Fermenters and fermentation tanks for beer, wine and cider

A fermenter is the vessel your wort, must or juice ferments in. Here you will find plastic fermenting buckets, Speidel fermenters from 12 to 120 litres, glass carboys, PET pressure fermenters from Keg King, and conical fermenters and unitanks in stainless steel from Brewtools, Grainfather and Handcraft Supplies. Lids, gaskets, taps and other spare parts are here too.

Choosing a fermenter

Size: The vessel needs headspace above the brew, or the krausen will push up into the airlock. For a 20–25 litre batch most brewers use a 30–33 litre vessel, such as the 33 litre fermenting bucket with tap and lid or the Speidel 30 litre fermenter.
Material: Plastic buckets (PP and HDPE) are light and affordable. PET is transparent and oxygen-tight, but handles 60 °C at most. Glass, like the 11 litre glass carboy, is oxygen-tight and well suited to ageing. Stainless steel is easy to clean and lasts for many years.
Pressure: A pressure fermenter lets you ferment under pressure, carbonate and serve from the same tank. The Apollo 30L Snub Nose from Keg King is pressure tested at 5 bar at the factory in Australia and rated to 8 bar. The Fermenter King Junior 20L is a compact pressure fermenter you can ferment, carbonate and serve from.
Conical and temperature control: In a conical fermenter the yeast settles in the cone, so you can dump it and take samples. The Grainfather GF30 Conical Fermenter Pro has a built-in heating element, cooling jacket and wireless controller. The Handcraft Supplies 25L is a 304 stainless conical for up to 23 litres.

Types of fermenter

Type	Examples	Suits
Plastic bucket	Project Brew 33 litres, Enolandia 16 litres	First brews, beer, wine and cider
Speidel HDPE fermenter	12, 20, 30, 60 and 120 litres, oval 60 and 100 litres	Beer, wine and cider, including larger batches
Glass carboy	5 and 11 litres	Small batches, wine, mead and ageing
PET pressure fermenter	Fermenter King Junior 10 and 20 litres, Apollo 30 and 60 litres	Pressure fermentation, carbonation and serving
Stainless steel	Brewtools MiniUni 30, Apollo Titan 30L, Grainfather GF30	Long life and temperature control

The Brewtools MiniUni is rated for 2 bar and can be used for pressure fermentation with the pressure kit. For the tanks there are insulation jackets, cooling jackets, floating dip tubes, spare lids and seal kits.

Fermenter FAQ

What size fermenter do I need for 20 litres of beer?

Choose a 30–33 litre vessel. That leaves room for the krausen at peak fermentation and keeps it out of the airlock.

What is the difference between a fermenter and a fermentation tank?

Fermenter usually refers to simple plastic or glass vessels and buckets. Fermentation tank usually refers to PET or stainless tanks that handle pressure, have a conical bottom or connect to cooling.

Why ferment under pressure?

Fermenting under pressure carbonates the beer in the tank, and you can transfer it to a keg without exposing it to oxygen. You need a pressure fermenter and a spunding valve to hold the pressure at the right level.

Can I use the same fermenter for beer, wine and cider?

Yes. What matters is that the vessel is cleaned and sanitised thoroughly between batches. Replace plastic fermenters with deep scratches, since bacteria can hide in them.