What Is The Best Pressure Fermenter?

Now we know the science and practice behind what pressure fermentation is, we have the unenviable task of deciding what system we should adopt. There are so many products out there these days its impossible to go through them all here. Firstly, we have to decide are we going with plastic or stainless steel or maybe even glass?

Do we want a conical or all-rounder fermenter? Are we going for a non-pressure capable or pressurized fermenter? many home-brewers will tell you stainless steel is the way to go, this can be put down to durability and the fact they’re easier to clean. Not to mention they’re much more scratch resistant. Of course, plastic will never scratch if you are careful and treat it right. One such plastic conical fermenter is the Fermentasaurus, capable of containing 35 Litres or 9.25 Gallons. The Fermentasaurus is ideal if you want to be able to see your beer fermenting. The Fermentasaurus is ideal if you don’t yet have a CO2 set-up as it is a non-pressure capable system and comes with a butterfly dump valve, 500ml collection ball, as well as a 304 stainless steel frame with carrying handles.

The Fermentasaurus is ideal if you don’t yet have a CO2 set-up…

The Fermentasaurus also includes a barb for bottle filling from the bottom dump that accommodates 3/8" or 1/2" tubing. One concern brewers may have is the fact it is a clear vessel which may run the risk of your beer getting ‘skunky’. This can be avoided simply by putting a towel or t-shirt over the vessel thus eliminating any sunlight getting to it.

If its a allrounder system your looking for there is the FermZilla from KegLand, a plastic 60Liter (15.9 Gallon) or 30Liter (8 Gallon) vessel is one of the more affordable products out there. It also comes in a conical option with a yeast dump and valve. The FermZilla has a very easy to mange design which is ideal for cleaning. There are a number of extras that come with the FermZilla

· Stainless steel stand and handle

· 35psi pressure release valve with lid (with pull ring)

· 3 piece airlock

· Stainless steel pressure kit

If its a allrounder system your looking for, there is the FermZilla from KegLand

A very different pressure fermentation system is from SS Brewtech and their brewbucket series, with 5 variants to choose from: Firstly, we have the original ‘BrewBucket’ which comes in 4 sizes. Made from polished 304 Stainless Steel, it has a conical bottom allowing the trub to settle in such a way it has minimal contact with the beer. Other features include:

· Adjustable bottom for trub maneuverability

· Silicone Gasket Lid

· Spring-loaded Lid with an airtight seal

· Offset airlock as well as ½” lid hole suitable for silicone tube for a blow-off

Now we have the SS Brewtech Chronical Fermenter, like the Brewbucket it comes in 4 sizes 25.5 Liters(7 Gallons), 53 Liters(14 Gallons), 1/2 barrel (64Liters or 17 Gallons) and 1 barrel (155 Liters or 41 Gallons). The Chronical fermenter has a unique temperature control set-up, the system needs a separate source of chilled water, such as a cooler with ice cubes. It operates by keeping an eye on the fermenter’s temperature and using a tiny submersible pump to circulate cold water through the cooling coil as necessary.

We next come to the SS Brew tech Chronical Brewmaster Edition Pressure Fermenter, this version of the series differs in such that it now comes with butterfly-type valves, a side-mounted coil as well as Neoprene jacket insulation. It also comes with:

· 3" TC port on the top

· Rotatable racking arm

· LCD Thermometer

A built-in chilling coil and a neoprene jacket are included with the Ss BrewTech Unitank to assist prevent heat loss.

We draw our attention now to the SS BrewTech Unitank at 17 inches wide and 42 inches tall its quite a step up in terms of size and also has a increased pressure rating of 15psi a big step up from the previous fermenters who have a 1psi pressure rating. It also adopts a unibody design which means no lids or clamps. A built-in chilling coil and a neoprene jacket are included with the Ss BrewTech Unitank to assist prevent heat loss. Simply attach it to a chilling source, like a cooler filled with ice water or one of their glycol chillers, instead of putting it in a chest freezer. The Unitank also comes with

· LCD Thermometer

· Sampling Valve

· Blow-Off Cane

· Shelf and Carb Stone

Finally, we have the SS BrewTech Jacketed Unitank which in turn is a big elevation in volume with a 1 barrels (155 liters or 41 Gallons) 2 barrels (310 Liters or 82 Gallons) and 3.5 Barrels (542.5 Liters or 143.5 Gallons). Steeping into a commercial-type brewing set-up the BrewTech Jacketed Unitank is ideal for nano-breweries. With generally thicker material and a more robust design it also includes:

· Cone and Body glycol jackets

· 3” dry hop port and PRV

· Pressure gauge as well as blow-off tube

· Zwickle sampling valve

· 4mm stiffener plate with adjustable feet

FastFerment produce a range of conical fermenters, technically a one-stage plastic fermenter in 3 Gallon (11.5 Liters) 8 Gallon (30 Liters) and a 14 Gallon (53 Liters) option. Ideal for those who wish to do primary and secondary fermentation in the same vessel, eliminating the need to transfer into a carboy. One benefit when using the FastFerment series conical fermenters over other brands is when fermenting the trub will rise above the dump valve resulting in having to flush out the sediment resulting in loss of beer, as well as yeast being reintroduced into the beer upon removing the dump bulb. The FastFerment comes with

Ideal for those who wish to do primary and secondary fermentation in the same vessel, eliminating the need to transfer into a carboy.

· Carrying Strap

· Low Profile Sturdy Stand

· Collection Ball

· Sample Port (pre-measured drill bit included)

· Insulated Jacket

· Thermowell Thermometer

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