The 8 Best Brew bucket fermenters (2023 reviews)

We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a fermenter. The fastrack plastic fermenting bucket is exactly that - it's a simple fermenter that hits all the right notes. It is a low cost, quality food grade beer fermenter for your beer, wine, mead, cider, or any other fermented beverage. It comes complete with drilled lid grommet for an airlock. It works well for fermenting and fits with plenty of headspace. The fastrack plastic fermenting bucket is much easier to get rid of sediment from the bottom. It holds the perfect amount of mash for 6 gallons. It can be used as a bottling bucket as well. It is perfect for a 5 gallon mash and is already set up for the airlock.

Why We Like This:

Holds enough to brew a 5 gallon batch
Delivers what they promise

Best For Making desert wine: Fastrack Brew bucket Fermenter

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The fastrack brew bucket fermenter's superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. There are not very many ways to mess up a plastic bucket but this one is great for sauerkraut fermentation. It's perfect as far as 6.5 gallon buckets go for use as a primary fermenter or homebrew. A few light taps with a rubber mallet creates a very tight and secure seal. The spike comes off easily enough, after it stabs you, as you are aware of it. This prevents the air lock from bubbling.

This fermenter has worked very well. It is easy to use and the right size for sauerkraut fermentation. The bucket has nice heavy side walls. The lid snaps extremely tight.

Why We Like This:

Perfect size bucket with gallon markings and lid
Comes with a hole and rubber gasket pre-drilled and installed
Great fermenting bucket with a very tight lid
Nice bucket for fist stage wine fermentation

Best For canning Jar: Norrn brewer Brew bucket Fermenter

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Norrn Brewer has been making great fermenter for years, thanks to a combination of clever design and appropriate materials. It's far more attractive than the standard brew bucket and also easier than racking a batch of beer from a primary to a secondary tank. Even if you don't harvest and reuse yeast, it's great for easily getting rid of your trub, and then replacing the jar with the included dispensing attachment. It's designed to work with any large-mouthed mason jar, which makes catching and storing viable yeasts or separating sediment super simple.

This revolutionary material retains the same clarity and smoothness of glass, but is resistant to shattering. The valve on the bottom connected to a jar makes removing the trub easy. On top of being optimum size and shape for a dishwasher, this will also *just* fit in a decently large fridge (shelves removed of course) if you intend to try to cold-crash at the end of your fermentation. It can be slippery eel to get back on.

Why We Like This:

Include a bottle filler and also can be slippery eel to get back on
Sturdy stand and easy to carry even when full
Love the visual aspect for watching the brew commence
Good size, shape makes fermentation process well

Best With weight: Speidel Brew bucket Fermenter

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Next on the list, we've got yet another fermenter that manages to win our hearts. It's the speidel brew bucket fermenter and it's widely considered as fermenter that has the most suitable features. These look and feel like top quality fermentors. It can be used as a fermentation vessel. The wide mouth makes adding fruit for secondary fermentation easy. It allows to drain the wash/brew and leave most of the yeast on the bottom, which is great. The surface is a little rough so a "fermometer" doesn't stick well at all.

The airlock is massive so you aren't going to see the bubbling you might find so gratifying from a smaller, typical airlock but you get a great seal. It fits great on the included valve. It is easy to clean and plenty of head space for five gallon batches.

Why We Like This:

Easy to clean and add brew bags
Pairs nicely with a 6gal carboy for racking from/into
Great fermenters, far superior to glass
Great handles, easy to carry, even easier to clean

Best For brewer: Chapman Brewing equipment Brew bucket Fermenter

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Chapman Brewing Equipment is known for creating pragmatic and minimalist fermenter for people on the go, and its line of chapman brewing equipment brew bucket fermenter definitely falls in line with that reputation. If you're doing a simple brew setup, this is the one for you. This fermenter will make your brew day a lot easier/faster than any other fermenters. It is perfect for 5 gallon batches with plenty of head space. The polishing compound that is used to bring the surface to a truly nice finish isn't removed from low areas like the stamped volume indicators at the factory.

The airlock is of solid quality and seats very well. It is great for final volume notes. The lid still seals and it's easy to clean and sanitize. The lid still seals and it's easy to cool fast in a sink of ice water.

Why We Like This:

Good seal, easy to clean and sanitize
Great alternative to carboys and plastics
Well made, good lid seal, everything is tight and handles are secure

Best With tap: Anvil Brew bucket Fermenter

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Best part: anvil brew bucket fermenter costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. This is a great entry level ss fermenter for brewers who have plenty of space, or run limited batches. It cleans well, and it seals tightly. The spring loaded lid latches make for a positive secure seal. There aren't a lot of corners for gunk to get caught on, and stainless steel just plain cleans more easily than plastic, while not being so heavy nor so delicate as glass.

This fermenter won't let any light and you can rig up a pressure transfer at your own risk. The bung stopper gets sliced open from the sharp lid hole so be careful not to push in too hard. There is a little play on the front ball valve/steel container, so a slighter reinforcement of steel thickness would be great. It is a perfect fermentation vessel for 5 gallon batches.

Why We Like This:

Delivers what they promise
Good investment for long term

Best With temperature control: Chapman Brewing equipment another Fermenter

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Chapman Brewing Equipment line of fermenter come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. A small hole in the center of the lid provides a gasketed hole into which a standard plastic airlock will fit. It is perfect for 5 gallon batches with plenty of head space. The stamped gallon markers can be off because they're stamped too high or low.

The fermenter is made of stainless steel with a silicone gasket under the lid, handles mounted securely to the sides, and latches to hold the lid down. It comes with extra rubber gaskets for the port and the lid's hole for the airlock. It is made of high quality thick steel that is not flimsy. The design makes it very easy to take apart and clean.

Why We Like This:

Very good quality with heavy duty fittings and embossed level markings
Well-made, easy to clean, and relatively inexpensive stainless fermenter
A perfect tool that will serve you for many years

Best For wine kits: Kegland Brew bucket Fermenter

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Next on the list, we've got yet another fermenter that manages to win our hearts. It's the kegland brew bucket fermenter and it's widely considered as fermenter that has the most suitable features. These buckets are made from polypropylene as it is less porous and significantly smoother than other hdpe fermenters. It is a 7.9 gallon plastic fermenter complete with lid, airlock, and spigot. It has a flat spot on one of the sides next to the lid. It is porous and can harbor microbial activity making it more difficult to clean and sanitize. It's threaded and ready to go once you drill the plug out.

These buckets are made from polypropylene and are ideal for all types of fermentations, especially beers with high krausen. Being less porous, polypropylene also does not absorb aroma like HDPE so there is less flavor to carry over from batch to batch. It is great for wine kits.

Why We Like This: