Carboy vs Conical cleaning & convenience

I have recently realized my hatred for cleaning carboys & siphon crap is much deeper and more powerful than I'd previously thought.

It's not hard, just annoying. I'm wondering if you guys who have switched from carboys to conicals have found it easier/less time consuming or more so.

In my head I think a conical would be easier with the valves and such but I could be crazy. Certainly transfers will be less annoying, just cam-lock on my transfer hose and open up the valve.

Any other things I'm not considering that makes life better or harder after the conical switch?

 

Well, I switched over to plastic conicals a while back, and never looked back. I have a minibrew 15 gallon and a home made 15 gallon. The minibrew is better, with much thicker plastic and better design. I still lager in glass or cornies...but I'm looking at ways to set up temp control on the mini.

Dave

 

I have no problem letting pbw sit in the carboy, maybe swish it around for a couple minutes. Dump it the next morning when it's sparkly clean. I don't see much work involved in cleaning it , how much easier can it get than to let it sit overnight.

 

Do you find them easier to clean? What about transfer?

 

That's how I clean then but like I said, it's not that it's "hard" it's just that it's annoying. Also annoying is cleaning racking canes and siphon hose. Just seems the whole works would be easier if I could just dump it out a valve..

Really trying to find out if it there is another cleaning hardship I'm missing with the conical or if I'm in the mode of "the grass is greener"

 

Transferring and cleaning are much easier. You just sanitize the hose and valve and let 'er rip. As you get close to the bottom, tilt the conical to drain it completely. It's also easier to take samples during fermentation. Just spray sanitizer into the valve, take a sample and spray again. As far as cleaning, I made a spray hose that hooks up to my faucet. It usually just takes hot water to clean with an occasional clean with PBW. Minibrew says that you can use 180 degree water to sanitize as well. I made a wheeled dolly to attach the conical to, which makes it the right height for kegs and easier to move.

Dave