Masterbatching using Stainless Bucket Fermenter

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Tashay

Tashay

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Nov 16, 2019
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Hello -

I have been master batching for some time in 5 pail buckets from home depot. I always have this extra step in remelting the oils prior to pulling out what I need.. Kinda of a pain.. A kombucha maker recommended me using a stainless steel fermenter with a heating ring and temperature controller. I found one that I like and would like to purchase, but wanted to hear any reviews, pros/and or cons of masterbatching this way.

Below is the one I want 4 gallon. Also posted a video to show size.

Thanks in advance!


https://kegfactory.com/products/anv...P8c5W7qjwtDBsgIB8dHHBdBTLq3a9Y04aAkwYEALw_wcB


 
Why do you have to remelt it before pulling out what you want? I've been master batching with high lard for years and I just give it a good mix and pull what I need for my batch then warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop depending on the size of my batch.
 
Same as shunt here, my mix gets solid in the wintertime, but what I do is after making the master batch stir every half hour or so until it's too solid to stir anymore, and then at time of soaping, just scoop out what I need. Never had a problem, and never went through the trouble of remelting. IMO that would defeat the purpose of doing master batch. For me to the whole point is to save time. If' I'm waiting for 25lbs of oils to melt (now much my 5 gallon bucket will hold), I might as well just weigh out for each batch and skip masterbatching altogether.
 
shunt2011 said:
Why do you have to remelt it before pulling out what you want? I've been master batching with high lard for years and I just give it a good mix and pull what I need for my batch then warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop depending on the size of my batch.
Click to expand...


I seem to have the problem of my batches solidifying especially in the winter time but not as a unit, more so in chunks...

jcandleattic said:
Same as shunt here, my mix gets solid in the wintertime, but what I do is after making the master batch stir every half hour or so until it's too solid to stir anymore, and then at time of soaping, just scoop out what I need. Never had a problem, and never went through the trouble of remelting. IMO that would defeat the purpose of doing master batch. For me to the whole point is to save time. If' I'm waiting for 25lbs of oils to melt (now much my 5 gallon bucket will hold), I might as well just weigh out for each batch and skip masterbatching altogether.
Click to expand...


I agree, I don't really have this issue in the summer but in the winter I tend to have small chunks and softer oils separate. Maybe I need to do this process instead until it solidify .. What is your percentage of hard oils to soft oils? I'm wondering if that is the reason for the chunks in my batch.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Tashay said:
I agree, I don't really have this issue in the summer but in the winter I tend to have small chunks and softer oils separate. Maybe I need to do this process instead until it solidify .. What is your percentage of hard oils to soft oils? I'm wondering if that is the reason for the chunks in my batch.
Click to expand...
60% hard oils
 
Mine is 60% hard oils as well. I do the exact same as jcandleattic. Plus heating and reheating will degrade the oils over time I would think. I prefer to just melt them once to masterbatch and then once portioned out for a batch to just warm them. Plus the time involved to melt and remelt.
 
Mine is 63-65% hard oils (one of them is cocoa butter) and I also do the same as J and S. Sometimes I still get separation, in which case I use a long handled spoon to get it started mixing back together and a long shafted stickblender to finish the job. My cocoa butter does usually separate into really fine grains in the mix, but as long as there's no big chunks and everything seems uniform, I don't worry about that as my lye water is fresh so the heat will finish melting it. Once in a great while it is cold enough that my mix is more of solid than a gel, so I put it on the boiler to warm up.

To your original question: I have wondered if I could just wrap my bucket with a seedling belt: https://www.amazon.com/Kombucha-Fermentation-Windowsill-Seedlings-Germination/dp/B01ETRWSFE and that would do the trick. (side note: I have used them for booch brewing as well) I would be more inclined to try this than mess around with the fermenter. Although the bottom spigot is really cool. If the seedling belts liquify the masterbatch, you could buy a pump to put in your current 5 gal bucket, like these from Soapers choice: https://soaperschoice.com/pump-plastic-pail-65-gal

Also check out this link: https://www.greatcakessoapworks.com/handmade-soap-blog/index.php/master-batching-soap-oils/
 

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