I did to get were Im at today.
                        JIGSAW
                        Senior Member
                        Last edited by JIGSAW; 5 May 2020, 13:17.
                        The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thanks for that Jigsaw. Now I am all confused all over again lol I think I will get the Basic kit from beerlab anyway. If the LME lager kit sucks then so be it. I planned on making a few batches of kit & kilo or cans first to get a feel for it. At the moment they are shipping it with the glass hydrometers due to them not being able to get the cruddy plastic ones. It works out a bit cheaper to get the parts vs buying the kit but with the kit it all comes at the same time.

                          Ahh hell, I dont know what I am doing anymore. completely overthinking things now.
                          There once was a man from Nantucket.
                          Who brewed his beer in a bucket.
                          He put the wort into there,
                          to cut down on the air.
                          Then drank it all up like a muppet.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            food safe 25l bucket + lid from a plastic shop is under R100 (iirc has a 5 or hdpe or something along those lines printed on the bottom) grommet is maybe R10 for 5, blow off tube pipe should be cheap. ability to drill a hole and fit the grommet. super easy. those taps are the devils work. avoid.
                            spend money on proper hydrometer and testing rig from a brew shop or buy the stuff from a science shop for less. support your lhbs though, you'll always need them.
                            - bucket, lid, grommet, blow off pipe
                            - hydrometer, hydrometer measuring flask and thermometer
                            - silicon racking siphon
                            - dont forget the sanitizer
                            - heading into winter perhaps aquarium heater rigged through the lid, except if you can provide heat (not sun) some other way.

                            my old buckets have been repurposed as grain storage bins after changing lids, so when they get scratched you can reuse it.

                            I cant comment on lme/dme/cans or kit except that I've read that the yeast has suspect performance.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I have to say I'm quite happy with my starter kit. I didn't know about the crap hydrometers in the Cooper kits though, so that makes a difference. On the flipside, BevPlus has GREAT fermenters also for pretty cheap. 57l with grommet, tap and airlock for something like R388. Other stuff is shit expensive though.

                              Comment

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