Is Fast Ferment out of business?

[WildernessMedic]

I finally bought their big conical fermenter and it wasn't cheap. I followed the directions breaking in the threads and wrapping but it still leaks. Every day for two weeks I added a couple more wraps of tape and did another leak test until it got too much tape to even screw on. Took it off and repeated until I used a second entire roll. Still leaking.

I called them a dozen times and have never received a callback or reply email. Their Facebook page hasn't had activity in years. Did they give up on this problematic fermenter and go under?

 

[ratflinger]

Still for sale at various places, although I couldn't find their webpage

 

[Jim Welch]

I found high density extra thick Teflon tape to be the only tape that would consistently seal my FF. I stopped using mine.

 

[WildernessMedic]

I found high density extra thick Teflon tape to be the only tape that would consistently seal my FF. I stopped using mine.

Stopped using it all together? Is it not as convenient as it seems, or you just got tired of having to keep taping it up?

I bought some more tape. Idk what else to even try. How did this thing win an award... It sounds like everyone hates it.

 

[Shurt1073]

I'm currently using mine on a WineExpert Reserve kit. Pour in the juice, fill to six gallons, and very carefully mix in only about half of the bentonite after you've crushed the bentonite in the package with a hammer to make a dust. In my previous use of the FastFermenter the bentonite clogged the hole going into the collection ball. Bentonite dust seems to work better. Add both yeast packages, ferment for 14-16 days and take the collection ball off. You lose more wine because of the large collection ball and dumping some of the good wine from the collection ball back into the conical is a mess. Clean that collection ball and reattach after adding your chemicals & clearing agents if you follow the kit directions. After another two weeks and the wine is clear take the collection ball off, rack into a glass carboy using the hose attachment where the collection ball mounts. Yes, I rack into glass for long term aging 6-12 moths. There is way to much headspace to leave wine in the FastFerment after fermentation and clearing for 6-12 months, so basically for me the FF is good for about one month.

I found out the hard way 2 yrs ago after purchase the sediment does stick to the sides and does not completely go all into the collection ball. Just about every day after adding the clearing agents, I bang on the sides a little to dislodge the sediment. This has helped .... sorta like giving your glass carboy a spin during the clearing agent process. ( I hope this makes sense )

This is MY method to use the FF and please don't think this is the only way to use this thing or I'm even using it the right way. I'm a kit maker ( 7 kits going now) and the Fastfermeter works better on some kits where you have only one juice bag and not a second flavor pac (Island Mist kit). I've tried it on Island Mist kits and how I have my FF mounted to the wall is not conducive to adding another bag. I would like to use the FastFermenter for a Finer Wine Kit but doubt it will hold the very active foaming during fermentation you get with the FWK. Again, seems to work better on the WineExpert kits. I have done 12+ kits in 2023 and only used the FF 2-3 times.

Mine doesn't leak ... yet. So I've had a better experience with the FF, although I do not trust it and place the 8 gallon bucket under neath for safety. Might sound crazy but I don't love it but don't hate it either. I purchased a wine pump last year and rather use buckets for fermentation and glass carboys for everything else. A little buyers remorse but now I've figured out how I want to use it which is basically for only the first month of wine making. The FF saves me from cleaning one glass carboy during the whole process. Its a good talking point when family and friends see it.

Sorry to be so wordy this morning but I've had two cups of coffee and the caffeine has me jacked up! lol

 

[winemaker81]

Add both yeast packages, ferment for 14-16 days and take the collection ball off. You lose more wine because of the large collection ball and dumping some of the good wine from the collection ball back into the conical is a mess.

Pour all but the thickest sludge into a 1.5 l wine bottle, put foil on top, and put it in the fridge for a week. Pour off the clear wine.

 

[Jim Welch]

Stopped using it all together? Is it not as convenient as it seems, or you just got tired of having to keep taping it up?

I bought some more tape. Idk what else to even try. How did this thing win an award... It sounds like everyone hates it.

Yes I stopped using it, bought it for beer and moved to using sanke kegs. I did use it for my very first wine kit in 2015 but not since. Found it a PITA to be honest. It’s a good idea that was not executed well. Iirc, the manufacturer recommended to use an exact knife to remove the sprue left from the mold on the threaded portion IF one had difficulty stopping leaks! That should’ve been done before it left the factory imo.
I NEVER got it to seal up top with standard teflon tape like one would get at Home Depot or similar.
Iirc, I’d read on a brewing forum that the little rolls of tape that came with it from the factory were high density/extra thick tape. I’d not used them since I had Teflon tape and dug them out and sure enough it was significantly thicker than the standard stuff I had laying around.

https://www.antiseize.com/poly-temp-xhd-extra-heavy-duty-ptfe-tape
This is not the brand I found 10 years or so ago but this is what I’m talking about.

 

[WildernessMedic]

Yeah for the price I shouldn't have had to spend hours carefully remove the plastic sprue and trying to fix the threads. I think I'm just going to send this thing back. I got the 14 gallon one and the last thing I want is to find 14 gallons of hard sticky work all over my floors one morning...

Shame they didn't recognize the problems and create a better product because in theory it sounds great.