steel fermenter and other fermenting questions

1. Yes you can ferment in steel but you need a way to close it off and have some sort of air lock.
2. temp makes a lot of difference. most ales should be done around 68-72 degrees some even cooler, lagers need to be done around 48-50. also keep in mind fermenting generates its own heat.
3. secondary fermenting is tranferring the wort to another vessel after primary is done to let it clear and get it off the dead yeast and other unfermentable material.

So, could I frement in fermenting buckets and then use the keg as the secondary fermenter? When you say "close it off..air lock" do you mean that it must be airtight or just keep stuff out?

Also, is there any downside to fermenting in plastic buckets as opposed to glass carboys?

Thanks,

Dave

I do all of my primary ferments in plastic buckets, and secondary in corny kegs. You can get a gas-in quick disconnect and affix a piece of hose to allow for venting. I wouldn't do your primary ferment in a corny keg, as you are likely to loose a great deal of you beer to blow-off.

IMO, only one - you can't watch the fermentation (very cool). But, you don't have to worry about breaking a carboy and losing your brew.

Beer here,

Mike

-- sarge0503 at sbabootcamp dot commercial

How easy is it to break a carboy? Mine will be siting up on a shelf and I'd hate to see my stuff get soaked. Dave

I've only broken one...they break fairly easily unless you're very careful. The real problem is that they toally shatter and send shards of glass flying everywhere. I've read too many horror stories of trips to the emergency room for stitches. If you can find a better place tha a shelf for it, I'd recommend it.

------------->Denny

As Denny noted, it's pretty easy, especially when compared to a plastic bucket or a corny keg.

You can now get PET carboys (I've seen them a

for the price of a glass carboy. As long as you don't leave your brew in them for months on end, you shouldn't have any problems with oxidation.

Best place for kegs is

Tough to beat at $12.50 (I recommend getting new gaskets, too for an addl $2.25). I've purchase more that 20 kegs from them - great folks.

Beer here,

Mike

-- sarge0503 at sbabootcamp dot commercial