There are many ways to ferment sugars, whether from sugar cane, fruits or seeds. Each process involves maceration and distillation until the final result. You must work with care, as you may perform the method wrong and ruin it.
There are two types of fermentation: alcoholic and acetic or vinegar. An error while making the liquor can cause an acetic fermentation. Not only will you not have alcohol content in your beer, but the taste will be horrible.
A piece of unique equipment for alcoholic fermentation is the Big Mouth Bubbler. It allows you to produce handmade alcohol in a relaxed and straightforward way.
What are Big Mouth Bubblers?
They are hermetically sealed containers of various sizes. Their function is to ferment juices and sugars to produce alcohol. They are simple devices and easy to acquire; they have a lid with rubber seals to prevent air access.
The great importance of these containers in alcoholic fermentation is their ability to prevent air access. Sugars in contact with air degrade differently, producing a vinegar-flavored fermentation.
The container has a meter to determine the amount of liquid introduced. In some cases, it can include several accessories such as a bra; this accessory allows the Big Mouth Bubbler to hang during the distillation process. Others come with a filter to purify the fermented liquid to complete the manufacturing process.
Other containers have crushing and liquefying equipment to join all the ingredients into a single mixture or juice. The pot allows different recipes to be created and fermented separately, then filtered for removing waste.
There’s equipment for homemade, artisan and even commercial beers. You can create different versions and flavors for the same type of beer. Large beer franchises use this brewing method to brew customized versions for their products.
Why do you need a Big Mouth Bubbler?
- Store more beer.
This production method allows you to brew more beer. The volume of liquid that the container can tolerate exceeds 25L. Another factor is that it does not take up much space and does not require a particular storage space. These qualities make it possible to have a large number of elements, each with the same or different recipes.
- More resistant to impacts.
The containers are mostly of hardened plastic with a thickness of 5 centimeters. Its characteristics make it difficult to break or crack. It can withstand a large number of blows without denting or breaking.
Another quality is that it does not corrode or rust. As it is a non-metallic element, you avoid 100% the risk of contamination and loss of the product due to corrosion of the container.
- Much easier to clean.
The containers are easy to clean, for they are plastic; you have no problems using water to clean them. At the end of the fermentation process, you can even add some soap. You only need to shake it.
If you need to scrub it, the wide mouth makes it a lot easier.
Big Mouth Bubbler Characteristics.
The primary function is to preserve and hermetically store any liquid substance. The reason is to prevent bacteria from reaching into the liquid. In the case alcoholic beverage production, such as beer, it allows a successful fermentation.
By preventing the passage of air, it prevents bacteria in the environment from fermenting or degrading the mixture to an acidic taste. As the necessary bacteria in the mix are hermetically sealed, they ferment the drink. The result is an alcoholic beverage with the flavor you expect.
Big Mouth Bubblers allow mixing, fermentation and in some cases, even distillation. These carboys seal the mixture so the yeast can perform its natural task. For distillation, all you need to do is place a nozzle and tube into your distilling device.
The container is made from solid plastic material for resistance to external shocks. Another quality is the virtually non-existent degradation, corrosion or oxidation of the material when in contact with the drink.
It has several versions, from 5L models to 25L containers, each one destined to a different production size.
Advantages
- Cleaning is easier.
Cleaning the container is seamless. You need soap and water only. You won’t have to disassemble anything, and you won’t run the risk of hurting yourself.
To clean it, just add a little soap, fill a quarter or a third of the container with water. Proceed to shake it strongly to remove the residues of the mixture from the container.
The next step is to throw away the liquid and rinse several times until all the soap is removed. It’s rare for a fermenter to require scrubbing.
- You can ferment more at a time.
You can ferment more than one mixture at a time; you can have several containers, each with a different mixture. In addition, you can ferment large quantities of beers in a single process. The amount of storage in the container is 25L. You can produce a large amount of beer that can last for weeks or a month.
- Harder to break.
These big mouth bubblers are mostly plastic. It is difficult to break with blows, falls. Additionally, it does not degrade or weaken by the stored liquid. In some cases, they have been dropped from 3 to 4 meters resisting the fall with a few simple scratches.
Glass versions are thicker and stronger than smaller fermenters.
Factors to consider before buying one.
- Requires more space.
Containers require considerable storage space. Tanks are large, so you should have similar space available to store them. Another factor regarding space is its features; they should be cool and free from sunlight.
- Glass or Plastic.
The first versions of the containers were of glass; however, they had certain drawbacks. They reflected sunlight, damaging the mixture; the material is also very delicate and breaks easily. The best containers are plastic: they resist more and do not refract sunlight
- Requires a dark room
Containers need to sit somewhere with little or no sunlight. It’s because the sun’s warmth cooks the mixture, as well as the bacteria that cause fermentation. Store containers in dark, refrigerated places so you can brew beer instead of soup. Many people use basements for storage.
- Keep it away from places with many people.
Beer brewing sites should be places people don’t enter a lot. Look for areas where only you have access, as you can lose a lot of product and capital. The worst case would be someone who slips and throws a container on the ground spilling the drink.
Best Bubblers for Homebrewing
While there are a good many big mouth bubblers out there, you can’t just pick any one. Here is a look at some of the popular options in the market, so that you can find one that suits your needs.
Big Mouth Bubbler by Northern Brewer.
- Revolutionary wide mouth eliminates the nightmare of...
- Superior to a carboy; A virtually indestructible...
- Volume markers molded into the side of the vessel
- Uses a Standard-sized #6.5 Stopper (not included);...
- 6.5 Gallon fermenters are perfect for the primary stage...
- Specifications
Tired of cleaning and sanitizing each time you use one of these big mouth bubblers? You don’t need to anymore, with this one from Northern Brewer. The revolutionary wide mouth means that you can just stick your arm inside and clean it with just a cleaning cloth.
It is a container with a storage capacity of 25L. You can ferment 6.5 gallons of wine perfectly fermented and macerated without any residues and can produce 5 gallons of beer. This indestructible fermenter has a dispenser for testing the quality of the product you are brewing.
You can get it in both glass and plastic variations, and even add accessories to it. Add the equipment and hang it or place it in places where people won’t kick it by accident. It comes with the original lid and seals and a spare to ensure a long life for the product.
The product has a factory warranty of 6 months from purchase.
- Advantages.
The equipments are of high duration and resistance. The material in this fermenter is high quality, allowing the best resistance against strong blows. It is especially important when transferring the containers to the distillation and cleaning processes.
If you are looking for beer or wine fermentation, this 6.5 gallon fermenter is what you are looking for.
Also, these offer a 100% hermetic seal, ensuring that air and alcohol do not mix. The rubber seals are easy to fit and remove, and even offers a spare seal in case yours breaks at any point.
Did we add that it’s pretty portable too? They are lightweight containers, weighing less than 1Kg, so carrying it around is not complicated.
- Disadvantages.
For the Big Mouth bubbler to work properly, you require dark spaces that the solar light cannot pass through. In addition, you need cold spaces with air conditioners constantly turned on. The constant use of air conditioning is a considerable expense in electrical bills.
Another issue of this product is the lack of a handle for holding it. In all versions—both glass and plastic—you must use a kind of harness for holding it comfortably. For cases in which you have to unload several, it is tedious and costs a lot of time thanks to the lack of handle. Another risk is falling and breaking the glass version.
EVO 6.5 Carboy by Big Mouth Bubbler
- The revolutionary Big Mouth Bubbler glass,...
- Now features the new Big Mouth Bubbler Universal...
- Extra-thick glass eliminates oxygen permeation and...
- Instantly measure volume with gallon graduation marks
- Easier transfer of clear beer with a taller, narrower...
- Specifications
Designed by Polish master glassmakers, the container is made of tempered glass with a storage capacity of 1 gallon. The vessel has a lid with seals of about 6.5 inches in diameter. The seals are made of resistant elastic rubber. It can stretch considerably without breaking to fit on the base of the lid.
The material has a lavender color, with ample refraction of the light. It offers high decorative value. It has little resistance to shocks, so it is recommended to place it in safe and restricted places. The extra thick glass means that you don’t have to worry about any oxygen permeating through.
It has an air inlet level of 0%, ensuring proper beer fermentation.
- Advantages.
The device is small. It does not occupy a considerable amount of space, making it easy to store. It also works a unique decorative element when it is not being used, you can use it to serve beer in large quantities.
Another advantage is that they offer a 100% hermetic seal. Keep air away ensures the best environment for your wort; otherwise, it will become contaminated and ruin your product.
The rubber seals enable easy placement. It provides a spare part in case of failure or breakage, so you can continue with the manufacture if your product wasn’t considerably compromised.
Carrying them around isn’t hard. The container is lightweight, and you’ll only need to worry about the density of your mix.
Plus, the narrow design means that you can pour liquids easily too, and not have to worry about any getting left behind.
- Disadvantages.
Glass is even worse than transparent plastic regarding sunlight. If you had to be mindful about finding a dark room, that need will double with a glass carboy. It also heats up faster, so that’s another problem.
It is a very delicate container, which can break easily. Glass is a beautiful but sensitive material so you should store it in a place that minimizes the risk of breaking.
The size of the container is a bit too small for commercial use.
7-Gallon Wide Mouth Glass Carboy by Kegco .
- Specifications.
The container is made of tempered glass with a storage capacity of 4.75 to 7 gallons of beer. The vessel has a lid with adaptable seals. The seals are of resistant elastic rubber. It can be stretched without breaking.
The material is transparent. So it provides ample refraction of the light, but it looks great. However, it’s very fragile, so you should keep it away from rooms that tend to get crowded.
It provides great fermentation thanks to the hermetic seal. You won’t have to worry about bacteria getting in.
- Advantages.
The device is medium size, it does not occupy a considerable space, making it easy to store. The glass is resistant to scratches or light blows. This carboy does not break as easily as ordinary glass.
The seal is completely hermetic and keeps air away. Otherwise, your mix would oxidize and become something you really don’t want. It’s not hard to place the rubber seals, and they will hardly break. You also get a spare in case you lose or break the one you already have.
Moving these fermenters is seamless thanks to their size and weight. Likewise, they’re easier to place than larger bubblers
- Disadvantages.
Again, glass lets much more light into your mix than plastic. You must be twice as careful with this container than you would be with other carboys. You also need to keep an eye on its temperature; glass heats more efficiently than plastic.
It is a delicate container, which can break easily. Although glass is more resistant than normal glass, it is still delicate against falls. In terms of price, it is more expensive than similar containers in the market.
One-Gallon Wide Mouth Jar by Home Brew Ohio.
- Great for beer and wine
- Lids are grommeted to accommodate airlock
- Glass jars are USDA certified food grade glass
- Please put the black grommet in the lid before screwing...
- Sold By FastRack
- Specifications
The USDA certified food grade glass container comes with a capacity of 1 gallon. The size is small and works for homemade brewing. The bottle has a small hole for inserting a vacuum-sealed duct. The duct allows the liquid to enter directly without opening the lid of the container and then sealing it.
The container is made of regular glass. It is not resistant to shocks, so it is recommended to store it in safe and isolated places. The lid contains additional seals to ensure air tightness in the bottle.
The fermenter weighs 0.5Kg, one of the lightest of its kind on the market.
- Advantages.
The device is small size, and does not occupy a considerable space making it easy to store. The glass is made of a material resistant to scratches or light blows.
The rubber seals are easy to use. You receive a spare in case anything bad happens to your seal at any point of the process or when moving the carboy around.
It’s the lightest container you’ll find on this list. Its weight makes it perfect for transporting and cleaning, and its size helps it fit virtually anywhere.
- Disadvantages.
As with all glass carboys, you need to be extra careful regarding placement. Keep it somewhere free from both sunlight and heat.
While the glass is resistant to light blows and scratches, there is not much in terms of protection. A small bump cand send it to the floor, and given its weight when full, it will surely break regardless of the height it traveled.
Regarding price, you may find a better price for a more resistant fermenter of this size. It will also be less useful if your plan is to sell your beer; you will not produce enough to cover several people’s demands.
BrewDemon Conical Fermenter by Demon Brewing Company.
- WORLD’S FIRST! MADE IN THE USA - This patented small...
- UNMATCHED QUALITY - Made from BPA-free professional...
- SMALL BATCH FERMENTER - Designed specifically for...
- SUPERIOR VALUE - Package includes the BrewDemon conical...
- NO AIRLOCK REQUIRED! - Our unique venting system allows...
- Specifications
Among the first of its kind, the small batch fermenter has a small, conical plastic container producing between 2L to 2.5L of beer or any other liquor. The bottle has a vacuum sealing system, which can open with a hinge.
The container has a filtered dispenser for serving the fermented liquor. You can use it to test the result and level of fermentation of the liquor. Enjoying a tasty drink is easier than you think. With the unique design, you don’t even need an airlock to let CO2 escape. The unique venting system ensures that is done automatically.
The container works to make homemade liquor. Do note that the volume it handles is very low for commercial levels.
- Advantages.
The tap for dispensing the product comes with the filter included. You can test or serve it without the risk of taking any residue from the mixture. The screen allows you to taste and drink the mixture without lumps or strange flavors.
If you want to try out BrewDemon recipes, this is the fermenter to go for. However, it can ferment any 2-2.5 gallon beer.
The fermentor comes complete with a stick on temperature gauge display, along with a fermenter base and spigot.
Another advantage is the size and lightness. The system is smaller than a coffee maker and weighs less than 1.5 kg. It is easy to store and clean and does not contain any metal or corrosive elements.
The device is made of resistant material. A plastic material resistant to blows characterize its manufacture. You can be calm if it falls it does not break.
- Disadvantages.
It is a piece of equipment exclusively for home use; you can not produce beer for selling with only one. The storage volume is too small to be able to provide the quantities needed to meet demand.
The dispenser demands special care; you have to clean it periodically to avoid mixing flavors. Material from previous mixtures can accumulate in the filter, causing contamination in the beer. It is advisable to clean it after brewing.
It is a piece of original equipment; for that reason, it has few accessories and available spare parts. The brand is very recent, and the quality of the product is not entirely verified.
Conclusion.
For brewing, you can use several types of carboy, but the most recommended is Big Mouth Bubbler. They allow fermenting considerable quantities of beer with the security of a successful production. We cannot pick a best one here, as what is right for you will depend on the capacity you are looking for. Go for a larger capacity if you want to brew more at one time.
What we love though is that these containers come in plastic or glass, or even zero metal to avoid corrosion problems.
Plastic containers are the best because of the shock resistance they avoid manufacturing accidents. Glass containers have more aesthetic value, but they require more exceptional care.
Always be realistic with your expectations. Make sure the fermenter you use fits the production size you really need.
Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy.