How many of you fermenting in Sankes have modified the sanke top?

Hey Guys, been fermenting in a Sanke the last couple batches and love it. BUT dry hopping in it presents some issues obviously. I have seen some people modify the top of a Sanke to fit a corny keg top but I prefer the Sanke top with an orange carboy cap. I have 3 12" tops from the Sanke's I cut for my keggles just sitting around and was thinking about cutting an 8" hole in the top of another Sanke and somehow secure the 12" top to the keg using a rubber seal of some sort and a method of pressing the top securely to the keg ala a Stout fermenter. Something like this:



Are any of you doing something similar?

Here is a picture of the Stout fermenter for those that don't know what I'm referring to. You can see the mechanism for securing the top to the fermenter using the turn screw.

I ferment in Sankes and love it. As far as dry hopping...I either will rack the beer into carboys for dry hopping or most of the time I just dry hop in the in the sanke. I just throw the hop pellets in. Your idea will work I just don't know if it is worth the trouble.

how do you filter the beer if you just throw the pellets into the sanke? and do you wash and reuse your yeast at all?

I do the same and just throw the hops in. Once I cold crash for 2 or 3 days, I can rack without hardly any of the hops transferring. They seem to stay down in the yeast cake pretty well.

carrotmalt said:

I do the same and just throw the hops in. Once I cold crash for 2 or 3 days, I can rack without hardly any of the hops transferring. They seem to stay down in the yeast cake pretty well.

Click to expand...

do you wash and reuse your yeast at all?

blacks4 said:

do you wash and reuse your yeast at all?

Click to expand...

I've only washed 3 or 4 batches, but those were light beers w/ no dry hopping. I always build up a starter from the washed sample, so even if I did dry hop, I'd probably still wash several times, then build up from a smaller sample.

I was fermenting in a sanke for a while. I rigged up a Celphalon pot lid I bought at Target and I used a rubber sealer off of a bucket lid that fit perfect. I secured and tightened the lid down with a bar and some u-bolts I tightened over the handles. Sorry I don't have a pic. I did dry hop with no problem. Cleaning was easy though.

Dok said:

I was fermenting in a sanke for a while. I rigged up a Celphalon pot lid I bought at Target and I used a rubber sealer off of a bucket lid that fit perfect. I secured and tightened the lid down with a bar and some u-bolts I tightened over the handles. Sorry I don't have a pic. I did dry hop with no problem. Cleaning was easy though.

Click to expand...

Did you drill holes for grommets for a blow off tube, etc..?

Yes, I did drill holes in the top. I used a regular plastic airlock. This is what I used for a lid.

Calphalon Simply Nonstick 12" Everyday Pan with Lid in Skillets and Frying Pans | JR.com

It was cool to have a tempered glass lid that you could see through.

Dok said:

I was fermenting in a sanke for a while. I rigged up a Celphalon pot lid I bought at Target and I used a rubber sealer off of a bucket lid that fit perfect. I secured and tightened the lid down with a bar and some u-bolts I tightened over the handles. Sorry I don't have a pic. I did dry hop with no problem. Cleaning was easy though.

Click to expand...

I tried to do this with a thick sheet of plexiglass. I added a blow off hole and a gas in hole, but I never could get a strong enough seal to rack from it with CO2 I'd love to see a pic if you can put one together!

blacks4 said:

how do you filter the beer if you just throw the pellets into the sanke? and do you wash and reuse your yeast at all?

Click to expand...

I don't filter. I just rack into the keg, being careful not to pick up any trub, and chill. The first few pints might have some hop particles but that is about it. If you were really concerned about it you could use a hop sack but I think it is more of a pain.
I usually don't wash and reuse yeast from a fermentation. I prefer to make a starter ahead of time for the sole purpose of growing yeast for future beers. I can usually get 4-5 vials of yeast this way. I think it might be a better way to go because you aren't getting stressed yeast that just went through a beer fermentation. Also I don't have to bother washing since there is very little trub and no hop particles. When I want to brew I just get a vial of banked yeast and make a starter.

I've always fermented in a sanke (my hot liquor tank) - I just use the regular stainless lid on top (no gasket) and have never had a problem. If the beer isn't sitting around too long post-fermentation I don't see how going to all of the trouble of a custom lid will be worth the effort.

