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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Gear/Equipment --> Torn between speidel and new kickstarter fermenter

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jeffrife
Riverside, NJ
25 Posts


I mainly ferment in better bottles in a chest freezer (can fit two of them for 11G). I want to up production, so I'm now looking at 14-15G fermenters to fit all 11 in one batch. 

I'm torn between two options:

Speidel 60L Fermenter
  • Pros: Tried and true, $90 after shipping
  • Cons: Still plastic
  • Question: I've heard of people having mold problems with the spigots after pulling samples. Is this true? I figure cleaning and sanitizing the spigot with a spray bottle would work
Chapman Kickstarter - 14G
  • Pros: Stainless and Shiny
  • Cons: Brand new product/untested, $150 after shipping




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by jeffrife

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


$150 for a 14 gallon stainless sounds like a good deal.  Of course, it *is* still $150.



Posted 34 days ago.

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


I've never ever seen a Kickstarter deliver on time.

It's Chinese SS.  Proceed with caution.

SS is heaver than plastic.

That's not to say don't get the SS, I just think that needs to be on your radar.

I've never had a problem with the spigots in my Speidels, but if you don't assemble the spigot correctly, I can see how you might have issues.




Posted 34 days ago.

jeffrife
Riverside, NJ
25 Posts


Thank you guys and good point about the stainless.

What size speidels are you using? Any downside so far?

I will be lifting them to about waist height after carrying them down  stairs....This makes me think I need a new method of transferring wort to my basement (still debating running 25' of silicone tubing to my fermenters). I'd have to put my pump on a float cutoff in my boil kettle though to prevent running dry (something like this: www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=...).




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by jeffrife

uberg33k
Charter Member
The Internet
314 Posts


I have 20L and 30L Speidels, but I really don't use the 30L anymore.  I just don't make batches that big.

The only real downside I've seen to the Speidels is they're barrel shaped, meaning the bow out in the middle.  Because of this bow, you can't fit as many in a given space as you might a smooth sided bucket.




Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


I love my Speidels, but use them mostly for wine and mead.

I have not had any of the mold issues and find them really nice to use - I love them much more than buckets. That said - some of the tops are a bit rough, which can be hard to clean. But the inside is very slippery - and cleaning with a soft rag has worked well. I have both the 60L and 30L. Light, easy to transport, etc.

Compared to my stainless conicals - they are just a lot less fuss to disassemble, clean and sanitize.




Posted 34 days ago.

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