Budget Bunnings Fermenter

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Friday Nov 17, 2006 2:27 pm

Just had a tour through the new Bunnings in S. Nowra and spotted 25 liter fermenter style plastic drums with tap hole and large round screw on lid and rubber seal - $16.95. Just need a hole and grommet in the lid.

Cheers, Geoff.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Saturday Nov 18, 2006 11:08 am

Just be careful, as the don't always seal very well- especially around the tap, which can come loose. That's a terrible way to lose 20L of beer.

pure_stoke · Post by **pure_stoke** » Saturday Nov 18, 2006 5:54 pm

I made one of these recently to use as my secondary. i put a grommet and airlock in the lid and a tap in the bottom and it worked fine. i do agree that the tap threads are a bit dodgy tho. i find with mine i cannot do it up too tight, but have had no trouble with leaks

atropine · Post by **atropine** » Sunday Nov 19, 2006 11:25 am

I had a look at them. My home brew shop sells 27.5l fermenters for $20 and appear to be of much better quality. (the ones with the square bases), so for the extra $3 I"ll buy the better quality one.

Cortez The Killer · Monday Nov 20, 2006 11:35 am

I use a bunnings one for secondaries

I discarded the lid and am using glad wrap

you are right about the tap

i need to screw it on pretty tight

but haven't had any leaks though

it does the job

cheers

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Monday Nov 20, 2006 1:56 pm

I've had 2 of the bunnings jobs and I've given up using both of them because, 1 I was unable to get a perfect seal around the tap, Once whilst moving the fermenter I ripped the tap out and lost a few litres of beer, whilst hopping around trying madly to get the tap back in place, and 2. the plastic isn't as good as the ones sold in the HBS.

You can pick up spare gromets from most supermarkets that sell home brew, a couple of bucks for 3.

AC

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Thursday Dec 07, 2006 3:50 pm

Looked at 25L fermenter style here for $32 in Bunnings
They look like Tooheys fermentor and are for water storage with tap and are blue in colour.Thought be good for secondary/bottler?
Anyone try these?
Darwin we is used to getting ripped off price wise you would be hard pressed to find a fermetor under $50

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Thursday Dec 07, 2006 4:25 pm

Haven't tried those but for bulk priming or lagering/cold conditioning you might have more luck at a camping store, they sell the 20 or 22L cubes with tap threads. For SA brewers I have a thread in The Store section along these lines, which is probably where this thread belongs.

The cubes are $12.99 at my local sports/camping store.

Scatts · Post by **Scatts** » Friday Dec 08, 2006 9:30 am

I use the Bunnings 'fermenters' with no problem. - I remove the ring seal from the lid and then discard the lid. Cover the 'fermenter' with gladwrap and use the ring seal to hold it in place (elastic band works just as well). 'Burp' the seal every couple of days. - I found this method somewhere on this forum about a year ago.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Friday Dec 08, 2006 9:41 am

You don't even need to 'burp' the fermenter- it does that itself.

pixelboy · Post by **pixelboy** » Friday Dec 08, 2006 11:58 am

Scatts wrote:Cover the 'fermenter' with gladwrap and use the ring seal to hold it in place (elastic band works just as well). 'Burp' the seal every couple of days.

You can put one or two pin holes in the glad wrap and no need for burping.

I often do this with my secondary when I rack into a couple of 15l fresh wort containers

Scatts · Post by **Scatts** » Friday Dec 08, 2006 12:03 pm

pixelboy wrote: two pin holes in the glad wrap

Great Idea! Thanks

Tickstar · Post by **Tickstar** » Friday Jan 05, 2007 1:45 pm

Picked up one of the bunnings 25l round drums. For $16 can't complain. And the girl at the register didn't scan the tap so got it for free

Might try using a bit of plumbers tape around the tap thread if the seal's a bit loose.

Now I can rack and bulk prime. Woohoo!

buscador · Post by **buscador** » Friday Jan 05, 2007 2:18 pm

quick question and cant believe im asking really but,

how do you burp?

i mean how do you burp a non-lid gladwrapped and band over that sealed on top- how do you burp?

got me up late at nite thinking about these things...
b

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Friday Jan 05, 2007 3:08 pm

just pull the rubber band out a bit to let some of the CO2 'whoosh' out?

buscador · Post by **buscador** » Friday Jan 05, 2007 3:34 pm

oh a "whoosh"
i read "burp" earlier..

those are 2 completely different sounds in a Batman fight scene!

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Friday Jan 05, 2007 3:56 pm

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Friday Jan 19, 2007 9:34 pm

I was gonna mention the white plumbers teflon tape around the thread of the tap as well....seems to work on the dodgiest of fermenters I've had, though having said that, you screw that puppy too far and it's stripped thread city!

Hashie · Post by **Hashie** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 8:08 am

If your worried about the tap, you could always leave the plug in and just siphon out.

A fermtech auto siphon will do it a treat.

Cortez The Killer · Monday Jan 22, 2007 9:33 am

Have a look at aussie disposals they have a 25L + 30L fermenter style water container

It appears to be of a higher grade plastic than the bunnings version

They are a bit taller + skinnier than the coopers ones

I had a leak with my 25L bunnings one the other day - very messy - it appears to be of very poor workmanship - but isn't everything at bunnings

Cheers