Craigslist Conical?

[revansCAAD8]

Hi folks,
Can anyone advise what brand and/or provide info on this 7 Gallon conical is that I recently purchased on Craigslist? The seller said it had only been used twice (although many years old) and believed it was purchased via Morebeer. It slso came with a bottom port elbow and two- 2 piece 1/2" stainless valves.

Also any recommendations as to worth to use and/or upgrades recommended? Replacement seals?

Thanks!
Robert

 

[dunnry]

It's threaded. Honestly, it's really not worth it, IMO. The valve at the bottom will likely easily clog (it's too small) and you are going to have to disassemble and clean those threads every single time. That's a total PITA. I would pass on this one. The fridge looks good however!

Edit: whoops, I mis-read that as you hadn't purchased it yet. Err... nevermind.

 

[MaryB]

I would upgrade the ports if you have a local welder who can do stainless, go much larger...

 

[TallDan]

Looks a lot like stout:

https://conical-fermenter.com/7.3-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter.html?cat=12

 

[dunnry]

Looks a lot like stout:

https://conical-fermenter.com/7.3-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter.html?cat=12

Maybe a really old version. They don't sell threaded ones, only sanitary connections. It's possible they sold threaded ones many years ago I suppose. However, I kinda doubt it.

 

[revansCAAD8]

Per Stout Tanks: "Hi Robert, this was not one of ours. All of our fermenters have had tri clamp fittings. That was what we did differently,from the inception of our company."

 

[revansCAAD8]

It's threaded. Honestly, it's really not worth it, IMO. The valve at the bottom will likely easily clog (it's too small) and you are going to have to disassemble and clean those threads every single time. That's a total PITA. I would pass on this one. The fridge looks good however!

Edit: whoops, I mis-read that as you hadn't purchased it yet. Err... nevermind.

Thanks for the response. Yeah although I have no experience with conicals I too suspect the botoom dump port is undersized. And not sure I could find a trustworthy place locally who could replace the welded in 1/2" nipples with TC ferrell (say 1 1/2"?).

 

[beernutz]

It looks like the one on this page but the author doesn't say what brand it is. Perhaps you could contact him?
http://chrisrueger.com/?page_id=32

If it was me I'd see about modding it to accept tri clamps.

 

[jmcquesten]

I just got a very similar conical in a deal and am looking at options to make it work. The one I have is an original morebeer.com conical according to the guy I got it from. I just messaged Jay at norcal to see if he can come up with the fitting needed to upgrade. I'm thinking it's not going to be worth putting money/effort into it, but no one wants it for the same reasons. Similar ones online can be purchased for around $250 new, so I'd base the deal on that keeping in mind it's old tech that no one wants to deal with.

 

[revansCAAD8]

It looks like the one on this page but the author doesn't say what brand it is. Perhaps you could contact him?
http://chrisrueger.com/?page_id=32

If it was me I'd see about modding it to accept tri clamps.

Exactly the same unit! Quickly looked at his site but don't even see a contact...

 

[beernutz]

Exactly the same unit! Quickly looked at his site but don't even see a contact...

Yes I noticed the site looked pretty inactive.

 

[revansCAAD8]

I just got a very similar conical in a deal and am looking at options to make it work. The one I have is an original morebeer.com conical according to the guy I got it from. I just messaged Jay at norcal to see if he can come up with the fitting needed to upgrade. I'm thinking it's not going to be worth putting money/effort into it, but no one wants it for the same reasons. Similar ones online can be purchased for around $250 new, so I'd base the deal on that keeping in mind it's old tech that no one wants to deal with.

If you don't mind, let me know what you find out. Since I don't have much $ into it, I might be interested in modding/upgrading the port(s).

Other than the small and poorly welded in port nipples, it seems pretty decent. Finding replacement seals for the heavy duty lid could be fun too. I'd assume with the thick heavy lid & the screwdown crossbar, it could do low pressure transfers?

Robert

 

[jmcquesten]

I'll let you know if I do anything with it. I found a "domed lid" upgrade that looks like it would work for it on morebeer.com, it comes with a gasket and a triclamp ring to get rid of the T-bar. It's really expensive $230, so I won't be going that route. They claim that the upgrade allows for pressure transfer, but I don't know if the stock flat lid/T-bar set up will hold pressure or not. I've never used the thing, and might not.

