Closed-system pressurized fermentation technique!

I also like 10 psi. I haven't had to add any additional co2.

Any one have a good way to monitor internal fermentation temp in the keg? I was thinking of modifying a Corney lid to accomodate a thermowell.

helibrewer said:

Any one have a good way to monitor internal fermentation temp in the keg? I was thinking of modifying a Corney lid to accomodate a thermowell.

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I had one in a modified liquid diptube. Truth be told, though, it was spot on identical to the temperature of a probe taped to the outside with a bit of insulation.

Yep, I just insulate my probe on the bottom side of the Sanke and go with that.

The past BIAB brew day I made a lightly hopped Blonde pitching Notty, racked it (counter-pressure) to a serving corney after two weeks and I left the left the empty fermentation corney in the keezer with some CO2 pressure.

Two weeks later, I brewed an APA, I pulled the empty corney from the keezer and let it come up to room temperature while I brewed. Then I popped the seal and dumped the APA on the yeast cake and tossed in some Fermcap & yeast nutrient and put it back in the keezer and raised it to the fermentation temp & set the pressure to 5PSI. Had vigorous fermentation in less than 12 hours.

It was close to FG after 3 days, then I raised the pressure to 26PSI and left it go for a total of two weeks and racked it to a serving corney. It came out great. For lightly hopped beers, this is going to be my SOP, no added risk of infection, and a good strong yeast cake which saves $4+.

The ease of carbonation, the space it saves over buckets & carboys, the ease of transfer of wort, counter-pressure bottling from the corney when needed of already carbed beer, everything about this method has been a big plus to me.

Finishing first keg of pressure ferment. Came out great! Same taste from pitch + 2 weeks and2 weeks after that. Also the clearest looking beer after cold transfer plus a few days.

I've used pressurized ferments in a Brewhemoth monthly since the spring, and the beer has been some of my best. I think part of it is due to brewing large batches, I'm less inclined to screw around with a recipe for a large batch. The one problem I've had is that the beer tends to be a little cloudy. I don't know why, maybe I'm popping some yeast when I bleed pressure? I've used different base malts and have had this issue on all of them. Hasn't been a big deal, the beer is quite tasty and if left in keg in fridge it will clear. Problem is the beer tends to disappear faster than the haze does.

I do think I've gotten away with higher ferm temps this summer by using pressurized ferm. I actually got one Cali common ferm up around 72-74F and the beer still came out very smooth and without esters.

add a teaspoon or 2 of biofine clear and it'll be crystal clear in a couple days.

I'll have to look for that. I was considering adding some gelatin to the current batch but it wouldn't be cold so I wasn't sure how well it would settle.

yeah... biofine works at room temp as well as cold. I used it on a mead that had just finished fermenting and was still real cloudy. it dropped crystal clear in 2 days. If your LHBS doesn't have it brewmasters warehouse does.

I find that gelatin works very well for me clear down to 30f. Polished in 3 days. However....I'm starting to think that the gelatin is stripping a lot of aromatics...

I make a 5 gallon conical fermentor called Onederbrew. It is designed to ferment under pressure if you wish.
I can notice a significant decrease in fusal alcohols early in fermentation, and generally cleaner tasting beer in general.
Many of the benefits are most likely due to reduced oxygenation.

onederbrew said:

I make a 5 gallon conical fermentor called Onederbrew. It is designed to ferment under pressure if you wish.
I can notice a significant decrease in fusal alcohols early in fermentation, and generally cleaner tasting beer in general.
Many of the benefits are most likely due to reduced oxygenation.

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can it go up to 30psi so it will fully carbonate the beer by the time its finished?

Mysticmead said:

can it go up to 30psi so it will fully carbonate the beer by the time its finished?

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The website suggests that the emergency pressure release will blow out at ~20 PSI.

yeah... that and since it isn't stainless (plastic can get scratched to easy for the money).... I'll pass. Now if he started making a stainless version......

Mysticmead said:

yeah... that and since it isn't stainless (plastic can get scratched to easy for the money).... I'll pass. Now if he started making a stainless version......

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Yeah, I can't see myself spending $200 on a plastic brewing vessel anytime soon. It's a shame, though. It's a neat idea.

I get plenty of carbonation at 10 psi.

lud said:

I get plenty of carbonation at 10 psi.

