Fastferment 7.9 gal Plastic Conical Fermenter With Floor Stand And Wall Mount

The unit is light weight and simple to use. The surfaces seem to be easy to clean and fairly resistant to staining. The valve does require disassembly to clean properly. One does need to be careful in tightening the fittings so that the unit does not leak but without overtightening. Use ample PTFE on the threads and hand-tighten on the looser side. Keep an eye out for leaks after filling and tighten as needed. Also, the main lid doesn't tighten that great without PTFE tape which can result in air escaping through the lid threads rather than the airlock which can make it hard to monitor fermentation status.

I'm never going back to brewing in carboys and jugs. The FastFerment is the real deal! I own two of these now, and they make it painless to bottle without sediment getting into the beer.So there is a lot of reviewers complaining that it leaks. Yes, it has the potential to leak, unlike a carboy. While I think this is a terrific product, the manufacturing of the plastic is average. There might be some burs and This is clearly to keep the cost to a minimum. The fermenter is actually made from two halves that have been sealed together, which leaves a bit of a seam around the whole thing, including the threads. This isn't actually a problem if you sand off any burrs, and if you screw parts on and off a few times before leaving them on. Use PLENTY of plumber's tape! (included in the kit) Always do a couple of dry runs with water to test for leaks! I promise you, this will not leak beer everywhere if you thoroughly test it beforehand. Let it sit with water for a few hours and, if it doesn't leak, you should be good to go. Don't be dissuaded if it leaks when testing it! Just unscrew the leaking part, replace the plumbers tape, and try again. You will get it!Some people don't like how the plastic is opaque. I don't mind this, especially since it is sufficient in blocking ambient sunlight, though I'm tempted to cut a little window in the lid. But really, if you've got a really bright flashlight, you can shine it through to see what's going on. The nice thing about this kind of plastic is, unlike most clear plastic, it isn't brittle, so there are lots of opportunities to mod this thing without as much risk for serious damage. The downside to this is little bits of plastic can easily scrape off. This can be prevented by doing a light sanding of the inside and deburring it on initial assembly, as well as using plastic scrubbing pads(not metal) when cleaning. After taking these steps, I never have any accidental plastic get in my beer. However, I do recommend you get an inline mesh strainer(can be found cheap on amazon). It's not critical by any means... you don't need it, but it's extra peace of mind that some chunk of something won't make it into your final product.So that's really it! I couldn't be happier with it.By the way, if you want your beer making experience to be even easier, get a cornelius keg! It's way, way easier than bottling. Bottling a small gallon batch isn't so bad, but try bottling 7.5 gallons! What a headache. Just get a keg!

I've seen a lot of different remedies and I'll be trying them but, out of the box, the top will not seal. I'm not sure why they bother providing an air lock. Nothing goes through. it. Part of the problem is the seam in the plastic. They might clean it up some but, not near enough. Plan on doing some work with sandpaper. I like what it does well enough to work around these issues but, I really shouldn't have to.

I have found the FastFerment products easy to use in brewing both beer and mead. The bottom collection ball is handy for collecting sediment without disrupting the fermentation process, and the wide top opening allows good access when adding nutrients, aerating my mead, etc. The customer service at FastBrewing was very helpful when the fermenter arrived without a missing part, for which they quickly shipped a replacement. One tip is to use an ample amount of teflon tape when attaching the fermenter's parts together, to get a good seal -- it can need more than the manual suggests, so don't be shy in adding as much as is needed to prevent leaks. Where there is a O-ring for the seal, adding keg-lube also helps.

If and when I buy another fermenter, this will be what I buy again. It sure beats buckets and carboys. It's a snap to set up and use. I had a batch of beer going shortly after washing and sanitizing. Sturdy construction, timely delivery and user friendly.

The top of threads on the lid have a shallow depression across the diameter, meaning this lid will never seal. I could not get the lid to thread properly, and it also feels like the lid is slightly too wide for the threads. Lots of manufacturing junk left on the threads as well. Poor quality control and now I have to return it.

Purchased with a small amount of trepidation from the myriad horror stories of leaking or not sealing well. First - follow the directions. There is info added to the booklet on how to readjust the ball valve in case it does leak. I placed 5 gallons of plain water in it, then added a schrader valve to the top lid and pressured to 10psi in an attempt to force a leak before I added an expensive wort. I let it sit for 24 hrs, and not a single drop leaked out. I then added the collection jar and did the same thing for another 24hrs. Again, no leaks. There is more than enough teflon tape included to wrap the threads on the fittings very well. No need to skimp on it. With all that said, you'll need a sharp knife to remove a good deal of plastic flashing left from the molding process. Just take your time. Likewise, the threads have some flash that I trimmed lightly - chasing the threads with the valve and collection jar before teflon taping. Be careful when threading on the top - it can easily get cross-threaded. Simply lightly press down on the cap while turning counter-clockwise until you feel the cap drop down a bit - a good indication the cap can now be threaded on without danger of cross-threading. The cap has a silicone O-ring in the top to help seal things, and the first few uses will require some additional muscle to get a good seal. Happy Brewing!