 

[augiedoggy]

These are old conicals, I have the same one I bought used a few years back only mine has the TC fittings... You can buy the TC fittings that will solder on to the treads and essentially make it sanitary from brewhardware.com but right now it's about as sanitary as the popular SS brewing conicals with the threaded valves.. the opening is still large enough where with a 3/4 valve it should work ok.

These look like stout conicals and much of the parts are interchangeable but these are not as nicely built or refined as the ones stout sells. I have both.

 

[augiedoggy]

I'll let you know if I do anything with it. I found a "domed lid" upgrade that looks like it would work for it on morebeer.com, it comes with a gasket and a triclamp ring to get rid of the T-bar. It's really expensive $230, so I won't be going that route. They claim that the upgrade allows for pressure transfer, but I don't know if the stock flat lid/T-bar set up will hold pressure or not. I've never used the thing, and might not.

sout still sells the flat top design. You can order the thicker stout gaskets to fit yours for about $10. They do work fine.. like I said I have this one as well as the stout one. They won't hold more than a few lbs pressure like most home brewing conicals. I have done pressurized transfers from mine though stouts 12.5 and 7.3 gallon (same size as this one) are 12" wide like this one.. I swapped my gaskets to stout one's already.

 

[revansCAAD8]

These are old conicals, I have the same one I bought used a few years back only mine has the TC fittings... You can buy the TC fittings that will solder on to the treads and essentially make it sanitary from brewhardware.com but right now it's about as sanitary as the popular SS brewing conicals with the threaded valves.. the opening is still large enough where with a 3/4 valve it should work ok.

These look like stout conicals and much of the parts are interchangeable but these are not as nicely built or refined as the ones stout sells. I have both.

Thanks. Yeah figured it's 5-10yrs old but in good shape and just might have some life left(with a few mods/updates). Interesting idea on the threaded solder on TC fittings but my bottom port is only 1/2"? Figured is might be a pain in the butt getting yeast thru being that small?

Do you have any pics?
Robert

 

[revansCAAD8]

sout still sells the flat top design. You can order the thicker stout gaskets to fit yours for about $10. They do work fine.. like I said I have this one as well as the stout one. They won't hold more than a few lbs pressure like most home brewing conicals. I have done pressurized transfers from mine though stouts 12.5 and 7.3 gallon (same size as this one) are 12" wide like this one.. I swapped my gaskets to stout one's already.

Yeah thanks I was wondering if stout gaskets might work. However my openning is 13" wide and is 7gal?
Did you mod your lid to do pressure transfers? Should only need what like 2 PSI? Sry, I've never used a conical.

Robert

 

[augiedoggy]

Yeah thanks I was wondering if stout gaskets might work. However my openning is 13" wide and is 7gal?
Did you mod your lid to do pressure transfers? Should only need what like 2 PSI? Sry, I've never used a conical.

Robert

yes I used my stout 12.5g lid it has the tc port... bought another to solder to my lid but havent done it yet. is the body 13" or just the lip?

 

[augiedoggy]

if you think about it many conicals come with 3/4" ball valves that have an actual opening thats only that large in diameter.. even the valves on the ss brewing and stout conicals I have have restrictive 3/4" ball valves.. the hole in them is the same size as a 1/2 pipe.

 

[augiedoggy]

https://conical-fermenter.com/7.3-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter.html look at the size of the actual opening of the valve in the pics of this stout conical... I have no issues ever with the yeast not draining on mine.. the weight of the beer pushes it through.

 

[revansCAAD8]

yes I used my stout 12.5g lid it has the tc port... bought another to solder to my lid but havent done it yet. is the body 13" or just the lip?

Ah yeah 13" was edge to edge including the lip.

 

[augiedoggy]

Ah yeah 13" was edge to edge including the lip.

so the inside of the conical is more like 12"... its that same gasket as the stouts only the stout gaskets are much thicker and seal easier.

Did you see the tiny opening in the pics of the stout? its the same as your conical.
the ss brewing conical I have has the same tiny opening... only my no name chinese spike clone conical came with a butterfly valve and larger opening and that dumps too fast for my liking in all honesty.

 

[augiedoggy]

I would upgrade the ports if you have a local welder who can do stainless, go much larger...

Its the same size as all the other conicals like the ss brewing and stout conicals due to the tiny openings in the valves that come with them... they work fine. dont forget theres a lot of weight in beer pushing on it.