Stout Tanks and Kettles - $400 14.5 Gal Conical

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This is John from Stout Tanks. This seal problem is unusual - but we are looking at this gasket to see how we can make it more robust and prevent this.
 
For the Stout Tanks 14.5 gal. conical with a ring-clamp lid - please install the gasket with the groove pointing up into the lid, not down onto the tank. I think that is why you are not getting a seal.
 
A comparison of the Stout Conical and Blichmann Fermenator:

http://www.natemc.com/news/archives/580

Not a really much more info than has already been said, but one of the more "official" reviews I've seen.


The Stout Conicals are sounding better and better to me, and I live in Portland :)
Do wish they had the smaller lid in the top though.
 
We could put a 3" TC port in the lid as a custom build for you...

I might want to do that, depending on what it costs. The lid does seem easy to open, I just like the idea of a smaller one for less oxygen and dust, etc. while adding dry hops, etc.

Working on an email for you with a few other questions as well ;)
 
+ 1 on that 3" TC port how much extra would that be? And what kind of wait times? i might just say whatever and get the 14.5 that you keep in stock.
 
I don't have one of the conicals yet, but John has this in his sites FAQ that I remembered reading earlier:

"Hi Kevin,

The things you can do are:

1. Drain the trub 30 minutes or so after you dump your wort in (before you add yeast).
2. Dump the yeast when fermentation slows down significantly.
3. Dump a little yeast each day for several days in a row.

Don't try to get it all out in one day. Once it gets very runny stop and close the valve. The more highly flocculent the yeast is the more it needs time to resettle so you can dump it again. E.g., it might leave a "hole" in the yeast pile that has to fill back in by gravity.

If you have a highly flocculant yeast you will be a lot more likely have this jamming problem. I usually use Chico ale yeast with no problems as it has medium flocculation.

I suggest a sanitized heavy wire or cut-up coat hanger instead of something like a brush from a santitation perspective. You can poke it up through the open valve. You can also fashion a handle so you don't get yeast all over your hand.

Cheers,

John"

A sanitized wire to loosen it up sounds like your best bet at the moment.
 
I'm looking to buy one of the 7.3 gal conicals. Due to the low height of the outlet valve how do you get the beer from the fermenter into the bottling bucket? Is it necessary to use a pump? Thanks.
 
I wouldn't use a pump, to hard to make sure it's sanitary. Pumps are better for hot side were you don't have to worry about it much.

I'm planning to just put the conical on the same table where I put my carboys now. It's raised up about 3 feet, plenty to let gravity transfer the beer for you. I'll use the pump to get the wort up and into the conical after brewing it, but you could just move it up.
 
Cpirius, right, jjI can see where that would work. I'll be brewing outside, chilling the wort in the brew kettle, transferring to the fermenter and then bringing it indoors to ferment. I'm to old to lift it up on a shelf or table to let it ferment, although that would be ideal, like you suggested. The fermenter will be on the floor hence I'll need to get the beer into the bottling bucket from there.
 
Ah ok. Well I have seen people extend the legs so that it stands high enough on its own, and then you could mount it on a platform with caster wheels so you can roll it. That should make it easy to move around unless there are stairs or something to get over. Also, assuming you have a pump to get it up into the fermenter.

If it has to be on the floor I've seen people make peristaltic pumps with silicone tubing. You could use that as a sanitary way to pump the beer up off the floor.
 
So I owe this topic an update:

After my last batch was done fermenting I was able to really spend some time to figure out the lid issue. Truly, it's difficult to seal when the seal and lid are wet with Star-San and lining it up, clamping, etc can be finicky. Putting it on dry is definately the way to go. I installed a port on the side for introducing wort and yeast so the lid is not removed for any reason other than cleaning. It works very well now and I do like this fermenter. In fact, the way I've set it up, I can push wort into it while simultaneously purging it with oxygen and no outside exposure.

It may have taken some effort to learn the details of working with this fermenter and a couple mods to suit my taste but the end result has been good and the price was excellent for a full TC, all stainless, polished conical with a rotating racking arm.
 
