[Saccharomyces]

I purchased a 6.5-gallon HDPE bucket to use as a primary fermenter.  I have not used a bucket for primary fermentation since my third batch. However, when I specified my requirements for a fermentation vessel, the lowly plastic bucket was the only fermentation vessel that came close to meeting them. The most critical requirement is that I need to be able to carry my fermentation vessel from my garage down into my basement while using only one hand going down stairs. I am reaching an age where I need to use the handrail, especially on stairs with small treads.  A plastic bucket also has the advantage of being able to carry it with a solid lid and then switch out to a drilled lid.  This decision was not easy for me to make because I have always considered buckets to be on the bottom of the heap.  I thought about using one of this no-chill cubes to transport wort down into my basement and then transferring to a little less ghetto fermentation vessel, but then I would have to clean and sanitize two containers.

[tommymorris]

I have a 6.5 gallon bucket for my occasional 5 gallon batches. The only negatives: the handle digs into my hands when carrying it full and getting the lid off is a bit of a pain.

Carrying 5 gallons of beer down a flight of stairs is tough. Be careful.

[Bob357]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

[reverseapachemaster]

I've been using the same bucket I bought with a brew kit when I started brewing eleven years ago. I've killed off infections in it and brewed everything from one to five gallons in it. It's my trusty fermentation vessel for anything not sour/brett that is more than a gallon. I know people dump on them because there's no cool factor with a bucket but unless you transfer under pressure or you are aging fragile beers they cannot be beat for their ease of use.

[BrewBama]

Since I’ve eliminated lifting hot water chest high with a pump, because I use a BrewBucket with two side handles carrying the FV downstairs without access to the handrail is probably the riskiest thing I do on brewday.

I’ve considered, then quickly dismissed, running a hose from the brewhaus down to the FV in the basement.

Then I’ve thought a simpler solution may be to rack to a keg which is easier to carry one handed and then push the wort into the FV with CO2. ...but then I would loose the dead space of the keg and ferment less than my desired 5.5 gal.

I need some sort of trolly or dumb waiter. One of those stair climbing hand trucks might work. I could sell it to the finance committee as a way to get seasonal decorations up and down the stairs.

...of course a bucket is a whole lot cheaper and could aid in further trüb removal if I let the wort settle and rack carefully.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[denny]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

[erockrph]

If you ferment in a keg, you could seal it and roll it down the stairs 

I say this with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but I could forsee a future where I put some padding at the bottom of my basement stairs and give this a try.

[ajjensen147]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

[joe_meadmaker]

I've been using the same bucket I bought with a brew kit when I started brewing eleven years ago.

Same here.

[tommymorris]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

I found this on YouTube. https://youtu.be/huZ2ZnO2630

I was amazed.

[jeffy]

Since I’ve eliminated lifting hot water chest high with a pump, because I use a BrewBucket with two side handles carrying the FV downstairs without access to the handrail is probably the riskiest thing I do on brewday.

I’ve considered, then quickly dismissed, running a hose from the brewhaus down to the FV in the basement.

Then I’ve thought a simpler solution may be to rack to a keg which is easier to carry one handed and then push the wort into the FV with CO2. ...but then I would loose the dead space of the keg and ferment less than my desired 5.5 gal.

I need some sort of trolly or dumb waiter. One of those stair climbing hand trucks might work. I could sell it to the finance committee as a way to get seasonal decorations up and down the stairs.

...of course a bucket is a whole lot cheaper and could aid in further trüb removal if I let the wort settle and rack carefully.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Kegs are available in bigger sizes.
Also, is “finance committee” a euphemism for “spouse?”

[denny]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

Yeah, I know, I've done it.  But with a bucket of liquid?  Even covered, I see the bumps on the stairs as a problem.

[ajjensen147]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

Yeah, I know, I've done it.  But with a bucket of liquid?  Even covered, I see the bumps on the stairs as a problem.

Ah, I see what you're saying.  Then again, I guess you just have to weigh that against the potential dangers of carrying down the stairs.  I would think as long as you have a good seal on the lid and strap the bucket to the hand truck the worry of spilling is reduced.

[Saccharomyces]

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

The only hand trucks that I know of that are equipped to go downstairs are designed for delivering appliances.

[denny]

Have you considered a hand truck? I've been using one to haul fermenters around for several years.

Down stairs?

A lot of hand trucks wheels are designed to go up/down stairs.  Granted, you have to be cautious when navigating a full flight.

Yeah, I know, I've done it.  But with a bucket of liquid?  Even covered, I see the bumps on the stairs as a problem.

Ah, I see what you're saying.  Then again, I guess you just have to weigh that against the potential dangers of carrying down the stairs.  I would think as long as you have a good seal on the lid and strap the bucket to the hand truck the worry of spilling is reduced.

As one who's done it, I can tell you it ain't easy and it's a mess.  At least when I did it.