MrBeer Fermentor vs. 3-gallon Better Bottle

[natmartin]

I'm thinking of getting a second fermentor, so that I can have a few more brews going at once.

Is there any reason to go for the 3-gallon Better Bottle versus a second Mr Beer Fermentor, or vice versa?

I'm not using Mr.Beer ingredient kits anymore, I'm doing small-batch all grain, but so far I've still been using the Mr.Beer fermentor.

A new MrBeer Fermentor, with their new locking Spigot and Bottling wand will run me around $15.95.

A 3-gallon Better Bottle is going to be around $25 for the ported bottle alone, plus I still would need to get an airlock, bung, etc.

So, is there any reason to pay extra for the better bottle?

[BigNastyBrew]

A 6 gallon better bottle is only $28. It takes the same amount of time to do a 2.5 gallon AG batch as it does a 5 gallon one. When I invest that amount of time in a beer, I damn sure want more than 2.13 gallons from my work. That's why I switched from Mr. Beer fermenters so quickly.

You seen that 3 gallon better bottle? It's a rectabgle on bottom that would bet takes up as much space as a 6 gallon bottle.

Otherwise, there is no reason to switch to another bottle if the MB Fermenter is working for you.

[BDawg]

Actually, the little spigot is a great hiding spot for the nasties, and eventually that will catch up with you.

[natmartin]

I usually run sanitizer through the spigot. Is that not enough?

I do eventually want to go 5 gallon, but I don't have the money yet to get a burner, etc, so I'm still doing everything in my kitchen. I also want to stick with 2.5 gallon while I'm learning, so I don't waste beer when I make mistakes. But, since I want to brew more, I need another fermentor. It seems that if I'm staying at the same batch size, the Mr. Beer fermentor is probably better bang for the buck.

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

The spigot is a bit risky even if you clean it anally. To clean it properly you need to completely break it down and do a hot oxiclean or PBW soak. Then sanitize and reassemble everything.
Don't go sampling off the spigot or you will just get crap in there that will invite infection.

Good luck with your purchase, and there may be some ways you can go up to a 5 gallon AG batch and stay in the kitchen. Maybe you should get a 6 gallon It will still work to primary smaller batches and it will work for bigger batches when you move up.

[natmartin]

Does the ported better bottle have the same problem with spigot sanitation?

Usually I run sanitizer through the spigot before filling up the keg, and before bottling I soak a paper towel in vodka and shove it into the spigot, and then dip the whole spigot in a shot of vodka.

Do you think sampling via the spigot is more likely to cause infection than unscrewing the lid and taking a sample from the top?

I think having a second 2.5 gallon fermentor is going to be useful even when I step up to 5 gallon, since I can do split-batch experiments (different yeast in each fermentor, etc.)

When I do go to 5 gallon someday, is it possible to get a boil with a standard kitchen gas burner? Will it just take forever?

My plan is to basically just keep an eye on craigslist and pick up the equipment I need slowly and cheaply.

Thanks for the advice so far!

[ColdBraue]

Another thing to consider is the fermenter geometry of both the better bottle and the Mr.Beer. I used the Mr. Beer for a number of batches and it worked just fine. I would say that if you fermented two identical recipes side by side in the two fermenters, you would get a slightly fruitier beer from the Mr. Beer for two reasons. One, it is a short, shallow, and long shape.
Second, it is getting close to an open fermentation with the way the lid is notched. Depending on the types of beers you are doing, this could work to your advantage.
You can control the fruitiness and esters with the better bottle by the type of airlock you use. You want more esters, simply use a piece of sanitized aluminum foil over the top during primary like a starter. I've done this with a number of batches and have been very pleased with the results, and so were the judges.
Personally, I'd go with the unported better bottle and use a racking cane and syphon to get your beer out. Then just clean it by filling her up with PBW and socking her for a few hours. With Mr. Beer, it's easy to be tempted to scrub the insides and scratch it up.
If you want to sample the beer at any time, just get a wine thief. You'll keep on using that thing until it falls apart. It was one of the best and cheapest investments I have made.
Cheers!

[natmartin]

That's a very interesting point. Do you know of any places where I can read up on how fermentor geometry affects the beer's flavor? Why does open fermentation increase the fruitiness of the brew? How does the airlock type change the esters of the beer?

Which beer styles are more suited for open fermentation? I know Anchor uses open fermentors for their Steam beer.