When I make mead or a beer that I want to sit and age for an extended period I like to keep it in a glass container. Since meads tend to sit in primary for months and the flavors are delicate I prefer glass fermenters. I also use glass secondary fermenters with both mead and beer.
In the past the only real option has been to use a glass carboy. If you don’t drop it, a glass fermenter will last you a lifetime. They don’t scratch or absorb tastes and odors. The problem is that they are really tough to get clean.
A few months ago I found a potential solution. It is the Big Mouth Bubbler. I needed a second glass primary fermenter anyway so I ordered a 6.5 gallon model so I could check it out.
The Big Mouth Bubbler is a glass carboy with a lid that screws on and a mouth that is big enough for you to reach inside and clean. Gone are the days of struggling to get that last little piece of crud off with your angled carboy brush. You can hit every square inch of the inside of this thing with your wash rag or scrubby.
So far the only downside that I found is that it is a little more difficult to pick up than a traditional carboy. It turns out that narrow neck is perfect for grabbing on to when you want to tip the carboy a little to pick it up. So my recommendation would be to also get a carrying harness for it or to make your own.
Other than that I’ve been happy with mine. When I am in the market for a new 6.5 gallon glass primary or 5 gallon secondary in the future this is the product that I am going to go with.
What kind of fermenters do you use and why? I’d love to hear what you think. Comment below and while you’re at it subscribe to my email list in the sidebar to get 60 Minute Mash posts via email.
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