Been brewing for four years now. Through all the growing pains and purchasing different equipment I am at a point of what I want to invest in equipment. Lately I have made a few NEIPA with good and bad results. Trying to eliminate oxidation with CO2 I have good results. Now I am looking at conical fermenters. The Fermonsters is looking like it may work for me Anyone have experience with it and pros and cons.
Conical Fermenter
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I have used fermonsters in the past. They are a great inexpensive solution, but if you're looking at conicals and limiting oxygen, they might not be the best option. A lot of the conical options out there achieve the same results and come down to personal preference. For me, that's the Spike CF-series. Having a stainless fermenter with the ability to pressurize, trub dump, yeast harvest, DH under pressure etc. make it worth the investment imo. Only Cons in my mind is the starting price after all the accessories and dependency on your chilling setup. Along with more parts to clean...
VikeMan
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If you don't need to dump trub, I'd recommend looking at the Spike Flex+. It's the most airtight conical (or any fermenter) I've used. And it has plenty of ports for flexbility of setup.
Have you thought about (i.e., budgeted for) what you'll do for temperature control?
Also, if you're not dumping trub or harvesting yeast, it's tough to beat fermenting in a keg using a floating dip tube. Relatively inexpensive, stainless, easily sealed, compact, and high-pressure-capable, and in a variety of sizes.
Also, if you're not dumping trub or harvesting yeast, it's tough to beat fermenting in a keg using a floating dip tube. Relatively inexpensive, stainless, easily sealed, compact, and high-pressure-capable, and in a variety of sizes.
No experience with the Fermonster. I'm using the Spike CF10 and love it. You could look at the Flex, mentioned above. I put a screen on the brew kettle transfer valve, use a hop sack on my late additions and hardly have any material transferring to the fermenter.
Broken Crow
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Just wondering..you mention conicals and then say you're looking at Fermonsters;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermonster-carboy-7-gal.html..any chance you meant to say Fermzilla?;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-triconical-fermenter-gen-3-27l-71g.html... I have both. I wanted to be able to dump my trub and have the option to pressure ferment so I got the Fermzilla and it's pretty much as advertised. Most people like them and for me it's OK, but the mucking about with the bottom valve and the mess has made me decide my next purchase will be a Fermzilla All Rounder..the thing is so light and easy to handle I'm OK with swishing and pouring to harvest yeast
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-rounder-fermenter-79-gal-30.htmlIf you have the cash to go SS, I'll leave it to others to post their experiences.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermonster-carboy-7-gal.html..any chance you meant to say Fermzilla?;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-triconical-fermenter-gen-3-27l-71g.html... I have both. I wanted to be able to dump my trub and have the option to pressure ferment so I got the Fermzilla and it's pretty much as advertised. Most people like them and for me it's OK, but the mucking about with the bottom valve and the mess has made me decide my next purchase will be a Fermzilla All Rounder..the thing is so light and easy to handle I'm OK with swishing and pouring to harvest yeast
https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-rounder-fermenter-79-gal-30.htmlIf you have the cash to go SS, I'll leave it to others to post their experiences.
apache_brew
Well-Known Member
Not what you asked for, but I’m a huge fan of keg fermenting and utilizing floating dip tubes with screens. Saves money, robust (stainless>plastic), multipurpose, and keeps a resale value.
I have some FermZillas and a Fermentasaurus, along with various Spike, Anvil, and SSBrewtech stainless conicals/buckets (only a couple of the Anvil buckets). I also have a ton of HDPE in Spiedel (awesome vessels if not super-heavy when full - I've always wanted on of their Eggs).
I do not use the plastic any longer, and haven't in over a decade. Not for beer at least. The conicals are so much easier to use, so much easier to clean, and so much easier to keep contaminate free from one batch to the next that plastic is more cumbersome, for me.
Though I do enjoy looking through the plastic and watching those bugs work. But the light also likes to look into it. So if you go that route, get jackets, or blankets, and don't forget to get a chiller that can go through the tiny opening so you can temp control it. Stainless conicals make that easier too. Though I do have some custom coils to fit in the opening of some esoteric fermenters, it is easier to buy off the shelf components that fit almost every single vessel out there.
I do not use the plastic any longer, and haven't in over a decade. Not for beer at least. The conicals are so much easier to use, so much easier to clean, and so much easier to keep contaminate free from one batch to the next that plastic is more cumbersome, for me.
Though I do enjoy looking through the plastic and watching those bugs work. But the light also likes to look into it. So if you go that route, get jackets, or blankets, and don't forget to get a chiller that can go through the tiny opening so you can temp control it. Stainless conicals make that easier too. Though I do have some custom coils to fit in the opening of some esoteric fermenters, it is easier to buy off the shelf components that fit almost every single vessel out there.
100%.
I have a Spike Flex+, Spike CF-10, and a Fermzilla All Rounder. In terms of value, I think the simple corny keg beats them all as a fermenter. My last few batches have been mostly in my kegs with a couple in my Fermzilla.
