Conical Recommendations

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Bigbud78
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Bigbud78 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:52 pm

Just to add to above RE the brewbuilder conical, the upgrade to butterfly valves was only £24... DO IT ! Also allow for the racking cane, I didnt order one originally but it makes getting the beer out much easier as the yeast / hop matter cant fill the racking port.

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Jambo » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:05 pm

Rhodesy wrote:
Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:28 pm
I have a Fermentasaurus,
...
Image
I honestly thought I didn't need any new brewing equipment but that is a thing of beauty! Puts my bog standard flimsy Young's FVs to shame. :)

It looks like a bugger to move when full though, do you have a nifty way of getting the wort from boiler to fermenter?

I still don't get fermenting under pressure if I'm honest.

Rhodesy
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Rhodesy » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:51 pm

There are 2 handles on either side of the frame so easy enough to move from my bench where I fill it from my BM above over to the fridge a few ft away.

I have fermented a Kolsch and Saison under pressure so far, both not requiring dry hops to keep it simple. I kept the PSI at 5/6 until it was almost done and a few points off before closing off the spunding vale up to around 15PSI. I then crash cooled before doing the pressure transfer to the keg. I then hooked it up to the gas but didn't need much as already carbed up.

They say the advantages are that lower esters are produced under pressure meaning you can ferment at higher temperatures which is good certainly for commercial brewers who need to turn it around quicker. It also saves on co2 as you save on that as well as some saying that the bubbles formed using this method are desirable but tbh not noticed much about that personally. It does give you comfort that you can ferment and package without any risk of oxygen getting in which for some styles where there is less room to hide behind huge hop additions is desirable.

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StrontiumDog
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by StrontiumDog » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:56 pm

Rhodesy wrote:There are 2 handles on either side of the frame so easy enough to move from my bench where I fill it from my BM above over to the fridge a few ft away.

I have fermented a Kolsch and Saison under pressure so far, both not requiring dry hops to keep it simple. I kept the PSI at 5/6 until it was almost done and a few points off before closing off the spunding vale up to around 15PSI. I then crash cooled before doing the pressure transfer to the keg. I then hooked it up to the gas but didn't need much as already carbed up.

They say the advantages are that lower esters are produced under pressure meaning you can ferment at higher temperatures which is good certainly for commercial brewers who need to turn it around quicker. It also saves on co2 as you save on that as well as some saying that the bubbles formed using this method are desirable but tbh not noticed much about that personally. It does give you comfort that you can ferment and package without any risk of oxygen getting in which for some styles where there is less room to hide behind huge hop additions is desirable.
Rhodesy, how do you find cleaning it after? I'd imagine the PET can't take very hot water or it would buckle, have you had any issues in that area?

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Jambo » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:23 pm

Thanks Rhodesy.

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Rhodesy » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:35 pm

jasonbrooker1985 wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:56 pm
Rhodesy, how do you find cleaning it after? I'd imagine the PET can't take very hot water or it would buckle, have you had any issues in that area?

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It is no real hassle, the crud does not tend to stick to the sides as it did on my old plastic fermenters. I use a shower hose set to around 35c (40 max) and leave it soaking in Oxy power for a few hours. I then rinse throughly and allow to dry (I have a spare room I can leave it in as the garage is not suitable). It seems to work fine doing so.

It is a decent bit of kit, I know essentially the tank is just a huge coke bottle but I like that it can hold pressure and as mentioned before allow full pressurised transfers and the ability to carbonate, not to mention having a lovely view of active fermentation and yeast dropping etc. I would have preferred it with a Thermowell for my Brewpi temperature control but thats me just nit picking

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by StrontiumDog » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:13 pm

Rhodesy wrote:
jasonbrooker1985 wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:56 pm
Rhodesy, how do you find cleaning it after? I'd imagine the PET can't take very hot water or it would buckle, have you had any issues in that area?

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It is no real hassle, the crud does not tend to stick to the sides as it did on my old plastic fermenters. I use a shower hose set to around 35c (40 max) and leave it soaking in Oxy power for a few hours. I then rinse throughly and allow to dry (I have a spare room I can leave it in as the garage is not suitable). It seems to work fine doing so.

