I just bought an ss brew tech lid for my Chapman fermenter to add a gas in for spunding valve pressurized fermentation as well as cold crashing and pressure transfers out the ball valve to a liquid in post corny keg fitting- 2-3psi should do the job so I don’t have to lift and disturb the settled beer before racking. I just hope it fits into the hole perfectly- I’ll update when I get the parts and assemble.
my Chapman 14Gal. bucket is garbage in comparison to my two 7Gal. SS Brew Tech buckets. The Chapman lid doesn't seal, the latches for the lid include a locking tab which arrived all bent on mine. A better ball valve on the Brew Tech buckets would be the only area for improvement.
Looking at getting the Chapman, as the price for the 14 gallon is way better than the SS brewtech plus it’s shorter to fit in my fridge. You think the Chapman would be able to do pressurized closed transfers?
Hacky2447 The only really honest answer I can give is that I don't know. They've changed their lid design at some point. There's no longer the small grommet for an airlock in the lid, or at least not on the 7 gallon ones I got a couple years ago. Instead there's a larger hole for a bunch (I think a #10.) and airlock. That's where the weak spot would most likely be. I think, but haven't proven, that the domed lid for the SS Brewtech 14 gallon Chronical fermenter will fit, then you could use a tri-clover fitting at the top of that to do a pressurized transfer. You're only talking about a few psi, so I suspect it would be fine. I wouldn't try to carbonate anything in it, though. Also, I do know that the lid for the SS Brewtech 14 gallon Brew Bucket will NOT fit on the larger Chapman fermenter. The 14 gallon Brew Bucket has a larger diameter than the 14 gallon Chronical.
JayC99Vids that’s disappointing. With the new hole being 2” diameter. I don’t think the 1.5” diameter fittings would fit on the new Chapman lid either. Only way to find out for sure is to try it I guess. I just don’t want to be hassled with the returns, if it doesn’t work. Hahaha
Mike Neville I don't. With the flat bottom, the valve is close enough to the bottom to get most of the good stuff out. If you're not worried about getting a little trub, you can tilt it forward to get a little more out.
Great review. I got a SS bucket today and was really disappointed that the ball valve doesn't come apart. A huge over sight imho. Im considering taking it back.
You *can* disassemble the Brewbucket valve: - Unscrew the barb - Partially close the valve, then carefully prise out the outer seal with a small flat blade screwdriver (like a jeweller's screwdriver) in the gap between the seal and the ball - Close the valve fully to remove the ball, it slides out just like a 3-piece only cute and tiny - You can't remove the inner seal, but you can clean and sanitize the ball itself and the cavity where the ball sits which is the important thing - Reassemble, and when you screw the barb back into place it pushes the outer seal tightly into position against the ball I do this before every ferment, it's quick and easy (actually easier than a 3-piece) and I've never had any problems.
Ok I've had another play; you can remove the inner seal, it comes out quite easily. It's a smaller diameter than the outer seal. After removing the screw and the handle you can remove the stem by pushing it into the cavity of the valve. Reassembly is easier with tweezers.
Hello do you think the Chapman would also o be ok to use as a diy water boiler water distiller. Because I want to make a reasonabley cheap water distiller
I have the chapman 14 and I like it. you didn't mention that you can use the chapman as a boil kettle and it doesn't look like the SS has the same capabillity
Brock Seals I hadn't realized that it could be used as a boil kettle at the time of this video. But since then I've used it as a boil kettle and as a MLT.
That ss brew tech one is horrible. They should be ashamed of themselves using those valves. We also bought the Chapman and favor them more. Only good thing about our ss brew tech one was that it was the brew master edition with the thermometer.
I just bought an ss brew tech lid for my Chapman fermenter to add a gas in for spunding valve pressurized fermentation as well as cold crashing and pressure transfers out the ball valve to a liquid in post corny keg fitting- 2-3psi should do the job so I don’t have to lift and disturb the settled beer before racking. I just hope it fits into the hole perfectly- I’ll update when I get the parts and assemble.
