PartyBible
Active Member
Anyone fermenting in the keg? I am not talking about force carbing....I mean the real deal wort and yeast pitching action. How do you put an airlock on it?
Wort,
I am reading through your thread. excellent job btw.
Wyzazz, This one?
http://www.homebrewers.com/product/...utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=4604
Guess the deal breaker for many people is trying to wrangle a 120+ lb fermenter into a chest freezer.
Guess the deal breaker for many people is trying to wrangle a 120+ lb fermenter into a chest freezer.
Closed system fermentation is an interesting system. Mine is on it's maiden voyage. Assuming I get the hang of it and the beer turns out, it is way easier. Imagine, not more carboys, caps, airlocks, blow off tubes, etc. I just pumped from keggle to CFC, inline O2 and straight into sanke. And the beer never touches the air once it's pumped to your sanke.
Don't know about pumping to kegs, but transferring under CO2 pressure is where it is at!
I have and use the brewer's hardware sanke kit, it is great. However, I only put it on for transfers, while it is fermenting, i stick one of these...
Be sure to compare their offering with the Brewers hardware kit.
http://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermenter-Kit-with-Thermowell.html
I'm using this and it is fantastic. No need for the racking arm setup or thermometer that Sabco offers. Just use a sanke keg with the spear removed and put the unit on the top with the tri-clamp. I really like the internal thermowell for monitor the fermentation temps.
This assumes that I have a Sanke laying around which is not the case. Unless you know of an affordable source for Sanke kegs...?
Be sure to compare their offering with the Brewers hardware kit.
http://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermenter-Kit-with-Thermowell.html
I'm using this and it is fantastic. No need for the racking arm setup or thermometer that Sabco offers. Just use a sanke keg with the spear removed and put the unit on the top with the tri-clamp. I really like the internal thermowell for monitor the fermentation temps.
One more question about this setup. How do you clean the inside? I know that I have to use a brush to clean the inside of my glass carboys. I can't see getting a brush through the neck or being able to see the inside to know if it's clean. The Sabco has that 4" opening at the top and one of the main reasons I prefer it. However, I'd hate to drop 3x the price of the BH setup if I don't have to. I could have three BH fermenters (plus 3 kegs) for the price of the Sabco and several more for the price of the Blichmannn. I just want a better fermenter than a 6.5 gallon glass bottle. I'd like to brew 10 gallon batches and it needs to fit in my fermentation chamber. The chamber was built to fit a Blichmann 14 gallon conical.
Ditto as Skut Monkey!!! Only sometimes I just use cold water and let it sit a day or two before flipping and resting another day or two. I no longer have to look in the keg with a mirror or anything, as I know it is clean. Oh, and Skut... I just fermented 15.25 gallons in my Sanke under pressure with nothing coming out the spunding valve but nose burning CO2. God I love Sankes!!!
I use oxy too. Sometimes I just use cold water if they are going to soak a coupe of days.
Be sure to compare their offering with the Brewers hardware kit.
http://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermenter-Kit-with-Thermowell.html
I'm using this and it is fantastic. No need for the racking arm setup or thermometer that Sabco offers. Just use a sanke keg with the spear removed and put the unit on the top with the tri-clamp. I really like the internal thermowell for monitor the fermentation temps.
I have it and here is my complaint... I cannot use CO2 pressure to pump out trub or to transfer to final kegs. Basically, advantage of conical is dumping trub and excess yeast and using a single vessel for primary and secondary. Don't seem to be able to do this with the brewershardware kit.
Why can't you pump out with CO2? Are you not getting a seal somewhere so the CO2 can't pressurize the sanke?
I use a 1/2" ID hose on the blowoff port with a MFL fitting on the other end. The MFL fitting is inside the blowoff jug during fermentation, but then I attach CO2 when ready to push the beer out. I use a 3/8" clear line attached to the racking cane that is pulled up from the bottom about 3-4 inches. I have a mini valve on that line also so I can start/stop the beer flow. When I'm approaching the 10 gallon mark, I usually start sucking a little air, so I start to slowly push the racking cane further into the sanke. If it starts sucking trub, I stop as I've got all the beer there is to get. You can then push the racking can all the way down and use another vessel to capture as much trub/yeast as you want.
I clean mine with Oxy free and hot water..shake, let soak for few days. Then shake dump,shake while dumping. rinse with water. done. Before next use I rinse,boil 2 gals hard with Alum foil on top. Dump,let cool and fill.
Are you just transferring via siphon with CO2 backpressure to fill the void? I don't see a way to seal sufficiently to force the beer up through the racking cane. Are you using a hose clamp on the blow-off port? How many PSI are you pushing?
Basically, advantage of conical is dumping trub and excess yeast and using a single vessel for primary and secondary. Don't seem to be able to do this with the brewershardware kit.
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