It is a decent bit of kit, I know essentially the tank is just a huge coke bottle but I like that it can hold pressure and as mentioned before allow full pressurised transfers and the ability to carbonate, not to mention having a lovely view of active fermentation and yeast dropping etc. I would have preferred it with a Thermowell for my Brewpi temperature control but thats me just nit picking
I'm now leaning more towards one of these over the SS option. I was just so put off by the many bad reviews of the fastfermenter (leaking joints etc) that I was very wary about getting a plastic conical but it sounds as though the guys making these (different manufacturer I know) have adressed those problems

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Rhodesy » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:55 pm

jasonbrooker1985 wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:13 pm
I'm now leaning more towards one of these over the SS option. I was just so put off by the many bad reviews of the fastfermenter (leaking joints etc) that I was very wary about getting a plastic conical but it sounds as though the guys making these (different manufacturer I know) have adressed those problems

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Yeah I mean it is down to what suits your requirements/needs, budget etc. Some of the SS ones look fantastic and with Tri Clamp fittings they can be easily modded not to mention having glycol cooling systems and so on.

I use a fermenting fridge and as I mentioned earlier I like the fact the fermentasaurus can take pressure.

I still have my SS BrewBucket which has another batch chugging away and again is a decent bit of kit, I have modded the lid on that to allow pressure transfers too so both serve a purpose as I prefer the SS bucket for large amount of dry hopping for instance.

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StrontiumDog
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by StrontiumDog » Tue Dec 26, 2017 7:04 pm

Just thought I'd provide some closure on this, I decided to get a Fermentasaurus and after a very long wait it has finally arrived! Looking forward to getting my first brew in it over the new year breakImage

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Kentbrew » Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:03 am

Sorry to jump on an old thread, but it seemed on topic - can anyone tell me the dimensions of the Brewbuilder 14 gallon conical? This is vital info for me, as I need to know if it will fit in my temp controlled larder fridge. I've tried the 'contact us' button via the BB website a couple of times, but no response. Thanks in advance!

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Kev888 » Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:35 am

In itself, mine is about 112cm high by 43cm diameter. BUT you'll likely be wanting to fit a blow-off elbow (or something else) to the bulkhead in the lid, plus the toggle clips need space to swing too (to open the lid). So, more space is needed to make it workable IMO (when in use, it is of course too heavy to lift in and out for access) - personally I'd want a space probably 51cm width by 120cm high as an absolute minimum.

Though the scale on mine goes to 75L (and thats not quite to the rim); this doesn't entirely tally with the info on the BB website (it didn't when I bought it either), so I wouldn't like to guarantee what you'd get is the same. These sorts of questions are fairly obvious and yet the website doesn't specify, which seems an odd omission so I half wonder if it might be to allow for changes to the model. Really, best to get a current answer from them if you can.
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Kentbrew » Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:13 am

Wow - really quick response - thanks so much Kev. That's much wider than I anticipated, and rules it out for me. The 14 gallon (US) SS BrewTech chronical comes in at less than 40cm wide I think, which I could squeeze in (although you are right that I'd need to consider fittings). However, the cost is more, and the thermowell on the chronical isn't important to me, and is just another thing to clean. Hmm. Back to drawing board for me, I think!

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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by Kev888 » Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:02 pm

Yeah the toggle clamps are a bit awkward in small spaces; AFAIK the SS brewtech ones are 'very' similar - though more costly with extras you may not want. I originally considered putting the conical on a turntable (so that toggles could be rotated to the front to open); you still need clearance for the legs though so it meant the fridge width needed to be about 47cm IIRC, which is better but was still a bit too wide for my fridge sadly.

FWIW, I ultimately insulated the conical and now pump coolant to it (created in a maxi110 beer cooler), a kind of DIY version of the SS cooling kit. This is more faff to set up, noisier to run, and tethers the FV (or lid) with hoses, but.. the working space around and above the fermenter is a joy compared to a cramped chamber.

I heard rumours that BB may be sorting out a more complete cooling system too. Not sure if this is so, but if you can get a reply then it could be worth asking what their options are, and may be in the near future.
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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by keith1664 » Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:12 pm

Kentbrew wrote:Sorry to jump on an old thread, but it seemed on topic - can anyone tell me the dimensions of the Brewbuilder 14 gallon conical? This is vital info for me, as I need to know if it will fit in my temp controlled larder fridge. I've tried the 'contact us' button via the BB website a couple of times, but no response. Thanks in advance!
They fit in a 6ft tall fridge.


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Re: Conical Recommendations

Post by aamcle » Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:19 pm

I seem to have recovered from "shiny feaver" but I seem to be developing conical envy..... Oh well.

Like many members here I use a fridge as a fermentation chamber and I don't know if I could fit canonical in it. So I have been thinking about DIY system and insulated box type chambers. I've seen some that are little more that a box that extends the fridge with the fridge door removed.

What about some insulation that follows the shape of the vessel but does not touch it and cool it with the top section of a powered coolbox?

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