Blichmann QuickCarb (New from HomebrewCon 2016)

[augiedoggy]

This looks a little more powerful than the Blickmann pump (5 L/M vs 2-4 L/M). Does more equal better in this application? Also, what micron stone is everyone using for this? Blickmann indicates that they use 10 micron. I've only seen 0.5 or 2.

I use a 5 micron... Ive seen no issues with the faster pump thus far. Ive done 3 different beers with it now.

 

[summerofgeorge]

I finally got through this entire thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=375904

Any reason one of these pumps wouldn't work?

 

[carlmarxman]

That pump isn't self priming.

 

[MilkStout]

Hey Auggiedoggy, where did you get your 5 micron aeration stone? I can't seem to find one.

 

[ElChangoGuero]

I finally got through this entire thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=375904

Any reason one of these pumps wouldn't work?

Believe me, you WANT a self primping pump, i tried it with a pump similar to that one and its not practical at all

 

[augiedoggy]

Hey Auggiedoggy, where did you get your 5 micron aeration stone? I can't seem to find one.

did you look on ebay or amazon? lots of them... heres the whole Tee assy with the stone...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Home-Beer-B...922654?hash=item3d056b4ade:g:bAoAAOSw14xWFjSN

 

[augiedoggy]

I finally got through this entire thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=375904

Any reason one of these pumps wouldn't work?

Why would you use one of those? I have 7 of them and they work well for brewing but not for this... the self priming food grade one I linked for $30 is very similiar to the one blichmann uses and you can get it in different voltages and colors from many ebay sellers.

 

[BrunDog]

I don't understand the need for this type of device. I think a few days while the keg carbs is a good thing for yeast to settle and some aging to take place... no?

 

[augiedoggy]

I don't understand the need for this type of device. I think a few days while the keg carbs is a good thing for yeast to settle and some aging to take place... no?

Theres no NEED for most of the home brewing devices we make like right?

I justified it to myself this way, I dont have the space to leave extra co2 tanks in my keg cooler or kegerator with the pressure set up to 30psi for days then im playing the guesswork game to get it to the right carb level. Plus I'm impatient, if a beer is done besides being carbonated I can run this and leave it overnight and its totally carbonated to the correct level I set it to. I also built a filter that I can run in tandem of before connecting the airstone. still working on a cost effect quick disconnect method to swap between one and the other though.

All this stuff adds up in going from grain to glass in a shorter time. While thats not always my goal I have been in a situation more than once, before a holiday or event where im frustrated that my beer isnt carbonated enough and people are sampling my almost flat beer.

 

[BrunDog]

Fair enough!

 

[Gustatorian]

Theres no NEED for most of the home brewing devices we make like right?

I justified it to myself this way, I dont have the space to leave extra co2 tanks in my keg cooler or kegerator with the pressure set up to 30psi for days then im playing the guesswork game to get it to the right carb level. Plus I'm impatient, if a beer is done besides being carbonated I can run this and leave it overnight and its totally carbonated to the correct level I set it to. I also built a filter that I can run in tandem of before connecting the airstone. still working on a cost effect quick disconnect method to swap between one and the other though.

All this stuff adds up in going from grain to glass in a shorter time. While thats not always my goal I have been in a situation more than once, before a holiday or event where im frustrated that my beer isnt carbonated enough and people are sampling my almost flat beer.

You leave the thing quick-carbing overnight? Are you seeing issues with this?

 

[BrunDog]

At some point the beer cannot dissolve any more CO2.

 

[augiedoggy]

You leave the thing quick-carbing overnight? Are you seeing issues with this?

no I only run it for 30 mins to an hr depending on keg size but the bubbles and carbonation doesnt seem to be quite right until I leave the keg sit in my fridge overnight to stabilize on its own....

 

[augiedoggy]

At some point the beer cannot dissolve any more CO2.

Yes your correct... Say I set the pressure to say 12.5 psi the co2 flow through the stone slows as it stabilizes in the 30 mins or so im running the unit for a 5 gallon keg. and of course a cold keg of beer can absorb more co2 faster..

 

[Gustatorian]

For cleaning the quickcarb, the last step says to remove the hoses and carb stone and hang to dry. How do you guys dry the carb stone? Is it safe being open to the elements just hanging like that?

 

[ElChangoGuero]

For cleaning the quickcarb, the last step says to remove the hoses and carb stone and hang to dry. How do you guys dry the carb stone? Is it safe being open to the elements just hanging like that?

