55 Gallon Compost Tea Brewer

All of our compost tea brewers feature a dedicated extraction system with its very own air pump. This system is driven by air to allow for gentle but efficient liberation of biology from the organic matter in the compost. There are no water circulating pumps which are prone to failure and leakage. These air pumps do not harm the fragile biology during the brewing cycle. Less compost is needed because the extraction is so complete.

We have developed a very efficient diffusion system to keep the water properly oxygenated and moving freely within the entire brewer. The special graduated barrel is made from food grade, non corrosive plastic. There is very little settling of particulate matter which can cause problems such as clogging or areas within the brewer which do not receive sufficient oxygenation. Very little time is required to volatilize chlorine from municipal water sources. There is a dedicated air pump for the aeration system.

Brewing cycle times range from 24 to 36 hours. The duration of the brewing cycle will vary based upon your objectives and desired organism balance and also the temperature of the water. A 24 hour brewing cycle will normally yield a strong fungal and bacterial biomass, however this is dependent upon the quality of compost used. Remember, you cannot extract biology that doesn't exist. For the best results, use Compostwerks brew kits. A full 36 hour brewing cycle can produce high numbers of protozoa which are important for nitrogen cycling in your soils.

This machine is also very useful as a liquid compost extractor. Simply replace the compost in the extraction chamber every 2-3 hours and repeat as many times as you wish to attain the desired concentration of beneficial biology.

Cleaning is greatly simplified because of the absolute minimum of plumbing exposed to the compost tea.The cleaning process normally takes 5 minutes. A high pressure blast of water, detergent and some light scrubbing with a soft brush immediately after the compost tea had been dispensed will prevent the accumulation of bio-film.

We offer an optional extraction chamber which extends further down into the 55 gallon drum. This will enable you to brew a smaller batch of compost tea, as little at 25 gallons. This unit is pictured below. Although we can supply this brewer in kit form without the barrel, keep in mind that standard open hear barrels are not graduated and your results will not match the quality of a properly equipped unit.