FastFerment conical fermenter??????

I got a UPS quantum view notification of a package coming from MI. I assume that's the fermenter. Will be delivered next week.
I have the steel for my stands, just need the conical for some final measurements. I'll have a tall stand to put a corny under and a short stand for filling and such and a carrier. That lifts and places the conical on either stand.


Sent from my magic box, using only my thumbs.

Just received my fermenter..... with a giant dent in it. Tried to push it out but it leaves several smaller dents that can't be removed. Emailed them for a replacement now. Waiting for a response.

Droyd2583 said:

Just received my fermenter..... with a giant dent in it. Tried to push it out but it leaves several smaller dents that can't be removed. Emailed them for a replacement now. Waiting for a response.

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That sux royally after waiting so long

Mine is sitting on my front porch so hopefully UPS didn't damage mine in shipment. I should know in another hour or so.

I have not received shipping confirmation yet, but hopefully soon.

Glad you guys are getting yours!!!

Just got mine. Gonna give it a whirl this weekend

Awesome Got!

Keep us posted on your mounting system. IE if your using the wall mounts or building a taller stand?

I use a pump to get my wort to my fermenter so I will most likely just pump it in to the fermenter where ever I decide it is going to live.

Just got mine off of the front steps 10 mins ago. No problems with mine. Sorry to here that yours didn't survive the trip.
I finished putting it all together and the 1 and only thing that I don't like so far is the lid gasket material. Its an easy fix though. I'm just not sure it will seal 100 percent and it feels like you have to screw the lid on to tight to get a seal. Thoughts on a new gasket material anyone?

I wanted to post an update and say that I am extremely happy with the customer service I have received from this company. They have been top tier in my books. I did send the email a little later in the day and knew they were busy and it was a long shot to get a response about it that day. Was hoping something on saturday, but again, I understand I didn't get one. Had a response fairly early this morning advising they would have an answer soon for the issue. I did not hear back for the rest of the day so at 430 I sent an email requesting a definition to soon so I could have a time frame for a resolution. I got a response within the hour that said, "It Leaves Tomorrow, Cheers"

Needless to say, within 1 business day they have resolved my issue. Definitely great customer service by my perspective and looking forward to getting the new one later this week!

Wondering if they are sending a shipping label to send the dented one back or if i'll have 1 new and 1 slightly dented conical

Glad to here they were on top of resolving your issue so quickly....what are you going to put in your conical first.
I just ordered an Ace of Spades black IPA... this will be the first batch in mine!!

joshuadbak said:

Glad to here they were on top of resolving your issue so quickly....what are you going to put in your conical first.
I just ordered an Ace of Spades black IPA... this will be the first batch in mine!!

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I was waiting for the conical to do my Pumpkin Spice recipe. Figured with the ball attachment it would be a nice and easy solution instead of racking to secondary when I add the spices. Should be able to brew it up next weekend and maybe have it ready in time for halloween.

Just got my fast fermenter. It is not quite as advtertised. The is not quick release for the yeast/trub ball. Everthing is threaded. If you get this you better get used to applying teflon tape. I was very disappointed when I opened the box. It looked too small. I am going to use it for a secondary since all my carboys are full and aging on yeast. AARGH. It will post on how it goes. I have to mount it to the wall 1st and probably hook up a pulley make lifting it a breeze. And build a carrier of some kind so I can transfer wort into it and then move it onto the hooks. Then I will build my fermentation chamber around it and the other 3 I got. And maybe a pic.

Yup I just got mine too today. I also don't like how you have to use their teflon tape to thread everything, seems like a hassle, although I haven't tried it yet. Any ideas for getting around that?
Not to be a complainer but they didn't say anything about having to thread it by hand due to it not being sealed inherently after assembly. Not one mention, surprised me today.
ALSO maybe a more important question to me, How are yall making your stands for this fermenter? I'm probably gonna buy the 35 dollar small stand, but also would like tips or insight on how youre doing yours if youre doing it.
Thanks.
I've been waiting for sooooo long for this fermenter it seems. So ready to do another brew.
JW

JRW1 said:

ALSO maybe a more important question to me, How are yall making your stands for this fermenter? I'm probably gonna buy the 35 dollar small stand, but also would like tips or insight on how youre doing yours if youre doing it.JW

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Here's my stand. A fermentation chamber large enough to hold two of these is next...

