What do some of you use for fermenting vessels? I've experimented with all
sorts of things, from used pickle or relish jars, to plastic milk jugs, to
mason jars...

I like the plastic milk jug the best of the vessels not designed for it.
For afew reasons.
First, if the pressure gets too much to handle, a burst half-gallon jug is
alot less dangerous than a shattered glass jar or bottle. Second, I like
the lid arrangement. If I need to release pressure, the slightest twist can
do just that, without exposing too much of the elements. Thirdly, with
everyone drinking milk/tea/eggnog/whatever, there's always a good ready
supply of empties to take charge of.

Right now, I'm fermenting my ginger beer in a half-gal Gustafson Farms
Eggnog jug, with 2 smaller pickle jars for secondary just in case. That
way, even if one of them doesn't take, I've still got spares to work with.

Are you referring to making your own Growlers? Or are you referring to an
actual fermentation vessel of a 1/2 gallon variety?
Just curious
Joe

"Chris" <rrufiange@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:BN2Gb.68147$Dt6.1708656@twister.tampabay.rr.com...[color=blue]
> What do some of you use for fermenting vessels? I've experimented with[/color]
all[color=blue]
> sorts of things, from used pickle or relish jars, to plastic milk jugs, to
> mason jars...
>
> I like the plastic milk jug the best of the vessels not designed for it.
> For afew reasons.
> First, if the pressure gets too much to handle, a burst half-gallon jug is
> alot less dangerous than a shattered glass jar or bottle. Second, I like
> the lid arrangement. If I need to release pressure, the slightest twist[/color]
can[color=blue]
> do just that, without exposing too much of the elements. Thirdly, with
> everyone drinking milk/tea/eggnog/whatever, there's always a good ready
> supply of empties to take charge of.
>
> Right now, I'm fermenting my ginger beer in a half-gal Gustafson Farms
> Eggnog jug, with 2 smaller pickle jars for secondary just in case. That
> way, even if one of them doesn't take, I've still got spares to work with.
>
>[/color]

"Joe" <daddee2@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Qy5Gb.185481$_M.844378@attbi_s54...[color=blue]
>
> Are you referring to making your own Growlers? Or are you referring to an
> actual fermentation vessel of a 1/2 gallon variety?
> Just curious
> Joe[/color]

Either/or.

Just wondering what non-standard containers the other homebrewers might put
to use.
This is my first experiment with around-the-house empties and it seems to be
going pretty well so far, better in fact than I had expected.

Chris wrote:[color=blue]
> What do some of you use for [alternative] fermenting vessels?[/color]

Any old food grade bucket will do quite nicely. Sometimes restaurants
toss out 20L plastic buckets that used to hold cheese in brine. These
are virtually odourless and easy to clean if you get them as soon as
they are done with the bucket. If you are lucky, they come with an
airtight lid. Drilling a hole for the airlock can be done with a pocket
knife - although a bit of GladWrap (ClingWrap) with a few pin pricks and
a large rubber band are just as good.

If you are partial to darker beers, such as stouts and bocks, I suggest
bottling a few of them into plastic Coke bottles. This is great when you
want to have a beer or two, but for one reason or another want to drink
it without others being aware. BYO beer to a sports game being a prime
example - or perhaps a nice brew with your lunch sandwich at work :)

Peter.