BeerBorg

LBC = Little Brown Conical (Brew Demon)
LBK = Little Brown Keg (Mr. Beer)

Either way they are pretty much the same and will both produce good to great beer depending on your experience level.

I have friends who have been brewing for years with their LBK's and their beer is better than anything in the supermarket's.

I have been brewing for a little while and am starting to produce really good tasting beer, my first batch was still better than the usual beer found at the 7-11, or supermarket. So just settle in have fun, experiment but remember the most important things are water choice and cleaning your gear.

Got a dubbel like patersbier split between my 2 shiny new LBCs. Out of habbit I did it as a 4.8 gallon batch because as 5 it would have blown up my LBKs. Looking at the LBCs, now I realize I could have done it as a true 5 gallon batch and it would have been ok.

I'd still not do that with 3787 but for WLP500 it's good.

+1 for LBCs in that regards.

I really like the LBC's. check out Brew Demon on facebook I have put toe togather, and you could even bottle off of the 2 at the same time as well using simple T fittings and a little hose.

Was that yours with the T'd off airlocks? That was pretty awesome.

Yes thats my set up. I can connect the bottons and bottle 5 gallon batches as well. I plan to add 2 more giving me 10 gallon batches as well.

Here' s a picture of my set-up. Im making plans to add 2 more.

FWIW, here are my LBC vs LBK first full brewing cycle experiences:

Lugging around: LBK is honestly a bit easier to lug. Putting LBC in the base when full would be dangerous to the spigot or could spill, so you have to lug it with the base attached when full. LBK wins there. LBC legs in the base would fall out which annoyed me at first, but I just glued them on, now they don't annoy me anymore.

Headspace: LBC - gave me a good bit more headspace. Nice when using some of the yeasts I use. LBC wins.

Fermentation: LBC made good beer I think based on sample. LBK does too though. Can't say if one or the other is better yet.

Bottling: Bottling went faster out of the LBC. The last bottles filled fast, where with the LBK the last bottles kind of drag. I got more beer out of it without resorting to tilting then I did with the LBK. That means less trub in the last bottle. LBC wins.

Cleaning: LBK fits in the sink better. But LBC was WAY EASIER to actually clean. The trub ring was wiped off in a flash. There are no protuberances or other weird bits that are difficult to clean. I was actually tempted to not bother with an oxyclean soak, it was that clean looking that fast. (I did still end up doing it just to be sure). I'm giving this one to the LBC.

Considering you can put an airlock on the LBC if you want, that's a + for the LBC too.

So I think I'm going to say LBC FTW.

Nice summary Mashani. I was able to buy the air lock with the rubber grommet for about $1.50 at the LHBS. I really think it makes a nice addition to the fermenter.

Brewed and put my second batch (a Northern English Brown) in it tonight without incident. I did it as a true 2.5 gallon batch, which I would never have done in the LBK. I think I have enough headspace here to do it.

LouieMacGoo wrote:Nice summary Mashani. I was able to buy the air lock with the rubber grommet for about $1.50 at the LHBS. I really think it makes a nice addition to the fermenter.

What about the lid grommet? The ones that came with mine don't seem to truly seal the lid. Did you replace yours?

mashani wrote:

LouieMacGoo wrote:Nice summary Mashani. I was able to buy the air lock with the rubber grommet for about $1.50 at the LHBS. I really think it makes a nice addition to the fermenter.

What about the lid grommet? The ones that came with mine don't seem to truly seal the lid. Did you replace yours?

My older LBC came with the "bubbler" option witch included a thicker lid gasket so it seals without a problem. My newest fermenter has a little bit more of a lip to it and a slightly deeper thread so it has a good seal. I have read that some people have solved the seal issue by simply placing a small weight (paper weight or book) on the lidto help maintain the seal.

I posted some questions first-time on 9/7, and got some helpful friendly advice, thanks. For the record, BrewDemon's American Prophecy Ale was my first attempt, 2 weeks in the fermenter (I know, but I had a hydrometer that said it was okay, but 3 weeks in the fermenter from now on anyway, I decided), and as of today 5 weeks in the bottle, several days in the fridge, and I must say the result is beer I wouldn't be reluctant to serve to anyone.
I had a batch of One Evil Pilsner (I could do without the cute names they make up, but what the heck) in the fermenter 3 weeks and so far 16 days in bottles, so the waiting game...
My question is, if anyone has had this kind of thing to happen: I put a batch of BD's IPA in the fermenter on 10/7; on the second day the yeast worked furiously, the bubbler (the S-shaped kind) chugging away and a lot of krausen; by the third day it subsided quickly and for the next 13 days it lay dormant and flat. No activity at all that I could see. I was just about to get out the hydrometer and see if 2 weeks had been long enough. But last night and all today the krausen has reformed and the bubbler is bubbling, not furiously but sedately, about twice a minute. So I guess the yeast can lie "dormant" for a while and give the impression it has quit, when in fact it hasn't. So 3 weeks in the ferm for this for sure. Have any of you guys (or ladies) had this experience?

redwhite11 wrote:Concerning the ferment temps, that's a concern. Summer is supposed to be over here in Santa Fe, but the daytime temps are in the high 80s, and even with a small window cooler it's hard to keep the room temp below 78-80, and the thermometer on the fermenter has been pretty constant around 75-79. So we'll see.

I'm pretty new to this as well, I'm only on my fourth batch. I also have had issues with controlling the ferment temp as I live in FL and room temp is about 77-78 in summer (and fall, and part of winter and spring as well!). My first two batches were fermented at 77-78 and came out a bit off initially, but cleaned up with conditioning. I am now using a "swamp cooler" for my LBK. Just a picnic cooler large enough for the LBK to fit into, filled with water about halfway up. I put frozen water bottles in the water to control the temp. The water acts as a buffer so as not to cool down or warm up the LBK too quickly. This works well with the LBK but I can't think of a way to do this with Brewdemon's LDC as it's larger and more vertical.

it's larger and more vertical.

That's what she said!

Ibasterd wrote:

it's larger and more vertical.

That's what she said!