GF conical fermenter practical questions

[Jase]

Guys,
So I found myself accidentally ordering a conical fermenter during the Black friday sales. It wasn't particularly discounted, I just got carried away...
Anyway, brewed last night a slant on a helles, the fermenter is in use and I can see activity in the airlock. So with the temperature dialed in at 13C fermentation has started perfectly. However I have a few questions on some practical issues. If anyone has any advice on these it would be much appreciated. In no particular order:

1. The valve was damn fiddly to fit, especially as my hands were freezing having just dunked it all in freezing cold sanitiser. Any tips on how to easily clamp the valve?

2. After sanitising, the bung wouldn't stay in the top, it just kept sliding up, and virtually out. I ended up using duct tape to hold the bung in place. The only other option I thought was to dry the bung and opening but I didn't particularly want to do that as I had just sanitised it.

3. I coudn't read the final wort quantity into the FV as there was so much foam generated by dropping the wort out of the boiler into it. It should have been around 21L but I honestly have no idea, it could be anywhere between 18-24. Any suggestions on how to measure the quantity with all the foam?

4. The book says to dump the trub/yeast every 2-3 days, but how much do you take out each time? Presumably the first dump will be just trub, should I do that straight away (now!) or wait a bit longer?

5. I want to harvest the yeast for another brew in a few weeks time. When is the best time to do that, once its finished fermenting, part way through, or does it not make any difference?

6. Since its a bottom fermenting yeast, can I accidentally dump too much, causing the fermentation to stall?

Thanks

[PeeBee]

1. Tip the fermenter upside down! (On to a clean surface). I know this because the trouble it caused me. My problem is I write with my left hand … no, that's not the problem, but for over 5 decades I was right handed but coordination with right hand ain't too hot now (now writing with left hand … that's hard!), so if I can do it tipping it upside down you shouldn't have any trouble?

2. The cheap-skates never finished the job properly. So it's a DIY job:

Getting the right size of thread to pushfit adapter takes a bit of figuring out (have the airlock first to measure the diameter of stem). You need a few days (weekks) to get all the bits together. Those airlocks (pictured) are fabulous things, but have pretty wide stems, I think I needed to source an adapter that took 12mm stems.

3. … na, done enough for now!

[Jase]

Thanks. Didn't think to turn it over, that's a good point.
Wow, that's serious improvisation. ok, so that clippy bung is an issue then. I'll look at some kind of modification over the coming weeks.

[PeeBee]

Thanks. Didn't think to turn it over, that's a good point.
Wow, that's serious improvisation. ok, so that clippy bung is an issue then. I'll look at some kind of modification over the coming weeks.

Its not so "serious". The fermenter's lid has a 2" (50.5mm) tri-clamp flange, so it was just using the other half of that: A 2" flange to female 1/2" BSP thread (cheap if willing to wait for postage from China - used eBay), the tri-clamp clamp (eBay), the 2" silicone or PTFE seal (eBay), the male 1/2" BSP to 12mm stem adapter (from ? Probably eBay), and the airlock with 12mm stem (eBay).

3. I use a big spoon to move the foam and a torch to see!

4. Measure the estimated maximum sediment volume (play with empty fermenter) and don't take more than that out. I only take 1/3-1/2 that volume after 3 days. TBH I don't bother taking any out now (run off to keg at 7-10 days).

5. Don't use the first dump for harvesting, it has a lot of boiler crud. Use the 2nd dump.

6. Measure what you take out and don't take too much! Though I can't imagine you could actually stall an active fermentation?

[Jase]

Thanks. Interesting points. Onto ebay I go...
I dumped the first amount this morning, about a glass full. Looks like just yeast, but like you say, I assume there is a lot of boiler proteins in that.

[PeeBee]

e.g.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352992145501
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-Cylinder- ... SwGLpfhDUO

[barneey]

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/transfer-lid.html

This is what I use, I have adapted the fitting with a corney gas post. Bit of tube into a plastic bottle for a blow off.

When it comes to transfer into keg, I either use the GF pressure transfer kit or connect up either the gas post (blank off the blow of tube) or just use the blow off tube to inject some CO2.

Note a further adaption can be done, cut of the barb on the triclover bit & fit a JG stop cock valve, this enables easy shut off.

Easy & very effective.

[barneey]

Oh and buy yourself some spare silicone washers for the GF tap, you will need them.

[PeeBee]

https://www.brewuk.co.uk/transfer-lid.html

This is what I use, I have adapted the fitting with a corney gas post. Bit of tube into a plastic bottle for a blow off.

When it comes to transfer into keg, I either use the GF pressure transfer kit or connect up either the gas post (blank off the blow of tube) or just use the blow off tube to inject some CO2.

Note a further adaption can be done, cut of the barb on the triclover bit & fit a JG stop cock valve, this enables easy shut off.

Easy & very effective.

Thanks for that. It reminded me I've got one of those "pressure transfer kits", which I got to offer an alternative for removing the beer if the bottom tap ever fouled-up. Of course, the tap has never "fouled-up" and the transfer kit has remained unused and gathering dust. But I always used a pump to transfer the beer (riskily putting the full GF fermenter up on a table is for younger and fitter souls than me), but the pump broke and I was trying out replacements. The "pressure transfer kit" looks like an ideal solution.

I was wondering why you'd have a "pressure transfer kit" and one of those "adapter" - but I figured it is not so easy (and more prone to disasters) adapting the "pressure transfer kit" than to have a blow off tube on the "adapter" (not easy; but not impossible!).

[barneey]

To add to the bits of kit I have..... Motorcycle scissor lift. Simply jack the FV in the air when it comes to filling the keg = no pump required.