Cpirius, right, jjI can see where that would work. I'll be brewing outside, chilling the wort in the brew kettle, transferring to the fermenter and then bringing it indoors to ferment. I'm to old to lift it up on a shelf or table to let it ferment, although that would be ideal, like you suggested. The fermenter will be on the floor hence I'll need to get the beer into the bottling bucket from there.

Simplest answer is to rack into a pitcher and pour that into the bottling bucket.

Or get a pump and sanitize it ahead of time by pumping some boiling water or Starsan solution through it. They sell a small DC voltage pump for around $70that would work nicely for this purpose.

The valve on the pic of the 7gal Stout tank looks awfully long, I think you could get a shorter valve and save yourself a few inches. Plus if you just put it on a one foot taller stand I think you'd almost have room to stick a bucket under it. Maybe make a bottling bucket out of a shorter bucket, I know mine is the same 7gal bucket as the ale pail fermentors which is overkill for a 5gal batch.
 
Lennie,
Thanks for the input I appreciate it. I was thinking along the same lines regarding building a taller stand. I think when I get the fermenter I'll measure to see exactly how high it'll need to be in order to slide the bottling bucket under it. Good point on the valve/hose barb. I will replace it with a shorter one even if it only saves a couple of inches.

Wicked Daddy,
I like the sounds of your mod, the side port. Any chance you could post a picture and provide a few details on the process? Thanks.
 
Alki,
I'm traveling on biz right now and don't have the pics handy. As soon as I'm home I'll post up some pics and the method to my madness.
 
Wicked Daddy said:
Alki,
I'm traveling on biz right now and don't have the pics handy. As soon as I'm home I'll post up some pics and the method to my madness.

Great! Thanks.
 
Alki,
I'm traveling on biz right now and don't have the pics handy. As soon as I'm home I'll post up some pics and the method to my madness.

Think you could throw in a few pics of the racking arm? I'm curious about how exactly that part rotates and seals. I would really appreciate it.
 
The valve on the pic of the 7gal Stout tank looks awfully long, I think you could get a shorter valve and save yourself a few inches.

If your beer hose stays full of liquid the height of the valve doesn't matter - it is the height of the beer inside the fermenter that will affect things. Your hose could go up and over the lip of your bottling bucket and as long as it is full and the end is lower than the beer in the fermenter, it will drain down until it comes to the outlet on the fermenter.
 
I get that and wasn't criticizing the setup, but how low the end of the valve is will to determine if the guy can put a bucket under the valve and get every last bit of beer out without putting it on a stand.

I guess an alternative would be to dump yeast a day or two ahead of time then add the priming sugar and bottle directly from the fermentor through a barb, hose and bottling wand.
 
So here is the port in the conical fermenter. It's a 1/2 inch camlock and will take a cap for sealing the fermenter.

Fermenter Port.jpg
 
From the inside: I attached an arm with a sprayer to distribute the wort/yeast/hops into the fermenter. I also made an aeration system that oxygenates the wort on it's way to the fermenter. As the wort enters the fermenter, so does the oxygen. The sprayer aids in churning the wort. This purges the fermenter as well, out of the blow-off (on the lid).

Internal Fermenter Port with Sprayer.jpg
 
Very nice Scott. When pitching yeast and dry hopping do you use a funnel with a curved neck on it? Did you drill the hole yourself? Thanks for posting the pix!
 
For adding yeast and hops for dry hopping: Yeast slurry goes into funnel and is washed down with some sterile water. I dry hop by first doing a quick boil of pellet hops, cool and pour into the funnel. Wash down with some sterile water.

Yeast Funnel into Port.jpg
 
Yes, drilled the hole myself. I use a starter bit and then a step bit. I go slow (push lightly) and use high speed. If the bit grabs the steel, that is when bad holes are created. I sand the hole for smoothness and then clean with Bar Keepers Friend to passivate the fresh steel.

And thanks for the compliment. I love the equipment almost as much as brewing.
 
Cpirius,

I'll need to take some pics of that. Basically, the racking arm has two o-rings on it that seal the arm in the port. You loosen the tri-clamp a lttle and then turn the arm carefully. The handle on the arm indicates the position of the internal pipe.
 
