Squeeky said:Woohoo 100th post and 60 pages. Still have to give props to SpottedDog, couldn't have started this thread without him.
i made a compilation of posts from this thread, ending at wherever i posted it (so it doesn't take into account anything at all past post #504 on pg. 51). And it obviously doesn't take into account every post before that point, just the posts that stood out to me and didn't seem ridiculously redundant.
I even made a new thread to find it easier, titled "super simple 15g plastic conical -- revisited".
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/super-simple-15g-plastic-conical-revisited-326384/
i even made one called "yeast washing illustrated -- revisited", also....
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-revisited-318684/
I've read from other users that these 15 gallon plastic conicals actually hold some where between 17 and 20 gallons. My question is this. Does anyone here have any actual experience with these conicals being used for a 15 gallon batch as a primary fermentor? Is there enough head space?
I've read from other users that these 15 gallon plastic conicals actually hold some where between 17 and 20 gallons. My question is this. Does anyone here have any actual experience with these conicals being used for a 15 gallon batch as a primary fermentor? Is there enough head space?
I'm using the full drain ace roto mold and it will hold about 33-35 gallons. I make 25 gallon batches in it and have never had the krausen rise more than 2 inches. I think that you should be able to make a 30 gallon batch in it as long as you use a blow off tube.
Linked is a video showing my batch of porter destined for a plastic firkin (purchased at UK Brewing) enjoying a closed fermentation after having applied an airtight seal to the lid assembly.
Please pardon the low production values and voice talent.
http://s1145.photobucket.com/albums/o520/randomzymurgist/?action=view¤t=e0a71a4b.mp4
Conical arrived last night - squeezed it into the gutted fridge.
Had an old fridge that used to be my kegerator and part time fermentation chamber. It's been replaced with a keezer. So I gutted it to see if I could fit the conical in. With some mods (removed freezer/fridge divider, coil shroud and moved the stat and fan) I can squeeze the conical in.
The stand is a patio table from garden ridge for $20 and I needed to extend the legs for my fittings - 1in sch40 and we're in business. Popped the glass out of the table and it is the perfect size for the tank.
I'll pretty it up a bit later, but tomorrow it'll have it's first brew in it!
Alrighty then - given the multitude of posts, surely some has an ingenious way of maintaining air tightness while running a cable inside?
Call me a heretic and especially here in the US as a home brewer but after visiting the mother land in Belgium and several of the trappist breweries I gave up the sealed fermenter. My 15 Gallon conical keeps bugs out but its not sealed. I usually keep a batch in it at controlled temp for about 2-3 weeks. I dump the yeast/trub after the first 7 days and then just let it sit at the temp I want for the second couple weeks. When I put it in the carboys I do use an airlock only because the rubber bungs come like that. I have done 14 10+ gallon batches with no problems in the last 6 months.
On about the 4th batch i messed around with some giant o rings and couldn't get it right and said screw it and went back to just the stock lid with my cooling coil.
La Trapp, Westvletern, Chimey, and Achel plus a couple other small non Trappis ones all have open fermenters. I'm talking a big shallow kiddy pool with hundreds of square feet of surface area exposed to the open air. Maybe I'm crazy but if they have been producing the beers I love why worry so much about the dreaded CO2 blanket, and O2 and bla bla. I think temp control during brewing and fermentation are so much more important.
Hey guys long time reader, first time writer. First of all, THANK YOU for all of your experiments and contributions.
I'm thinking about jumping on the bandwagon with this conical but I want to do tri clamps for the bottom and racking. I've got all the knowledge I need for building the bottom tri clamp setup but how should I go about building a racking setup since I'll need to use something weldless I'd assume. Bulk head with a Female NPT? Also, would it be possible to put a rotating racking arm with this setup?
Question about the valve you guys are using on the bottom of the conical. I've seen some people with stainless butterfly and ball valve, but I was hoping to go a cheaper route and use pvc. I have heard that pvc is a bad idea in the mash tun, but how about on the fermentor? Here is one I was looking at.
I initially bought all the stuff to put a racking arm in mine but never installed it. I just pop the top and siphon out of it. One less defect on the smooth insides. Plus if its time to rack it the lid is coming off to clean it anyway.
There are several places that sell a big 1/2 ID threaded nut / bulkhead made from some non reactive plastic that you can use (yes this sparks debate on what is safe to touch the precious ) I just never got around to using it. Most of our hardware shares with biodiesel manufacturing and that was where I got mine. Duadiesle or buadiesl something like that on e bay. Also grainger and McMaster have similar but cost way more.
Also I noticed that ruralking won't ship the 30 gallon tank UPS and want to charge $119 to ship it by carrier.
it looks like agrimart has these for $85 bucks, and $25 shipping or so. Is this the best deal now a days on these?
Plus if you buy the stand with it shipping goes up to $41 for the bunch.
Enter your email address to join: