Obstinate Screw-Top Fermenter

[Chris]

Anyone have trouble getting the lid off their screw-top fermenter? It's one of those 30L plastic ones with a lid the same size as the top of the fermenter. There's a rubber ring inside the lid to seal it.

I put some vaseline around the sealing ring (without it a small amount of air escapes when tightened up).

I put it on fairly tight but only enough to get a decent seal. I don't really crank it down or anything.

Problem is, it's really, really hard to get the lid off again. Last time I had to rack the beer off through the tap then stick the lid in a vice. Just now I had to get my neighbour to pop over and help!

I've got a couple of ferms with snap-on lids that are fine but don't want to have to buy another fermenter to replace this stubborn one.

Anyone got any ideas/recommendations?

[Stu McKinlay]

I was wondering how I'd use my bike in the brewery until I read your last line...

[jt]

You could run the mill with it maybe ?

[Reviled]

I delegated my screw on lid fermenter as a bottling bucket for bulk priming and just proceeded to use my snap on ones for fermenting...

[Mike Neilson]

I bought a couple of black screw top fermenters to protect from UV but now i wish I didnt.

[denimglen]

If it's empty try running some hot water over it, that can sometimes work.

Otherwise just smack the thing with something.

'tis a bit of a bad design I reckon.

[Steve Baker]

I'm currently using one of these black lidded screwtop buckets. I used to have to really crank the lid tight to get a seal.

The lip of my bucket wasn't very smooth because of the imperfect mold so I shaved off the rough bits with a knife.

Now my lid is easier to get off because I don't need to tighten it as much.

[Dan]

Mine are relegated as sanitizer storage vessels, I once had a problem with the rubber ringpeice tainting the beer, lose the ring, of course an airlock wont work then, the 30 litre snap on,s are far better fermentors.

Heres also what I used to do, insert a long thing e.g screwdriver or something through the handle and turn, well that was until the lid cracked with the force. :)

[Steve Baker]

My inner plastics nerd wants to like this bucket because its made of HDPE which is in theory better at keeping out oxygen. I think the snap-lid buckets are polypropylene.

Considering my beer is consumed before any kind of oxidation is noticeable I should really get over myself and care less about what kind of plastic its made from.

[Dan]

The snap ons which are mentioned must be something ive not encountered, Im referring to the bucket type with lid which is HDPE.

[Steve Baker]

I could swear my old brewcraft bucket is polypro.

[denimglen]

PET 'Better Bottles' > HDPE buckets.

:-)

[James P]

Do you know of any local suppliers?