Fermenting in Sankes?

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PartyBible

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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?
 
Orange Carboy Cap, put it in hot water to make it "stretchy" and pop it over the top, insert airlock and you're golden!
 
The BrewersHardware unit works incredibly well. Since I ferment inside a kegerator, the BH unit allows me to attach a blowoff tube that I run out the top of the kegerator. I then attach the CO2 to the blowoff line when I'm ready to keg and push the beer right out via the built in racking arm. The thermowell works great as well for tracking/maintaining fermentation temp.

Like anything in homebrewing, there is always the cheap DIY route and then there is the more elegant engineered solution. The difference is how much effort you want to contribute.
 
Wow,
Just did a little reading. It appears I can use my corneys with a dip run from the input/gas side.
 
Are you talking about fermenting in the cornies? Sure, you can do that - but you won't be able to ferment 5 gal batches in them. That's why the Sanke's are great - you can do a 10 gal batch and have plenty of head room.
 
I use a Sanke for most of my brews at this point... Stopper and an airlock or a tri-clamp / 1/2" barb to a blowoff tube...
 
Guess the deal breaker for many people is trying to wrangle a 120+ lb fermenter into a chest freezer.

That is why I have a converted side by side fridge, a hand truck and an alcohol-induced sense of He-Manism..

(Just waiting to hear that shelf collapse and watch as my garage is covered in delicious fermenting wort...)
 
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, no 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.
 
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.

... and from there you pump it into your kegs. Yeah, I'm happy with this method. :)
 
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 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:
RC000RG.jpg

rubber carboy caps in UPSIDE DOWN in the neck of the sanke. It fits perfectly, no stretching or heating required. The airlock is a bit recessed into it, but that makes it lower profile.
 
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...

Why not just leave it in place? My blowoff tube has a MFL fitting on it, so I remove it from the blowoff jug and attach the CO2 right to it. The out post of the sanke kit has a QD on it for attaching to the OUT post of the 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.

This assumes that I have a Sanke laying around which is not the case. Unless you know of an affordable source for Sanke kegs...?
 
This assumes that I have a Sanke laying around which is not the case. Unless you know of an affordable source for Sanke kegs...?

Call local distributors/breweries and ask if they have any decommissioned shells. Check metal salvage/scrap yards. Craigslist...

I got all mine from Craig, nice guy but his sales people can be real weirdos.
 
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.
 
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.

I soak a 15.5 gallon sanke with ~8gallons of super hot tap water and 2 scoops of oxiclean. I install the spear and flip it upside down to allow it to clean all the dried on crap first while the water is at maximum temp. I flip it after about 30 minutes and will let it sit until the next evening or morning. At that point I remove the spear and rinse very well. I can inspect the insides with a mechanics mirror and an extension cord with a light on the end but this is generally not needed at all. It reads like a lot of work but is really quite easy and no scrubbing involved.

Using a 15.5 gallon sanke I can ferment 5 gallon batches all the way up to ~12 gallons if I wish. I can use super hot water (try that with a carboy or better bottle). Best of all when the fermentation is done I simply hook up the tap and push it with CO2 to my keg to reduce oxidation chances. Plus let's admit, a SS keg looks 10 times cooler than a fermentation bucket....
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
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!!!

Do you mean you use a cold water/oxiclean mixture or just plain cold water? Looking in the keg is more for reassurance for me. They always look clean but I like to look at the shiny stainless. It makes me happy.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.

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?
 
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.

I do this exact process (except PBW, not Oxy) and you can bet that if there were any little crud still left inside, it is dead and incapable of affecting your wort after the boil/steam cleansing.
 
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?

Yes, hose clamps on both ends of the blowoff tube to seal the MFL fitting and to the top of the Brewershardware unit. The racking can needs to have the o-rings installed that came with the unit. You don't need to tighten the nut very far to get a good seal. You also need to have the thin o-ring installed under the tri-clap ring to seal to the top of the keg. My output hose also has clamps on it to seal to the racking cane. I start the CO2 push with the regulator fully open (no pressure) and then open my beer line on the racking cane and then slowly start to apply some pressure by adjusting the regulator up. I probably only use 2-4 psi - it is very low. It's all push - no siphon.
 
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.

Okay, now we are waffling... Sanke's or conicals? I could have 8 brewers hardware sanke fermenters for the cost of a single conical, but cost isn't the only consideration. It's an important one, but...
 
Well, I would like to give it a try with my setup before opining one way or the other on that, 3 Dog. Key for me will be proving that I can dump trub and yeast via racking cane and CO2 pressure. I have one of the Stout Tanks conicals and I do like it, but it is not the most space-efficient and it is probably ~4x the cost (compared to finding a keg on craigslist and buying the conversion kit).

If this works, then I agree with those who only ferment in Sankes and I might be looking to sell my conical, LOL!
 
And one additional note. 2-person carrying of Sanke is probably easier than moving a conical when they are full (unless you pop for the casters $$$$) Sanke also easier to move if you just keep it sitting on one of those plant stands with rollers.
 
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