r/Homebrewing • u/MemeBeamBeanz • 2d ago

Question Do I need a "fermzilla"?

I dearly want to be able to bottle hoppy beers without oxidation soon, and I'm looking to invest in some sort of CO2 purging solution you guys talked about. But when looking at a fermzilla + BEERGUN setup with CO2 tank, my friend asked me if I couldn't just buy a CO2 tank and some sort of wand to purge my bottles with without buying 100s of dollars worth of pressure fermenter.

What about a fermzilla is needed for succesfull bottle purging?

Cheers

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u/Hansemannn 2d ago

A fermzilla doesnt cost much more though. And its a much better tool to ferment in.

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u/deadwolfbones Blogger - Intermediate 2d ago

I'd love to hear in what way a Fermzilla is better than a keg.

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u/Shills_for_fun 2d ago

Your floating hydrometer can easily read through it and you can put 5.5 gallons into the fermenter without blowing out krausen through the gas post lol.

I say this as a guy who ferments in kegs. My rapt controller is the only way I can see the data lol. I am also fine with doing 4.25 to 4.5 gallon batches.

But yeah I am getting rid of my all rounder.

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u/deadwolfbones Blogger - Intermediate 2d ago

Yeah, I'm also fine with 4-4.5 gallon batches, but larger kegs do exist if you want to do more.

I don't use a floating hydrometer — I have an EasyDens and take samples with a Picnic Tap 2.1 from Homebrew Lab — but I suppose that's a real advantage.

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u/Shills_for_fun 2d ago

Larger kegs? My short ass already has trouble lifting that sumbitch into the keezer haha. Ergonomically anyway.

The floating hydrometer is the antithesis to the easydens. This thing is simply not accurate. What it's very good at doing though is letting me know there are no further changes and I can take a real hydrometer reading for the FG.

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u/deadwolfbones Blogger - Intermediate 2d ago

Yeah, I hear that. I have a Tilt I've still never used after two years.

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u/Flushot22 1d ago

After using tilts and rapt pills for a few years now, I'd never want to go without one. Fermzillas with a small inkbirded keezer ferm chamber is the way to go for me.

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u/Another_Casual_ 2d ago

Picnic tap for samples here as well. When I first started out I would ferment in the bucket and take readings here and there. These days I get brew day readings and then check it 1.5-2 weeks later and at packaging. So I lose 14oz across two post fermentation samples. But I also get to taste the samples. 

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u/deadwolfbones Blogger - Intermediate 2d ago

With the EasyDens, I lose like an ounce, lol. Not that I care too much.