Fermenters

 

Conical plastic fermenter with collection ball

This is your best bet to ferment your beer

It allows to conduct primary and secondary fermentations, as well as bottling without racking and, hence, with less risk of contamination or oxidation

Less work for better beer, you can’t ask for more

The collection ball is unique in that it allows to conduct a primary and secondary fermentations without racking and to easily recover the fine yeast upon bottling to use for your next batch

The conical shape reduces the surface of contact between the trub and the beer, which reduces the risk of astringency in the finished beer

The wall mount makes bottling a bliss

The general build quality is not exceptional, though, but it’s OK

The only actual downside of this fermenter is that it’s relatively pricey: $100 for the fermenter + $50 for the stand that you basically need
That’s a total of $150, whereas a $20 6.5 Gal (30L) bucket does the job just as fine

Speidel 30L plastic fermenter

The second best option (many brewers would tell you this is their first choice) it the Speidel 7.9 Gal (30L) plastic fermenter

The build quality is superb, the handles are very sturdy and convenient, it’s easy to clean and will last you a long time

Make sure to get the 7.9 Gal (30L) version, even for 5 Gal (20L) batches to allow even the wildest fermentations to be comfortable

The only downside of this fermenter is that the opening is not as large as on a standard bucket and may require a funnel if you don’t want your wort to splash outside of it

At $50 with its accessories, it’s a catch

6.5 Gal (30L) plastic bucket

Cheap does not mean “cheap”

These buckets have proven great for generations and you can’t go wrong with them

They are easy to clean and, at less than $20, you won’t hesitate to get a new one every couple of years if it gets too scratched from cleaning

Feel free to drill a second hole for a second spigot with a bottle filler to fill two bottles at the same time

Another major advantage of these buckets is that their opening is so wide, you can just open the spigot of the Braumeister and switch to other chores while the wort is flowing, like measuring Original Gravity or pitching yeast, and it won’t splash around

Stainless Steel conical fermenter

That’s the Rolls-Royce of fermenters

For those who have some extra cash to spend and want to offer the best fermenting conditions to their beer, nothing compares to stainless steel

No light, no scratches, no permeability, super durable, it’s no surprise professionals favor this material every time they can

On top of that, prices have significantly dropped recently, especially thanks to BrewTech who now offers a 7 Gal (30L) version for $200, which makes SS tanks finally affordable to the homebrewer

If you clean it properly, it will never get scratches that can host bacterias like plastic fermenters (although, if you use a non-scratch brush/sponge with plastic, it won’t get scratches either)

If you have the bucks or simply if you are feeling fancy, stainless steel is your number one choice

Keep in mind, though, that a stainless steel fermenter with 5 gallons (20L) of beer in it will not be as easy to move around or lift for bottling as a plastic bucket

Wrap up

Although the quality of the FastFerment conical fermenter definitely leaves to be desired, its features make it the most convenient fermenter out there
Being able to get rid of the trub, collect yeast, and bottle without racking is a major plus and reduces the risk of contamination

Just make sure you prim directly in the fermenter by carefully stirring the mix with a long plastic paddle (after you closed the valve and removed the collection ball) and you will get evenly carbonated bottles

It also costs about 10 times more than a standard plastic fermenter, so feel free to go for a bucket if you are short on cash, they work just as fine