Very well thought out, you've covered all the bases. I can get the cam locks and other hardware from Bargain Fittings. I really like the SS funnel, where did you find it? The arm & sprayer look awesome. Where did you get it? It looks similar to the sprayer that attaches to some of the fly sparge setups I've seen. Sorry to be picking your brain like this but I see no need to reinvent the wheel I really like what you've done.
 
Thanks! Ask all the questions you like.

Yes, the camlocks and most other hardware came from Bargain Fittings. The sprayer is made from a dip tube and a female compression fitting. Here is the dip tube:

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=157

I buy it without the male fitting and I also cut off 3/4 inch of the short side to gain a little more clearance.

The funnel is from Austin Homebrew Supply. They are local to me but here is the link to the funnel on their site:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11061

The idea for the fermenter sprayer DID come from a sprayer I made for my mash tun. In the mash tun, I used camlocks to make the RIM hose and Sparge Sprayer interchangeable; RIM hose for mashing and then switch to sprayer for sparging:

QD RIM Hose.jpg


QD Sparger.jpg
 
Scott, thanks for all the info I appreciate it. You've really done some great upgrades to your brewing equipment. I'm with you, working on the equipment is a lot of fun, I really enjoy it. I'm familiar with AHS. I've purchased several items from them including a 10 gallon Megapot. Good store, like there videos. I'll be ordering the ss funnel from them. Here in Seattle we have two LHBS but neither one are even close to AHS or Northern Brewer. Where did you get the sprayer that you have attached to the upper port cam lock? Tomorrow I'm sending John @ Stout Tanks the $ to hold a 7.3 conical w/thermowell & thermometer. He'll ship it next month when he gets the butterfly valves back in stock. I don't have any experience with them, only ball valves, but they are supposed to be easier to clean & more sanitary. Are you familiar with them?
 
Yes, drilled the hole myself. I use a starter bit and then a step bit. I go slow (push lightly) and use high speed. If the bit grabs the steel, that is when bad holes are created. .

I thought the general consensus was that when drilling stainless you need to go slow speed with pressure and cutting oil. This is to prevent work hardening the stainless. If this happens, go luck cutting with a step bit.
 
Perhaps this is true... I'm not a machinist and maybe I'm doing it wrong. I use high RPMs because a couple times the bit has grabbed the steel and caused a warped hole that I then had to work on to make it straight. At this point I count 7 holes I've successfully drilled and expanded this way with no issues. I do use a little oil on the step bit when drilling.
 
Terry,
The sprayer arm and female compression fitting came from Bargain Fittings.

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=157


I cut 3/4 inch off the short side to gain more clearance. Also, it comes with a male compression fitting but I chose to omit that and go with the female and join the camlock and compression fitting with an NPT threaded nipple. Use an O-ring, outer washer and locking nut with a recess for the O-ring: all sold at Bargain fittings. The white plastic sprayer head is from AHS. It's a wort aerator.

I've not used a butterfly valve (yet). To clean my ball valves, I pump cleaning solution through them and open/close the valve slowly/repeatedly so all internal surfaces are flushed. I've taken apart the ones I suspected would be the most grungy and they were spotless. Still, I'll disassemble them all about twice a year and put them through the dishwasher.

Congrats on the new fermenter. If you've not used a conical, they are awesome! Secondary is just a matter of dumping the trub/yeast. Done!
 
Think you could throw in a few pics of the racking arm? I'm curious about how exactly that part rotates and seals. I would really appreciate it.

Here you go:

You can see the 2 O-rings. These seal the arm in the TC port. There is also a TC seal and clamp and the ball valve clamps to the arm with a seal and clamp as well. I keep the arm turned to the side and angled down just slightly. This keeps yeast/trub from falling into the racking tube. when it's time to sample or move to kegs; I dump the yeast, loosen the TC just enough to turn the arm and rotate it down, then tighten the clamp. I'll open the valve and let a little flow into a glass to make sure I'm getting clean beer before transferring to the keg.

Racking Arm 1.jpg


Racking Arm 2.jpg
 
Scott,
Thanks again for the info. I will try and duplicate your mods/upgrades after I receive the fermenter next month. I'm really looking forward to using the conical vs plastic buckets. I've ordered from Wayne @ Bargain Fittings several times, good prices & very good customer service. I'll order the SS funnel & wort aerator from AHS.
 
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