Yes, i just dry it out like any other part but be careful not to break the stone and i usually boil it 10 min every time before using it to open all the pores and sanitize.

 

[Gustatorian]

Yes, i just dry it out like any other part but be careful not to break the stone and i usually boil it 10 min every time before using it to open all the pores and sanitize.

I hang all of my tubing. It's ok to be hung to dry like that?

 

[ElChangoGuero]

I hang all of my tubing. It's ok to be hung to dry like that?

yea, just make sure you dont leave them drying in a humid area, but other than that they dry out pretty quick in a warm day

 

[Gustatorian]

yea, just make sure you dont leave them drying in a humid area, but other than that they dry out pretty quick in a warm day

I live in Texas. It's humid all the time lol

 

[dragonfire540]

I leave it overnight and Blichmann said you can leave it on for a day for full carbonation

From Blichmann Engineering

"90% carbonated and ready to drink in less than an hour with no risk of overcarbonation! Let it sit for a day for dialing in that final few percent."

I find that when I do I get the carbonation I am looking for but it will equalize out with pressures. I think that may be what they meant by it won't over carbonate

You leave the thing quick-carbing overnight? Are you seeing issues with this?

 

[highland_brewer]

Yes, i just dry it out like any other part but be careful not to break the stone and i usually boil it 10 min every time before using it to open all the pores and sanitize.

I hang mine up in my brew area overnight and it is dry in the morning. I always make sure to "backflush" the stone. I have not had any issues with it doing it that way.

 

[Gustatorian]

I hang mine up in my brew area overnight and it is dry in the morning. I always make sure to "backflush" the stone. I have not had any issues with it doing it that way.

How are you backflushing the stone?

 

[highland_brewer]

How are you backflushing the stone?

When you are recirculating the cleaning solution you crimp the "out" side of the T and it forces cleaner through the stone, same as when you sanitize.

 

[augiedoggy]

For cleaning the quickcarb, the last step says to remove the hoses and carb stone and hang to dry. How do you guys dry the carb stone? Is it safe being open to the elements just hanging like that?

Its made of stainless... hanging out to dry should be fine.. it is for me. I just soak mine in staran for a couple minutes before use.

 

[day_trippr]

Afaict nobody responded to this person's question from back in October:

Has anyone tried using this to recirculate dry hops in a keg with a filter on the diptube? Or used it to clean their tap lines?

and this evening for whatever reason I had a similar thought:
seems to me this rig screams for an accessory Randall loaded with whole leaf.
Anyone try something like that yet?

I strive to have a replacement cold-conditioned keg ready to go for each of the six on tap, so the "quick-carb" wouldn't offer much, per se.
Otoh, if I could hook up a keg about to go in the keezer and run the beer through a purged Randall before tapping it, that might hold an attraction.
I think it'd be an easy way to jazz up a keg as the result would be fully blended.

What I do now is drop a weighted sanitized muslin bag o' cones in, then seal, purge and tap.
Works great over the long term but takes a day or so for things to start happening...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

Afaict nobody responded to this person's question from back in October:



and this evening for whatever reason I had a similar thought:
seems to me this rig screams for an accessory Randall loaded with whole leaf.
Anyone try something like that yet?

I strive to have a replacement cold-conditioned keg ready to go for each of the six on tap, so the "quick-carb" wouldn't offer much, per se.
Otoh, if I could hook up a keg about to go in the keezer and run the beer through a purged Randall before tapping it, that might hold an attraction.
I think it'd be an easy way to jazz up a keg as the result would be fully blended.

What I do now is drop a weighted sanitized muslin bag o' cones in, then seal, purge and tap.
Works great over the long term but takes a day or so for things to start happening...

Cheers!

I used it to filter some beer myself last week for the superbowl so yeah I think it could work very well for this.

 

[jmark]

Or maybe even keep the dry hops completely out of the fermenter using filters to just push beer through the dry hop container. IIRC, Sierra Nevada does something like this with their Torpedo system... could get all that hoppy goodness in a much shorter timeframe and if you use some valves, you could probably change out dry hop 'containers' without any oxygen exposure too... food for thought.

 

[day_trippr]

^that^ is pretty much what a Randall is all about...

 

[jmark]

I thought a Randall was typically used during serving? But either way, I guess it's a similar process except with the dry hopping you're recirculating back to the fermenter.

 

[day_trippr]

I believe it was indeed originally used at a GABF in a dispensing configuration, but mechanically it's the same element, just with 100% feedback

Cheers!