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is that room temp or serving temp? I was talking about 30psi at room temp, which once crash cooled would drop down to 10-12 psi

I start spunding halfway through fermentation at 10psi. Then crash cool after 14-21 days... My pressure never drops even when I crash cool.

lud said:

I start spunding halfway through fermentation at 10psi. Then crash cool after 14-21 days... My pressure never drops even when I crash cool.

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Mine always drops when I crash cool.
Usually by a factor of 3. (ex: ~30psi@68F drops to ~10psi@33F)
Follows the chart very closely:
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Sorry...don't know what to say.

I wonder if its the fact that I ferment 5 gals in a 10 gal corny?

lud said:

I start spunding halfway through fermentation at 10psi. Then crash cool after 14-21 days... My pressure never drops even when I crash cool.

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That's...weird. Perhaps your fermentation isn't actually done, or the liquid is actually supersaturated somehow? Shouldn't work like that, though, and it certainly doesn't for me.

MalFet said:

That's...weird. Perhaps your fermentation isn't actually done, or the liquid is actually supersaturated somehow? Shouldn't work like that, though, and it certainly doesn't for me.

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Agreed....whatever carbonation from pressure at room temp should be absorbed when the wort cools during the cold crash.

My latest went from 10psi at room temp to 0psi on the gauge after cold crash for a week.

MalFet said:

That's...weird. Perhaps your fermentation isn't actually done, or the liquid is actually supersaturated somehow? Shouldn't work like that, though, and it certainly doesn't for me.

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Puhleeze.....I don't crash until FG.

lud said:

Puhleeze.....I don't crash until FG.

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Apparently you don't obey the laws of physics, either.

I'm glad the guy from onderbrew chimed in. I too think he's got a good product, just not for me. I'm glad he likes fermenting under pressure ☺.

MalFet said:

Apparently you don't obey the laws of physics, either.

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Like I said before...sorry..don't know what to say. I crash after FG is reached plus another 11-18 days roughly, and spunding psi never drops... And I finish with perfect carbonation...Yay for me Hunh?

Is there a taste difference with fermenting under pressure? I just got a 10 gal keg and was wondering what to do with it. Fermenting under pressure!

I feel that my beers have fermented cleaner, no funky smell in my fermenter cornie kegs, nothing but good tasting beer.

great now to dig through 155 pages trying to find the most reliable set up

It is worth the read.

You can also do some web searches to find cornie related posts.

FWIW, I currently ferment in 5 gal. corny kegs using some homemade spunding valves (from parts from Grainger and McMaster-Carr) connected to ball lock gas connectors with roughly 1 ft. of plastic tubing. With a little Fermcap, I'm able to ferment 4 gallons without an issue (I usually ferment higher gravity and then dilute down to desired gravity by adding 1 gallon of preboiled water). Once I pitch, I set my spunding valve to 15 psi and let it ride. Sometimes I transfer to a new keg (if I plan on doing that, I use a dip-tube that I've cut about an inch shorter), but if I've filtered it well before it went into the keg, I just force carbonate and serve it from the keg it fermented in.

I usually pitch one packet of dry yeast, and I'm ready to serve within 8 days. I served an American Wheat that I brewed on a Sunday and served the following Saturday and everyone raved about it.

I'm definitely hooked on fermenting under pressure.

This makes a thread papa proud! 😜

You changed the way I brew man....

Very grateful.

I am so glad this is accepted by so many. We have a very large research group now with this technique. Such a great feeling to hear so much positive.

WortMonger I read one on of the pages that you have at one point changed the parts to make the whole thing better. Do you know the new parts list or page range to start looking?

NM I found some shoot off threads. Here are the links in case someone else comes along.

Cheaper valve $16 - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/my-first-spunding-valve-231048/

More expensive $22 - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-corny-spunding-valve-build-317333/

What's the latest on your brews fellas? How did everything turn out and how fast?

I personally don't use the system for the speed factor. I use it primarily for convenience and control and this is where I feel the system really shines.

My second and third batches are cold crashing in the keezer. Adding finings tonight for pure enjoyment this Sunday. My first batch, a blonde ale, is nothing short of spectacular.

Fall semester started this week, so I am figuring on doing 3 - 4 lagers quickly before my first papers are due. They should be able to lager unfettered till mid-terms or finals.

Awesome, and I agree on the speed factor. i didn't do this for speed, I did it for a consistent system that was easier for me. then i shared, lol.