Adding co2 to my new Spike CF-5 Conicle

[Doggfish]

Hi all,
I recently purchased a CF-5 and about $600 in accessories. I currently have a batch fermenting. To get the full benefits of the equipment, I need to get a CO-2 tank and the Spike Gas Manifold Package with the Spike Closed Pressure Transfer Kit. (these two items are not in the $600 in accessories I already purchased).

My question is: Before brewing my next batch, I'm going to buy a CO2 tank from Northern Brewer.
Will I need a regulator on the tank in addition to the Spike equipment I'm getting above?

Also: I not kegging yet, but plan to in a year or so. I plan on having a couple of batches going a month. Assuming I get another conicle , I'm leaning towards a 10 pound tank. I do have a source that will fill my tank locally.
Any thoughts on this?

 

[jgmillr1]

You'll certainly need a regulator. The double gauge ones will also let you monitor the pressure in your co2 tank so you can tell when it starts to run low.

 

[Doggfish]

You'll certainly need a regulator. The double gauge ones will also let you monitor the pressure in your co2 tank so you can tell when it starts to run low.

Thanks, Northern Brewer has a double gauge regulator I can buy with the tank.

 

[FrostyBeach]

There's a post on HBT for a 5lb CO2 cylinder for 35.00 delivered with a hydro date of 7/18 so it's a tad old but you may end up exchanging it anyway. The hydro test is good for 5 years. Build.com is the site they were from.

 

[isomerization]

Just for my own curiosity, why invest in all this extravagant equipment and then continue to bottle (assuming since you aren’t kegging)?

 

[Doggfish]

Just for my own curiosity, why invest in all this extravagant equipment and then continue to bottle (assuming since you aren’t kegging)?

Hi Iso,
I'm fairly new to brewing. I know I like it and I'm also into buying good tools.
It's going to take me awhile to gear up to put together the system I want to build.
I'm starting with the fermenter as temperature control is a priority. Next I'm going to get the CO2 gear to practice pressure transfers, dumping trub etc. I'll get the kegging equipment after I have the CO2 stuff and practice using it. (And have paid off my credit card).
I hope to be kegging sometime this year.

 

[Doggfish]

There's a post on HBT for a 5lb CO2 cylinder for 35.00 delivered with a hydro date of 7/18 so it's a tad old but you may end up exchanging it anyway. The hydro test is good for 5 years. Build.com is the site they were from.

Thanks, free shipping as well. Thanks for the link!

 

[FrostyBeach]

I bought one of the cylinders from build.com and it has a hydro date of 01@19 so only a year old that's not bad.

 

[Nate R]

@Doggfish ... there is a lengthy thread about the Spike cf series.
If you have spare time and want to find even more "goodies" to max out the ole' plastic card, might be worth a read

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...nd-best-practices.645440/page-37#post-8769728

 

[Doggfish]

@Doggfish ... there is a lengthy thread about the Spike cf series.
If you have spare time and want to find even more "goodies" to max out the ole' plastic card, might be worth a read

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...nd-best-practices.645440/page-37#post-8769728

Thank you, very helpful.

 

[Vale71]

Hi all,
I recently purchased a CF-5 and about $600 in accessories. I currently have a batch fermenting. To get the full benefits of the equipment, I need to get a CO-2 tank and the Spike Gas Manifold Package with the Spike Closed Pressure Transfer Kit. (these two items are not in the $600 in accessories I already purchased).

My question is: Before brewing my next batch, I'm going to buy a CO2 tank from Northern Brewer.
Will I need a regulator on the tank in addition to the Spike equipment I'm getting above?

Also: I not kegging yet, but plan to in a year or so. I plan on having a couple of batches going a month. Assuming I get another conicle , I'm leaning towards a 10 pound tank. I do have a source that will fill my tank locally.
Any thoughts on this?

If you're not kegging yet than to what type of vessel do you plan to perform your closed transfers?

 

[Doggfish]

I have my first batch in the CF-5. I'm one week away from bottling. I had to pick up the fermenter and put it on a table to gain enough height to transfer the beer into my bottling bucket on bottling day next Saturday.

My first use of the CO2 gear will not be a closed pressure transfer. It will simply allow me to force pressure transfer my next batch from the CF-5 to the bottling bucket at ground level in my garage (brew cave).

I can also use the CO2 in my Trub dump. Without CO2 the Trub doesn't come out of the 2" port easily.

Next Purchase will be the Kegging gear.

 

[Jtvann]

I have my first batch in the CF-5. I'm one week away from bottling. I had to pick up the fermenter and put it on a table to gain enough height to transfer the beer into my bottling bucket on bottling day next Saturday.

My first use of the CO2 gear will not be a closed pressure transfer. It will simply allow me to force pressure transfer my next batch from the CF-5 to the bottling bucket at ground level in my garage (brew cave).

I can also use the CO2 in my Trub dump. Without CO2 the Trub doesn't come out of the 2" port easily.

Next Purchase will be the Kegging gear.

You can bottle directly from the cf5. No need at all to use a bottling bucket. Actually, you shouldnt use a bottling bucket, it will be more harmful. You can carbonate and bottle easily from 1 vessel.

 

[Doggfish]

You can bottle directly from the cf5. No need at all to use a bottling bucket. Actually, you shouldnt use a bottling bucket, it will be more harmful. You can carbonate and bottle easily from 1 vessel.

I don't have the CO2 gear yet so I do need to use the bucket for the batch I'll be bottling next week.

When I do get the CO2 gear I'd like to try bottling from directly from the fermenter. I'll look around this site for a thread on that subject.

Thanks

 

[Blazinlow86]

You could also skip bottling entirely and serve right out of the unitank depending on your drinking needs. cheers

 

[CodeSection]

I don't have the CO2 gear yet so I do need to use the bucket for the batch I'll be bottling next week.

When I do get the CO2 gear I'd like to try bottling from directly from the fermenter. I'll look around this site for a thread on that subject.

Thanks

For the long run, consider buying a 20lb CO2 tank. It will be a lot cheaper to fill (cost per pound) as compared to a 5lb tank. You should call around to CO2 providers in your area and check on prices. My provider services 40% of the bars and breweries in my area. It costs $23.44 to fill a 20lb tank vs $22.00 for a 5lb tank.

Here is a link of a 20lb tank on sale for $119.99 at MoreBeer. Then when you apply another 10% off (SUPERSALE that ends today), that brings the price down to $107.99 which includes free shipping. https://www.morebeer.com/products/co2-tank-20-lb-aluminum.html

 

[CodeSection]

....I plan on having a couple of batches going a month. Assuming I get another conicle , I'm leaning towards a 10 pound tank. I do have a source that will fill my tank locally.
Any thoughts on this?

On another note. If you ever foresee having to apply CO2 at the same time to two conicals, or perhaps a combination of a conical and a keg, or where you are using two different pieces of equipment at the same time, consider buying a three gauge regulator (https://www.morebeer.com/products/co2-regulator-taprite-gauge.html). It will make your life a lot easier.

 

[Doggfish]

On another note. If you ever foresee having to apply CO2 at the same time to two conicals, or perhaps a combination of a conical and a keg, or where you are using two different pieces of equipment at the same time, consider buying a three gauge regulator (https://www.morebeer.com/products/co2-regulator-taprite-gauge.html). It will make your life a lot easier.

Agreed. After doing some regulator research, the Three gauge is the way I'm going to go. It's more than I need in the near term, but I want to get equipment that I won't outgrow.
Taprite seems to get decent reviews.

Thanks

 

[FrostyBeach]

However, it's easy to add another regulator at a later date.