MNDan said:

I've always fermented in a sanke (my hot liquor tank) - I just use the regular stainless lid on top (no gasket) and have never had a problem. If the beer isn't sitting around too long post-fermentation I don't see how going to all of the trouble of a custom lid will be worth the effort.

Click to expand...

I used to do the same with a plain stainless lid, but lately I've been xferring to another Sanke and using a stretched carboy cap. I'd still prefer to use the modified keg for ease of cleaning, and I'd like for it to seal off so I can rack via gas rather than having to rely on gravity. 10 gals in a Sanke sitting in a chest freezer's a pain to raise for siphoning... especially trying not to disturb the yeast in the process.

MNDan said:

I've always fermented in a sanke (my hot liquor tank) - I just use the regular stainless lid on top (no gasket) and have never had a problem. If the beer isn't sitting around too long post-fermentation I don't see how going to all of the trouble of a custom lid will be worth the effort.

Click to expand...

I want easy dry hopping in a bag, easier cleanup, and air tight for CO2 forced transfer. Just the lid sitting on top only accomplishes 2 of those 3.

Phunhog said:

I don't filter. I just rack into the keg, being careful not to pick up any trub, and chill. The first few pints might have some hop particles but that is about it. If you were really concerned about it you could use a hop sack but I think it is more of a pain.
I usually don't wash and reuse yeast from a fermentation. I prefer to make a starter ahead of time for the sole purpose of growing yeast for future beers. I can usually get 4-5 vials of yeast this way. I think it might be a better way to go because you aren't getting stressed yeast that just went through a beer fermentation. Also I don't have to bother washing since there is very little trub and no hop particles. When I want to brew I just get a vial of banked yeast and make a starter.

Click to expand...

So you take a new vial of yeast, and then grow it into multiple vials?

Dok said:

Yes, I did drill holes in the top. I used a regular plastic airlock. This is what I used for a lid.

Calphalon Simply Nonstick 12" Everyday Pan with Lid in Skillets and Frying Pans | JR.com

It was cool to have a tempered glass lid that you could see through.

Click to expand...

How did you drill tempered glass? I didn't think it was possible.

A couple batches ago I started fermenting in a sanke keg. So far, its unmodified so I've been using a carboy cap stretched over the port. Since I pretty much use whole hops exclusively, so have been hesitant to dry hop in it... Getting used dry hops out of a carboy is by far the most tedious brewing related clean up activity I have encountered - I can't imagine trying to do it blind and without the help of the cone formed by the neck of an inverted carboy.

My plan is to cut a corny keg lid sized opening in the sanke. It seems to be the best solution to me by providing: a decent sized opening for cleaning, a pressure capable seal, and relatively easy implementation.

blacks4 said:

So you take a new vial of yeast, and then grow it into multiple vials?

Click to expand...

Exactly!!

As far as cleaning an unmodified sanke keg here is what I do. Post fermentation I rinse out all the trub. I built a "keg washer" out of a fountain pump and a sprinkler riser. I put the pump in a bucket of hot PBW and let it spray the inside of the keg which is put upside down over the bucket. I let it recirc for at least an hour. It should be clean after an hour. I then rinse and fill the keg with clean water, just 2-3 gallons. I then put it on my burner and get it to boil for 10 minutes with some foil over the top. Seal it up until I need it next time. At that point I add a little starsan, roll it around, and drain. It might be a little overkill but.....I doubt anything could live/multiply once I am done.

I am sorry I took apart the sankey fermenter and made it into a brew kettle. I did not drill a hole in the lid I did it on the top of the sankey itself. The lid I purchased just so happen to sit 1/2" above the top of the top of the keg when it sat on the hole I cut with a rubber gasket ring. I took a flat metal bar and tightened it down with u-bolts on the keg handles. The bar applied pressure to the handle of the lid and held it secure to the gasket ring. I would get a pretty good seal but it would hold only so much pressure. I just had to accept that. I currently use glass carboys or a large sealable plastic 20 gallon container.

Vanguard Open Head Drum | U.S. Plastic Corp.

This thing works great! I just drilled a hole on the lid placed a rubber airlock grommet and stuck a regular plastic airlock in it.