Rubbermaid Brute fermenters

Just in case you have trouble finding the container:

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I'll be buying one this fall for cab- 25 gallons in a 32 gallon fermenter is the max I'm told. Once it slows down I'll press it into

15 gallon demijons.

Maybe I shouldn't shoot for so much > In the archives here, I've run into a comments about using a Rubbermaid

These Rubbermaid Brute containers are only intended for the primary fermentation phase... they are not meant for long term storage. Demijohns (as mentioned below) or used beer kegs are the better choice for the secondary fermentation and aging phases.

The Rubbermaid Brute containers seal as well as the ceramic crocks my dad used to make his beer in. You can make a gasket out of teflon rope (from industrial supply companies such as

01611 )to get a little better seal, but you're still not going to get a perfect seal. The plastic sealing surfaces just aren't stiff enough to hold their shape against any mechanical distortion, and you'd need to design a clamping ring (ala drum head clamp ring) to apply the needed force to create the seal.

Good luck. Gene

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

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In one of my wine making books the author seals his brute containers with duct tape for carbonic maceration.

Adam Preble wrote:

greetings! I've used a Brute for a while now. Make sure you get a white one, NSF approved. Last winter I had a batch of peach wine in primary ferm for 7 weeks w/ a towel & bungees, but that's little use to you. Things that I've seen or done , as a food service professional, that may be of use:

place the whole (32 gal) brute inside a much larger (55 gal) XHVY clear food grade utility/trash bag and tie it tight.

use foil: 2 or 3 pcs, dull side to dull, triplefold a seam creased well. this'll give you a decent seal if you gently unfold it over the vessel. Start at th seams and crinkle the edges under the barrel lip. NB not your best choice for acidic items.

of course, there's always sheets of rubberized gasket material from pepboys & a buttload of c clamps or c jaw visegrips. the material is "relatively" innocuous... but we've used it & we're still relatively brain damaged

HTH bobdrob

Yes, they're food grade, come with a lid, and can be purchased with an optional wheel kit.

I've used them to ferment reds on the skins. When you press the wine off of the skins, the wine goes into glass, stainless or oak. The "trash can" is not to be used for long term storage of the wine, just the initial fermentation of a week or two (or three). There is no gasket to make it airtight.

You'll need to punch down the "cap" or floating skins several times a day. Use something that doesn't scratch up the inside of the container. I use a plastic paddle from an outdoor sporting goods store.

If you really need a larger fermenter than is usual for beer, consider a 15, 30, or 55 gallon stainless barrel with a removeable head. They are airtight, and can be fitted with a bung and airlock. If you don't need a removeable head, they are even easier to find.

Best of Luck

Use gray,white or yellow not blue. The blue is one not food grade