Alternative to conical fermentor

Just saw this on Morebeer.com and was wondering if this at least compares to the flexibility that conical fermentors provide (dry hopping, pulling samples etc,)? This also appears to be a potential DIY project for the industrious individual.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=7144


Any thoughts?

Yes, it's an alternative. Check out these from SABCO


SABCO fermentor - tri-clamp version
SABCO fermentor - economy model


You don't have a way to dump trub and collect yeast easily. Those are the most obvious disadvantages when compared with a conical.

I started building my conical fermenters as an alternative to these. Let me explain:

I want to brew 10-15 gallon batches. I don't want to pay for a commercial conical, so I started looking at alternatives. These keg-style fermenters looked great. My problem: I can't find a used keg at a good price, and I couldn't find those cool stainless pool filters like Monster Mash has. Oh, and I don't want to be a dirtbag and scam a keg by not returning it for the deposit. So, for $300, I can get a keg fermenter. For only slightly more, I can get all the parts to build my own conical, which is what I was looking at in the first place. And, if you haven't noticed, I like to build stuff.

I have high hopes for the success of your conical, Yuri. Who knows? I might want one.

beer4breakfast said:

I have high hopes for the success of your conical, Yuri. Who knows? I might want one.

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Me too. On both counts.

I've been watching your conical fabrication skills, Yuri, and am impressed:rockin:

I too am interested in doing 10 gal. batches and figured these would be a good alternative considering they are almost half the price of a conical (new). I may just try to find plastic fermentors for now and decide which way I want to go in the future as far as stainless is concerned.

Thanks for the quick replies, guys.

With all the talk of conical fermentors of late, this looks like a good inexpensive alternative. It is only five gallons though.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=16678

Flyin' Lion said:

Just saw this on Morebeer.com and was wondering if this at least compares to the flexibility that conical fermentors provide (dry hopping, pulling samples etc,)? This also appears to be a potential DIY project for the industrious individual.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=7144


Any thoughts?

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I'm probably wrong but I thought sabco says you can use the racking tube to collect yeast and dump the trub. I think that it rotates. Again I might be wrong here.

Todd said:

I'm probably wrong but I thought sabco says you can use the racking tube to collect yeast and dump the trub. I think that it rotates. Again I might be wrong here.

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More or less. They say you can siphon out about 85% of the trub and yeast slurry. It doesn't seem like quite as fine a level of control as you have with a conical.

You know, if you took one of the SABCO fermenters, cut the bottom out, then welded on a small stainless conical funnel and added butterfly valve and legs to the keg, you might be able to turn it into a conical with true dumping capability. It already comes with a racking port.

Flyin' Lion said:

With all the talk of conical fermentors of late, this looks like a good inexpensive alternative. It is only five gallons though.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=16678

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I've never noticed that before. I wonder if anyone on this forum has ever used one and could give a report.

beer4breakfast said:

Yes, it's an alternative. Check out these from SABCO


SABCO fermentor - tri-clamp version
SABCO fermentor - economy model


You don't have a way to dump trub and collect yeast easily. Those are the most obvious disadvantages when compared with a conical.

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I like this one from SABCO. I don't reallY think I'd brew More than 5 gallon batches.

omniscientomar said:

I like this one from SABCO. I don't reallY think I'd brew More than 5 gallon batches.

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Holy crap! Don't pay $150 for that! Just buy their lid and put it on a used corny.

Yuri_Rage said:

Holy crap! Don't pay $150 for that! Just buy their lid and put it on a used corny.

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A corny is only 5 gallons, that keg is 2 cornies welded together to make it 7 gallons, that is why it is $150.

Monster Mash said:

A corny is only 5 gallons, that keg is 2 cornies welded together to make it 7 gallons, that is why it is $150.

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I guess that makes it better. Maybe that's what I'll do with the 5 used (now topless) cornies I have leftover from my conical project.

I use a conical fermenter from Hobby Beverage made from Nalgene. It works great and only cost about $150. They advertise in all the home brew mags.

Dr Malt

Monster Mash said:

A corny is only 5 gallons, that keg is 2 cornies welded together to make it 7 gallons, that is why it is $150.

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They say they added 7 inches to the height for a capacity of 6.6 gallons. I don't have a corny to measure the stainless steel part of it, but I'm betting they could get three 7 inch sections out of a corny, or maybe a couple of 7 inch sections out of a damaged one. Nice way to use up otherwise useless scrap cornies.

It seems like a perfect fermenter for 5 gallon batches at that price point. Extremely strong and durable, and several will fit in a full-size fridge for lagering. The price certainly seems right, considering that you can ferment a full five gallon batch in one, then use CO2 pressure to rack to a secondary regular 5 gallon corny for conditioning then serving. You'd be able to collect the yeast and trub slurry, wash it, and save the yeast in the same you would with a glass carboy after racking to secondary. I don't see any real disadvantage to using these in place of regular carboys, aside from cost, and there are undisputed advantages due to their durability and space-saving design.

If you just bought the lid that Yuri pointed out for $29 and used it with a regular-sized corny, how many gallons could you ferment in it? I know you need some headspace. Maybe 4 gallons?

beer4breakfast said:

If you just bought the lid that Yuri pointed out for $29 and used it with a regular-sized corny, how many gallons could you ferment in it? I know you need some headspace. Maybe 4 gallons?

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I wouldn't hesitate to ferment a full 5 gallons with a blow-off tube...sure, you'd run the risk of losing a quart or so from blow-off, but it oughta work.