Wow, thats beast. Anywhere online where I can buy that? Or homemade?
If its homemade, can you throw me some dimensions and sources for materials maybe? Havent woodworked in a while

I was planning to build a dolly (hand truck) type thing using some 2x4 spaced at 16" apart. Then have something like lawn mower wheels or pneumatic ones at the bottom (same as a hand truck). Then just use the included brackets to hold the fermenter. That way I could just wheel it where ever I might want to have it (like, from the brewing area to my fermentation control box). The downside is that I have to rebuild a new bigger fermentation control chamber, but that isn't a big deal.

JRW1 said:

Wow, thats beast. Anywhere online where I can buy that? Or homemade?
If its homemade, can you throw me some dimensions and sources for materials maybe? Havent woodworked in a while

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Thanks! It's a DIY stand. Materials were scraps I had laying around. The top ring, cabinet grade 1/2" ply, is 9-7/8" ID and 13" OD. The bottom ring, 3/4" ply, is 13" ID and 16" OD. The legs are 21" in length which gives a 3-3/4" space between the bottom of the collection ball and the floor. They are made from oak for strength and stiffness.

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all the comments always! Please keep them coming so we can improve the best we can.

Sorry to hear about that banged up one - unfortunately they all don't arrive prefect but if you email or call we are pretty good at getting everything sorted out quickly.

We switched from the quick connect to the union valve because after doing a lot of research into the cam lock fitting release system we decided the Union release system would be better for a number of reasons.

1. Previous VVessel customers said that the cam lock fittings and seals wear out over time. The Union design will hold up better with less seals and working parts to wear out.

2. The cam lock system adds about 2" of height to the system. One of the biggest requests we have is to make it as compact as possible so the Union was the obvious choice.

3. The Union system requires additional space left under the unit to un attach it. Meaning it adds 2" in total height plus another 1.5" of access room need to un attached it. So a total of 3.5" extra height is needed.

4. The cost of the cam locks and all the components needed to make the cam locks work would increase the cost much more than any benefit.

5. The time difference of the camlock system compared to the union system might be 5 seconds so we didn't that that was big deal.

Also the teak tape should be used on the threads on the bottom of the conical and top of collection ball. Teak tape is not needed for the union fittings when they go on and off. Everything that has teak tape applied should only be taken apart completely and cleaned every 6 months.

Looking sweet on the home made stand! How many are interested in a large stand?

The shipping on them will be super expensive. And unless there is demand for thousands the tooling costs will be too high to set it up. We are all ears on making them if there is demand for enough of them

Please keep the comments coming and we will try and keep an eye on the thread!

Best - Cheers!

Casey & The FastRack Team

jbb3 said:

Here's my stand. A fermentation chamber large enough to hold two of these is next...

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Nice. I was thinking of modding out a wardrobe at work by adding a divider, doing a little line boring to add some storage shelves, but that looks a lot simpler.

M0KCE said:

Nice. I was thinking of modding out a wardrobe at work by adding a divider, doing a little line boring to add some storage shelves, but that looks a lot simpler.

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The wardrobe idea would be great if you could add cooling to double as a fermentation chamber!

I have a plastic trash can that would be perfect for one of these if flipped upside down and the bottom cut out of it.. But, at $44 a piece, it wouldn't be a cheap alternative.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-3-Gal-Swing-Top-Wastebasket-Black/17011380

Fast_Rack said:

Looking sweet on the home made stand!
Casey & The FastRack Team

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Thanks!

Can you let us know what size temp probe is needed to fit the thermowell? I have an STC-1000 controller and the probe is too small. It doesn't contact the inside walls of the thermowell.

Great product, can't wait to use it. One suggestion though, I threaded one of my temp probes into the thermowell and the only thing that I didn't like was that the probe was angled upwards toward the top of where the Wort would be (with the face of the probe angle down). Obviously this is due to the thermowell being on the downward angle of the side of the fermenter. I realize it would take a bit more redesigning to build some sort of nipple on the side so the probe itself could be parallel to the ground.

