Shiny FV

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mozza
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Location: Essex

Shiny FV

Post by mozza » Wed Jun 26, 2019 6:52 am

I know this has been asked before so I apologise. I’m looking to move over to stainless for my fermenting vessel. While I’ve had no problems using plastic, I don’t really trust it, and I always worry I’ve not cleaned them enough. As the rest of my equipment is stainless it seems silly not to upgrade the most vital part.

Whilst looking at the options available, my brain is saying the SS Brew Bucket is the way to go as it’s great value for money and will fit in my existing fridge... however temptation is getting the better of me and I’m eyeing up a 26L chronical.

My justification (how I’m explaining this to my girlfriend), beyond it being a thing of beauty, is that it will allow me to play about with dumping yeast, and even pressure transfers should I want to. In a few years time I plan on setting up commercially so this experience would be valuable.

So what are your thoughts? Those of you who have the full monty, do you wish you saved your pennies? And owners of the brew bucket, what’s your review of the product?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers and gone,

Mozza

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Kev888
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
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Re: Shiny FV

Post by Kev888 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:00 pm

I have a different brand of stainless conical (and have had plastic ones for years previously). It can be quite handy if you want to routinely harvest clean yeast slurry, which I do, but it is about the only benefit that I personally get from it.

They can also be of use for dumping initial crud, but that is quite lossy for wort too, so better to achieve clean run-off from the kettle to begin with if you can. Dumping sediment might also help avoid autolysis problems, however the beer needs to be in it for long enough for that to matter, so at our scale it depends on your throughput as to whether this is actually of any use.

Otherwise there isn't really much benefit over flat-bottomed fermenters (especially those that can do pressure transfers). Plus they take up more space (height) and there is a bit more work due to cleaning the second valve and couplings. So IMO it depends what use (if any) you would make of the extra functionality; for many people they are fairly pointless from a functional point of view. Though homebrewing is a hobby not a business, so if it makes people happy then in that sense fine.
Kev

TheSumOfAllBeers
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Re: Shiny FV

Post by TheSumOfAllBeers » Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:14 pm

I would look at Mr Lards pot conversions. https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/flat-bottom-fv-p220.html
- gasketed lid with 1x tri clamp ferrule - lets you get hop ports, corny posts etc on them, and pressure transfers
- TC ferrule for racking arm, and get a racking arm that can be twisted from the outside, to get it out of the slurry
- thermowell

One of the key issues I still face with my chronical (65L) is that its hard to cool with convention temperature control fridges (like the £50 ones that show up on gumtree, FB marketplace etc.).

I went with an exterior cooling solution that is very good for active temperature management but rubbish for crash chilling (I cant get it below 5C).

If I had gone with a pot conversion (sadly not available at the time), I probably would have ended up with a more suitable unit for my needs, and probably saved myself several hundred quid.

If you are thinking of all the crazy amounts of dry hops you are going to jettison our of the dump valve - dont get your hopes up. 3/4" dump valves get jammed very easily.

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