Advantages of using a Conical Fermenter

All,

So as ususal, when I get into a new hobby I go all out

Ive done 4 batches of beer in just about as many weekends.

One of the things that Im thinking about is a conical fermenter as I have a little bit of space in the garage, and I want to start doing full boil 10 gallon batches.

Ive been reading a bunch about the pros/cons of the plastic vs stainless debate. Ive pretty much decided that if I do purchase one, Ill save up and get an all stainless setup.

So far advantages of using a conical fermenter:
* Ability to get most of beer in fermenter
* Ability to remove trub (allowing for a secondary fermentation in the same container)
* Ability to harvest yeast

Disadvantages (vs Glass carboy):
* Cost
* Not able to see the beer

If Im considering doing batches at this rate, Id like to be able to harvest the yeast. This has a few benefits I can see which include cost, and more "active yeast" for pitching.

One of the things that Im not 100% clear on is the actual process for removing trub and harvesting the yeast. From what Ive read, people have drasticly different time tables for removing the trub etc. Ive seen some people comment they dump sediment 5hrs after pitching to make sure the "outlet valve" doesnt get clogged. Some others seem to use hop stoppers to limit the amount of trub that enters your fermenter, and dont pull anything from the conical for up to 10 days.

Anyone have any real world experience with one, and what works best for you? Do you feel the investment was worth the returns?

-=gp125racer=-

you can harvest yeast from a carboy no problem. I wouldn't call that an exlucsive pro of the conical.

one thing to consider is that, at the rate you are brewing, you could be a good candidate for pitching new wort onto the yeast already in the primary carboy.

Brew a batch and rack a batch to secondary on the same day. Once the older batch is racked, put yout new cooled wort right onto the trub left over in the primary.

That mofo will take off like crazy. You'll be fermenting in a couple hours max.


But... on the other hand...

the conical sounds/looks cool. If I weren't such a cheap bastard I might consider one. As it is, I'll stick with my growing armada of carboys.

I've been considering the conical too, but my stumbling block is when I think of how to cool the thing for proper fermentation temps. I don't have a basement and the added size of the 14 gallon would mean that a dedicated fridge for cooling would be just that; dedicated to one batch in the conical only. If I stick to carboys I can get multiple carboys (still trying to find on to fit 4 5 gallon carboys on the top shelf and 2 6.5 gallon on the bottom) in the fridge for multiple batches or double up a couple on a bigger batch.


Anyway, SS is the way to go if you can cool it effectively.

Spyk'd said:

Anyway, SS is the way to go if you can cool it effectively.

Click to expand...

I just had the opportunity to brew a 15+ gallon AG pilsner with a very experienced brewer. He uses a stainless conical that has a cooling sleeve - just another piece of stainless sheet welded around the fermenter sort of like a blanket with a coolant inlet and outlet. He uses a temperature controller on a magnetic drive pump to circulate glycol from a chest freezer through the cooling sleeve and back. It's really effective, and the chest freezer is a small model that only cost about $110.

Yuri_Rage said:

I just had the opportunity to brew a 15+ gallon AG pilsner with a very experienced brewer. He uses a stainless conical that has a cooling sleeve - just another piece of stainless sheet welded around the fermenter sort of like a blanket with a coolant inlet and outlet. He uses a temperature controller on a magnetic drive pump to circulate glycol from a chest freezer through the cooling sleeve and back. It's really effective, and the chest freezer is a small model that only cost about $110.

Click to expand...

Wow, that sounds really cool (no pun intended)! Any chance you have pictures??

rdwj said:

Wow, that sounds really cool (no pun intended)! Any chance you have pictures??

Click to expand...

No pictures from this time around, but I'll take a camera next time!

I live in sunny CA, and Im not planning on having a cooler. Im not a big Lager fan anyways, so not too big of a deal there.

I leave everything in the garage (as close to, or on the floor if posible).

Would recycling the yeast/trub like that cause any issues with off flavors or flavor 'creep' from diff. styles (ie rasberry beer to IPA)?

-=gp125racer=-

wash the yeast to remove trub and dead yeast.

do a search for instructions.

Yuri_Rage said:

I just had the opportunity to brew a 15+ gallon AG pilsner with a very experienced brewer. He uses a stainless conical that has a cooling sleeve - just another piece of stainless sheet welded around the fermenter sort of like a blanket with a coolant inlet and outlet. He uses a temperature controller on a magnetic drive pump to circulate glycol from a chest freezer through the cooling sleeve and back. It's really effective, and the chest freezer is a small model that only cost about $110.

Click to expand...

Oh sure, glycol would do it, but I was thinking of something a little more low tech, like this:

Fermentor Closet


Just a thought...

:cross:

Spyk'd said:

Oh sure, glycol would do it, but I was thinking of something a little more low tech

Click to expand...

I know my suggestion was a bit involved. If you can attach a refrigerator coil or air conditioning unit to your brew closet, you'll be in business almost year round!

Yeah, and a "brew closet" is only one step away from a walk in cooler...that's the other thing I'm looking into.

That brew closet is really really cool looking!

An A/C in that bad boy and I be all set.

I havent seen thosefermenters before, anyone have any info on them (ie make, manufacturer etc)?

-=gp125racer=-