Great review and video. Really helped me out on making a decision. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the video! Good comparison between the two I'm considering.
my Chapman 14Gal. bucket is garbage in comparison to my two 7Gal. SS Brew Tech buckets. The Chapman lid doesn't seal, the latches for the lid include a locking tab which arrived all bent on mine. A better ball valve on the Brew Tech buckets would be the only area for improvement.
Could it have been damaged? I haven't had any of the problems that you've described.
Has anyone used the Chapman as a brew kettle? I'm wondering how suitable it would be as an all-in-one unit for brew-in-bag.
CB BC it is a suitable all in one system
Looking at getting the Chapman, as the price for the 14 gallon is way better than the SS brewtech plus it’s shorter to fit in my fridge. You think the Chapman would be able to do pressurized closed transfers?
Hacky2447 The only really honest answer I can give is that I don't know. They've changed their lid design at some point. There's no longer the small grommet for an airlock in the lid, or at least not on the 7 gallon ones I got a couple years ago. Instead there's a larger hole for a bunch (I think a #10.) and airlock. That's where the weak spot would most likely be. I think, but haven't proven, that the domed lid for the SS Brewtech 14 gallon Chronical fermenter will fit, then you could use a tri-clover fitting at the top of that to do a pressurized transfer. You're only talking about a few psi, so I suspect it would be fine. I wouldn't try to carbonate anything in it, though.
Also, I do know that the lid for the SS Brewtech 14 gallon Brew Bucket will NOT fit on the larger Chapman fermenter. The 14 gallon Brew Bucket has a larger diameter than the 14 gallon Chronical.
JayC99Vids that’s disappointing. With the new hole being 2” diameter. I don’t think the 1.5” diameter fittings would fit on the new Chapman lid either. Only way to find out for sure is to try it I guess. I just don’t want to be hassled with the returns, if it doesn’t work. Hahaha
What do you use for a dip tube inside for the Chapman?
Mike Neville I don't. With the flat bottom, the valve is close enough to the bottom to get most of the good stuff out. If you're not worried about getting a little trub, you can tilt it forward to get a little more out.
Great review. I got a SS bucket today and was really disappointed that the ball valve doesn't come apart. A huge over sight imho. Im considering taking it back.
You *can* disassemble the Brewbucket valve:
- Unscrew the barb
- Partially close the valve, then carefully prise out the outer seal with a small flat blade screwdriver (like a jeweller's screwdriver) in the gap between the seal and the ball
- Close the valve fully to remove the ball, it slides out just like a 3-piece only cute and tiny
- You can't remove the inner seal, but you can clean and sanitize the ball itself and the cavity where the ball sits which is the important thing
- Reassemble, and when you screw the barb back into place it pushes the outer seal tightly into position against the ball
I do this before every ferment, it's quick and easy (actually easier than a 3-piece) and I've never had any problems.
Ok I've had another play; you can remove the inner seal, it comes out quite easily. It's a smaller diameter than the outer seal.
After removing the screw and the handle you can remove the stem by pushing it into the cavity of the valve.
Reassembly is easier with tweezers.
Hello do you think the Chapman would also o be ok to use as a diy water boiler water distiller. Because I want to make a reasonabley cheap water distiller
I'd get the SSBrewTech lid intended for pressure transfers to put on the Chapman, if I was distilling water.
Is the Chapman a boiler as well as a fermenter?
Buster Biloxi yes indeed it is.
I have the chapman 14 and I like it. you didn't mention that you can use the chapman as a boil kettle and it doesn't look like the SS has the same capabillity
Brock Seals
I hadn't realized that it could be used as a boil kettle at the time of this video. But since then I've used it as a boil kettle and as a MLT.
That ss brew tech one is horrible. They should be ashamed of themselves using those valves. We also bought the Chapman and favor them more. Only good thing about our ss brew tech one was that it was the brew master edition with the thermometer.