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?

[denimglen]

Yup, Mike at Brewers Coop in AK is stocking them, I'm not sure on the price though.

I've brought three over from MoreBeer before Mike had them. The dollar was better then and delivered they cost me a tad less than glass carboys but the safety and durability of them outweighs the 'un-permeability' and dangers of glass.

[Chris]

"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..."

I think that's the way I'm going to go. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong, but by the sounds of it the old screwtop fermenters are a bit crap. I'll use it for fertiliser probably and buy a snap-on bucket instead.

Cheers for the replies guys and glad it gave you a chuckle