best fermentation system?

[Onthebrew]

Obviously there are price differentials, but ignoring those for the time being, I am interested in performance gains to be found and would welcome peoples thougts, especially if you are using one of these set up currently.

So forgetting about cost for now, in terms of ease of use and set up, and producing better beer though temp control how do they rate against each other.

I currently have a brew fridge but am thinking of using that for storage as ive been getting good results by chilling beers compared to room temps. I am also tempted to upgrade to stainless steel brewbucket, chronical or other SS options so would be interested on what people's thought are on this. Rather than get another brew fridge i want to consider other options.

1. Regular chronical, Brew fridge, inkbird and heater
2. Brewmaster Chronical with Ftss, with cooling controlled by a shelf chiller ( maxi)
3. Grainfather conical with glycerol chiller
4. Brewjacket pro immersion

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Spike just released a conical that has a immersible coil. Obviously you would still need to use some form of a chiller system for it, but it would be a better solution (in my opinion) than the Brewmaster Chronical. However, big caveat here. SS Brewtech is releasing a 14G unitank fermenter that has the ability to ferment and serve under pressure for $999. That comes with the chilling coil and everything you could ever need.

If you are willing to plunk down some coin now and get one in September and also then purchase their Glycol chiller or another chiller that would work, you would have something pretty awesome to have and would last you a lifetime.
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/home-unitanks/products/14-gal-unitank

I'm not saying that Spike's is bad, far from it. But what SS brewtech did with this release is seriously up their game and the features for the Home brewer's market. In my opinion, its better than the Brewers Hardware Conical, and that has been one of the gold standards (outside of Glacier Tanks) in conical fermenters for the home brewer.

You could purchase Spike's though for roughly $200 less with a few less features and not a unitank design where it is a straight up fermenter only capable of 5psi pressurized fermentations, and take that $200 and put it towards your glycol chiller.

Its up to you.

 

[Onthebrew]

Should have said i am in the UK, not sure who spike are but will google them. SS brewtech stuff is widely available over here but i don't think their glycerol chiller is yet. Also at this stage i only bottle so no need for pressurised fermenattion's yet.

Going follow your links now and have a look around. cheers

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

www.Spikebrewing.com

Their conical is quite nice.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Converted freezer + kegs.

I really don't get conicals, they're big and bulky and hard to move around. Kegs are significantly cheaper, durable, have replaceable parts, can spund, pressure transfer, filter, and use them for kegging.

 

[Kharnynb]

Theoretically, the best system would be a stainless steel vessel in a temperature controlled bath, giving the best heat control.

 

[Onthebrew]

Has anyone got a brewjacket pro?

 

[Dohboy]

I am using the grainfather conical for the first time very easy to use with there 2 way tap , I will be getting the glycerol chiller when it is released.
I also they are developing a transfer system using co2 so the wart never touches o2 very cool.

 

[Onthebrew]

Interesting doh boy, So do you think the the glyceryl chiller will be a game changer? What was you previous set up?

Is that transfer system for bottling too?

 

[helibrewer]

Spike just released a conical that has a immersible coil. Obviously you would still need to use some form of a chiller system for it, but it would be a better solution (in my opinion) than the Brewmaster Chronical. However, big caveat here. SS Brewtech is releasing a 14G unitank fermenter that has the ability to ferment and serve under pressure for $999. That comes with the chilling coil and everything you could ever need.

If you are willing to plunk down some coin now and get one in September and also then purchase their Glycol chiller or another chiller that would work, you would have something pretty awesome to have and would last you a lifetime.
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/home-unitanks/products/14-gal-unitank

I'm not saying that Spike's is bad, far from it. But what SS brewtech did with this release is seriously up their game and the features for the Home brewer's market. In my opinion, its better than the Brewers Hardware Conical, and that has been one of the gold standards (outside of Glacier Tanks) in conical fermenters for the home brewer.

You could purchase Spike's though for roughly $200 less with a few less features and not a unitank design where it is a straight up fermenter only capable of 5psi pressurized fermentations, and take that $200 and put it towards your glycol chiller.

Its up to you.

This is the route I'm taking, pre-ordered the unitank and will be using the Penguin glycol chiller. I also have a chest freezer setup so the kegs in that will be brite tanks but I will also serve from the unitank when the kegs are at capacity. I use a 20lb CO2 tank external to the chest freezer and a bulkhead push connect through the freezer collar so the unitank will serve through the freezer faucets.

 

[Dohboy]

Interesting doh boy, So do you think the the glyceryl chiller will be a game changer? What was you previous set up?

Is that transfer system for bottling too?

I think the glycerol chiller will for me, my brewing area never gets below 14 deg c in winter and i and not above 25 in summer so it will just give me more control. I dont want to build a fermentation chamber as i generally have more then one brew brewing at the same time so want the control this will give.

The owner talks about the transfer system here.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kw4TGC_3Ho[/ame]

Dean

 

[BarleyPopBrewer]

Sub'd. Looking at getting a new conical and using a fermentation chamber!

 

[Mer-man]

Kegs and a fridge

 

[Radek1980]

Conical Fermentor System

http://alcofermbrew.com/en/Conical-Fermenter-FastFerment-30L-Full-Set-p744c62c101c148.html

 

[superdave12]

I've used kegs in my keezer and kegerator, but hate raising the temperature so high above serving temperature for my other finished beers in kegs.

I've also used a keg of water in my keezer on its shelf to cool my 14 gallon Chronical and 7 gallon Brew Bucket with the FTSS system. This works well for ales and is probably the most cost efficient.

I just ordered the Penguin Chiller 1/2 hp glycol system and will report back once I try it.

 

[superdave12]

Update:

I set up my Penguin Chiller this morning. Within 20 minutes, it chilled my 14 gallon Chronical from 67 to 52 and my Brew Bucket from 68 to 48. By the time I came home from work, both tanks were at 34 degrees.

This was impossible before using a keg in my Keezer. The coldest I could cool both tanks was 62 degrees, which is fine for many (though not all) ale fermentations, but terrible for crash cooling and clarifying.

I'm very happy with the Penguin Chiller and SS Brewtech.