If the fermenter is sitting on a stand then the face of the probe is pointing down so you have to bend over to read it. Not a problem if you have the ferment on the wall higher.

Just my 2Cents

For my fermenter chamber I was thinking about cutting about a 5" hole in the bottom of my mini fridge and then having the collection ball and union all sticking out of the bottom. Then taking some rigid insulation and building a small box that I could take on and off to cover what was sticking out of the bottom. I was thinking to build a quick stand out of a couple 2x4's with a sheet of plywood for a shelf with a hole cut out in the middle for the stuff hanging out of the bottom of the fridge to clear. If my stand is tall enough then I could go right into my kegs when done as well without having to move the fermenter out of the fridge.

jbb3 said:

The wardrobe idea would be great if you could add cooling to double as a fermentation chamber!

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I've been pondering that for days now. Still drawing a blank. My basement temps stay fairly stable here in Wiscowsin most of the year, and in particular once the winter heating season starts. I think that would work for most of the things I want to do, and then something like that wood frame for use in the bar fridge when lagering.

jbb3 said:

Thanks! It's a DIY stand. Materials were scraps I had laying around. The top ring, cabinet grade 1/2" ply, is 9-7/8" ID and 13" OD. The bottom ring, 3/4" ply, is 13" ID and 16" OD. The legs are 21" in length which gives a 3-3/4" space between the bottom of the collection ball and the floor. They are made from oak for strength and stiffness.

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Thanks for this...I have access to a CNC router, I think I'm going to cut some parts out at work tomorrow.

jbb3 said:

Thanks!

Can you let us know what size temp probe is needed to fit the thermowell? I have an STC-1000 controller and the probe is too small. It doesn't contact the inside walls of the thermowell.

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For anyone else interested, the FastRack folks responded to my question and stated the ID for the thermowell is 9mm.

Now we just need a 9mm temp probe. I've been scouring eBay with no luck. Any ideas?

gotbags-10 said:

Now we just need a 9mm temp probe. I've been scouring eBay with no luck. Any ideas?

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If the OD of you probe is less than 9mm you could just use some heatsink thermo paste to make good thermal contact between your probe and the thermowell.

Does the probe have to fit tightly into the thermowell? Couldn't you just slide the STC-1000 probe in and wad some tissue or tape in behind it?

I was hoping this page would pick up a little traction once everyone started getting their fermenters. I got mine last Wed but I've been traveling all weekend and have only had a chance to hug it once. That's an awesome stand jbb3. I'm trying to figure out how to make a compact ice bottle cooled ferm chamber that can hold the fastferment or a standard bucket, but I can't decide on the design. I might just make it bigger and have it fit the entire stand inside...

Mines still in the box. Haven't had time to mess with it or make the stands.


Sent from my magic box, using only my thumbs.

I just brewed a batch this weekend (Northern brewer Ace of Spades) and only have few minor complaints. I bought 1 conical fermenter plus the accessory pack.

Complaints:
1) I don’t like the screw caps, I would have preferred the cam locks that were in the original video when I ordered. I see they’ve added an FAQ page talking about why, I wouldn’t have cared about the extra cost.
2) The level markings are nearly impossible to read, I might just add tape or mark it so I can see the 5-gallon mark.
3) Carry strap is really awkward. I wasn’t planning on carrying this around full anyway but when it first arrived I was testing to see for any leaks and tried the strap and just didn’t feel like ever risking a 5 gallon batch. I will not move this around when it is full.
4) The stand for the fermenter has nothing in place to keep level (when empty). So when filling this initially the hose pulled the fermenter to the side. It would be nice if there were notches or something to keep this steady when it’s empty.

So negatives out of the way, cleaning was easy. Although this wasn’t dirty when it arrived I still did pbw & star san, cleaning and rinsing were a breeze and already make this worth it. The wide opening at the top makes it real easy to reach inside and clean.

I’ll update how this looks after this first batch is done and will be able to comment on transferring & etc. So far happy with the purchase, my few complaints are very minor. I’ll see how this goes in the long term.

Couple notes on the picture. The temp gauge is all the way on the side because while filling this I needed to see the level marks. I also forgot to put on the collection ball, hopefully I’ll remember next time
The beer is just about the 5 gallon mark with the krausen going to about 5.25.

Lastly 6.5 gallon carboy on the right (Northern brewer breakfast stout).

Brendon said:

I just brewed a batch this weekend (Northern brewer Ace of Spades) and only have few minor complaints. I bought 1 conical fermenter plus the accessory pack.

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Good to see one full finally!

With all that head space, what do you think about scaling up the recipes by a gallon? I usually shoot for 6 gal post boil and 5-1/2 gal bottled. Maybe 7 gal post boil and 6-1/2 gal bottled?? That may be pushing it a bit but that's what blow off tubes are for right??

Are you going to attach the collection ball? If so, you should probably do it soon before oxygen becomes a bad thing. If you attach an empty ball and open the valve, air will bubble up through the wort.

Keep us posted!

BTW, they could fix the stand by increasing the ID of the upper ring slightly so the fermenter sits a little lower in the stand. Mine sits vary stable in my DIY stand.

Brendon-

I took a black Sharpie and traced over the increment markings. Makes them really easy to read.

jbb3 said:

Good to see one full finally!

With all that head space, what do you think about scaling up the recipes by a gallon? I usually shoot for 6 gal post boil and 5-1/2 gal bottled. Maybe 7 gal post boil and 6-1/2 gal bottled?? That may be pushing it a bit but that's what blow off tubes are for right??

Are you going to attach the collection ball? If so, you should probably do it soon before oxygen becomes a bad thing. If you attach an empty ball and open the valve, air will bubble up through the wort.

Keep us posted!

BTW, they could fix the stand by increasing the ID of the upper ring slightly so the fermenter sits a little lower in the stand. Mine sits vary stable in my DIY stand.

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The first mark you see above the krausen is the 6 gallon mark, so i think its pretty safe to do a 6, even 6.5 gallon batch. Theres still room after the 7 gallon mark, will test in the future.

I was going to attach the collection ball but i'll probably just drain the yeast/trub directly into another container (using their other attachment). I won't be reusing this yeast as i have 3 mason jars of it in my keezer. Its been about 2.5 days in the conical, will it be okay to add the collection ball? It just started bubbling away yesterday.

mxstar21 said:

Brendon-

I took a black Sharpie and traced over the increment markings. Makes them really easy to read.

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Thanks will do that.

Brendon said:

I was going to attach the collection ball but i'll probably just drain the yeast/trub directly into another container (using their other attachment). I won't be reusing this yeast as i have 3 mason jars of it in my keezer. Its been about 2.5 days in the conical, will it be okay to add the collection ball? It just started bubbling away yesterday.

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Hmmm... Not of us have experience with this thing but... Not sure how well the thick trub would drain through a 1/2 barb on the end of the other fitting?? I think I would use the collection ball if you're going to do it.

We oxygenate the wort so the yeasties can breath and eat (so to speak). At some point, oxygen in the wort becomes bad. I assume as long as you're at the beginning of active fermentation, you will be ok with a some air bubbles traveling through the wort?? BUT, I'm a relative rookie too. So maybe some brew veterans could chime in??

BTW, Did you test to see how accurate the volume marks are??

mxstar21 said:

Brendon-

I took a black Sharpie and traced over the increment markings. Makes them really easy to read.

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Not sure how permanent the permanent marker will be on this plastic, but works for now...

Still waiting here in Canada. Apparently they are to go out via UPS starting tomorrow to Canadian customers. I am in a major need of replenishing my pipeline as I am spending too much on overtaxed suds here. All being said, things are late but the correspondence with the company is top rate. I hope this continues!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

Still waiting here in Texas. I sent them an email last week when I started seeing people on here get deliveries, they replied that all orders had been shipped and ups was dealing with a lot of packages and would send me a notification. A week later still nothing.
I sent them another email this morning telling them still no product or notification but I have not heard back yet.