Coopers assimilates Mr. Beer

[swenocha]

I say kudos to them. I agree that this should have been done a while ago. The funny thing for me on that page, though, is that the new 8Lx fermenter is listed as their "most popular kit," yet it doesn't come available until 10/20. How in the heck is it their most popular kit when it's not available yet, and the LBK has been around forever?

[alb]

I’ve had A Cooper’s 24L fermenter since I started brewing and it was always my favorite. The spigot is SWEET. Clicks in firmly, doesn’t leak, and is a cinch to clean and sanitize. In fact, the whole thing cleans up easy. So if the 8L is just like it, it will be good. Mine is kind of opaque. I kept the box it came in and turn it over the top as a “fermenter garage” while brewing. I could just lift it off to perve. It does keep a little heat in that way, though. It’s not enough to make me go back to MrB but it’s a good decision on their part to offer these, I think.

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[The_Professor]

If they continue to sell Mr. Beer kits during the Holidays and offer the other fermenters on their website it is a great way to channel upgrades to their equipment.

The Mr. Beer kits have got to sell better as gift items to people that don't brew already.

[Beerlabelman]

When it comes to fermenters, I love the big mouth bubbler. I have a 6.5 & a 5 Gallon Glass. I love them so much I'm going to marry them.

[Crazy Climber]

When it comes to fermenters, I love the big mouth bubbler. I have a 6.5 & a 5 Gallon Glass. I love them so much I'm going to marry them.

I am seriously thinking about moving away from LBK's and getting a plastic BMB, myself. If they came out with a 3-gallon glass BMB, I might marry one (if SWMBO would let me, that is).

[mashani]

No spigot = no go for me. I guess I could drill a hole in a 3 gallon BMB if it was plastic, but the LBC is fine, don't see the point there for me personally. LBC has a "big mouth" compared to an LBK anyways.

[M42]

I really like the Speidel Plastic Fermenter - 30L. It's a lot cheaper than the Cooper's or Mr. Beer 24L kit and seems to be a lot sturdier.

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[RickBeer]

Aren't you comparing apples to oranges since the Mr. Beer 24L comes with HME, bottles, and other stuff, as does the Coopers - i.e. they are kits?

I suspect that once Mr. Beer gets the unit shipping and can build inventory you'll see the fermenter listed by itself just like an LBK is now (for $10). No idea what they will price it at.

On a different question - for something like the 30L Speidel, do you ferment sitting on the floor or in a fermentation chamber? My basement gets to 62 in the winter, I would love to have something bigger to brew with but cannot fit anything bigger than an LBK into my fermentation freezer. Wondering if temps would still be ok (should be) in a 62 degree environment.

If I were to buy something that held 5 or more gallons, having TWO handles to carry the weight (i.e. two people) would be quite nice.

[DaYooper]

Rick, that is around the temp my basement gets to as well. When starting fermentation I set my pail on the ground under a large garbage can covered with a comforter and a paint can heater inside. When the fermentation slows I put a piece of carpet under the pail so the heat sink (ie ground) doesnt make much of an effect. So far this has been a nice, cheap way to maintain temps albeit not for lagering which is done in the cooler pantry.

[mashani]

In my basement there is up to a 8 degree temperature difference between floor level and near ceiling level. I have a bookshelf that I use to hold the LBCs, which gives me 3 "tiers" to place it on, floor, middle, top. This gives me the ability to move them down if I want a 2-3 degrees lower ambient, or move up if I want 2-3 degrees more, so I might start on the low shelf and later move it to the top to finish. That works out as "enough" temperature control for me as I brew with the seasons, IE in the summer I'm brewing beers that like it warmer (Belgians, Saisons, etc.), spring and fall I can brew any kind of real ale or Kolsch with White Labs yeast or steam beers, in the winter I can brew anything, but I tend to just brew the 'clean' beers, Wyeast Kolsch, German ales, IPAs, APAs using Notty, etc. - in the coldest parts of winter I can brew lagers in the mid 50s on the floor in the unfinished part of the basement.

If I didn't like all types of beer I'd get a fridge, but since I do, I don't see the need, I just brew what I can based on what temps I've got.