Primary Fermenters – A primary fermenter can be anything that will hold your liquid while it ferments without imparting any unwanted flavors or harmful chemicals. It must also be easy to clean and sanitize, large enough to hold the desired batch size, and constructed such that it can be sealed and fitted with an air-lock for closed fermentation. Glass and food-grade plastic are both excellent choices and are relatively easy to come by without spending too much money. Metal fermenters are also available, but they tend to be more expensive pieces of specialty equipment. The cheapest and easiest container to use is a 5 gallon plastic bucket. These are available at any Homebrew store and come with a gasketed lid that seals the Must away from the outside air. There is usually a hole cut in the lid for installation of a rubber bung with an air-lock, although it is possible to get a lid without the hole. Some pails even come with spouts installed near the bottom for racking without having to siphon. Food buckets from restaurants can be used, although they sometimes have a remnant of the original content’s smell that will infuse into your Mead (see Appendix 4 for tips on removing this odor). If you choose to do open style fermentation, the bucket can be covered with a garbage bag or sheet rather than with the lid and air-lock. 5 gallon glass Carboys and 1 gallon glass jugs are also very popular as fermenters. They are easy to clean, easy to seal with a bung and air-lock, and are non-reactive to any ingredient you put into the Must. They also have the added advantage of being clear so that you can watch the progress of the fermentation. Juice or wine jugs are perfect for use as a fermenter and are cheap and easy to find.
