Brewers Hardware vs. Stout conical questions

[hennja2]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on my first conical, and I've narrowed it down to the Stout and BrewersHardware versions. My main concern with the Stout is the smaller dump valve size. Does anyone have problems with it? I like the idea of the giant 2 inch dump on the Brewershardware conical. It seems like one of the most important jobs of a conical is dumping trub, so I want it to work.

My main concern with the Brewershardware version is the smaller top opening. Will I be able to adequately clean it without a cip? It looks like I should be able to get my arm in it.

I haven't seen many posts about the Brewershardware conical, I'd love to hear some first hand experiences, thanks!

 

[Doctor_M]

I can almost get my arm in my brewhemoths and those are 4 inch. I don't have ripped arm muscles but I'm not a skinny French fry either. If thats your only concern the brewers hardware is without a doubt the one you should buy. Everything I've gotten from brewers hardware has been quality. That's 800 dollars in fittings and valves and their trub filter.

 

[stevehaun]

I have a 40 gallon stout conical with a 1.5" bottom dump (butterfly valve). I have never had problems dumping yeast. Usually have to throttle the valve back to keep the yeast draining in a controlled fashion. 2" is huge pipe.

 

[KGB09]

I don't have any problems draining my stout 14.5 gallon with 1.5 inch butterfly valve. With that said either way you go your going to get great quality. All my kettles are stout and all my fittings are brewers hardware.

 

[Doctor_M]

Disclaimer: the following statement is just an observation with no real data or guarantee that what I'm about to say is safe to try or actually possible I'm only stating an idea please know what your doing before trying this. I am not responsible for any property damage, injury to one's self or others, or death from the result of experimentation of this idea.

While I'm sure brewershardware.com will not openly state it I would be curious to see if their conicals are pressurizable to a certain degree. And by pressurizable I mean being able to pressure ferment. I have no proof that it's possible or if it's actually safe but if I owned one I would most likely test it. Experiment at your own risk.

 

[beerbeer95648]

Disclaimer: the following statement is just an observation with no real data or guarantee that what I'm about to say is safe to try or actually possible I'm only stating an idea please know what your doing before trying this. I am not responsible for any property damage, injury to one's self or others, or death from the result of experimentation of this idea.

While I'm sure brewershardware.com will not openly state it I would be curious to see if their conicals are pressurizable to a certain degree. And by pressurizable I mean being able to pressure ferment. I have no proof that it's possible or if it's actually safe but if I owned one I would most likely test it. Experiment at your own risk.

I am going to piggy back on this disclaimer, but I am going to use my Brewers Hardware glycol jacketed fermenter for the first time here this morning. I already have an older morebeer conical, and one thing I do not like about it is the threaded fittings. That is what lead me to the brewers hardware fermenter. I never had a problem with the 1.5" on the B3 valve providing you are harvesting while the beer is still on top, and not racking then harvesting (dont know why you would). I like the T/C lid, it is far and away easier to open and close that any of the other lid designs out there . As far as cleaning it is a bit hard to reach all the way to the bottom of the cone without a cleaning brush. This has nothing to do with the width of the opening, but is because of the overall height of the fermenter. As far as the pressure thing, I cannot imagine this fermenter not holding 1bar of pressure. However, I only plan to use it at 5psi until I hear otherwise. Brewers Hardware has said they do plan to pressure test them at some point once they sort out the legalities.

 

[Doctor_M]

I am going to piggy back on this disclaimer, but I am going to use my Brewers Hardware glycol jacketed fermenter for the first time here this morning. I already have an older morebeer conical, and one thing I do not like about it is the threaded fittings. That is what lead me to the brewers hardware fermenter. I never had a problem with the 1.5" on the B3 valve providing you are harvesting while the beer is still on top, and not racking then harvesting (dont know why you would). I like the T/C lid, it is far and away easier to open and close that any of the other lid designs out there . As far as cleaning it is a bit hard to reach all the way to the bottom of the cone without a cleaning brush. This has nothing to do with the width of the opening, but is because of the overall height of the fermenter. As far as the pressure thing, I cannot imagine this fermenter not holding 1bar of pressure. However, I only plan to use it at 5psi until I hear otherwise. Brewers Hardware has said they do plan to pressure test them at some point once they sort out the legalities.

Sweet! Keep us updated please, I was very close to getting their 30 gallon glycol jacketed conical. They were backordered and then brewhemoth had their black friday sale so ended up with two of those. The brewers hardware conicals are nicer though (at least the pics I've seen make me think so) and I hope to add one to the collection soon!

Looking forward to hearing the results!

 

[hennja2]

Does anyone question the quality of the stainless steel in the Stout conicals? Many of the other brands allude to the inferior Chinease steel.

 

[beerbeer95648]

Not much to report yet, except that the jacket works very well. Cooled in at 55 degrees then used the jacket with ice water to drop the temp to 48 degrees in about 7 minutes. The lid was a joy to use compared to the B3 pictured. And having no threaded parts was also a huge plus. I took the time while brewing to put together a spunding setup. Sanitizing was a touch more difficult due to the shoulder of the fermenter, but just slightly more so. I also moved the bottom dump valve up from where they had it as to keep the yeast in the fermenter. I am also ditching the 2" hose barb at the bottom and putting on a 3/4" barb for harvesting.

 

[bemerritt]

Are you using a "cap style reducer" on that spunding valve assembly? I assume you are bringing it down to a 1"/1.5" size.

 

[beerbeer95648]

Yes. 3" to 1"/1.5" cap style reduce

 

[bemerritt]

Do you plan on using a 3" cip spray ball? Im curious how clean it would get with the shoulder maybe getting in the way.

 

[beerbeer95648]

I plan on picking one up soon. Its just finding an affordable pump that can handle warmer solutions. I don't forsee a problem with the shoulder once I have the right pump providing the ball sits low enough in the fermenter. For now though I will be hand cleaning. We'll see how that goes.

 

[bemerritt]

It seems as the pump is always the hardest part. Many people ignore the low temperature ratings. I am yet to find an affordable of the shelf high temp pump that can provide the gph necessary.

 

[beerbeer95648]

I hear you. I've been watching the forums and eBay for almost a month and haven't found anything to fit the bill.

 

[calebstringer]

What pressures have you had your conical up to beerbeer?

 

[beerbeer95648]

What pressures have you had your conical up to beerbeer?

I haven't pressurized the brewers hardware conical yet. I was planning on filling it with water and testing it, but the parts for the spunding unit had not come by the time I wanted to put beer in it. I will give you my thoughts though. The glycol version has a 3mm inner wall, while the non jacketed version is 1.5mm I believe. Most commercial conicals tend to have about a 2mm side wall thickness, and 3mm dome tops and cones. At least this is what I tend to see with most west coast tank manufacturers that I have dealt with, and depending on size can have the added variable of static head pressure. Couple this with the fact that most tanks when used to 15psi dont require an ASME pressure rating, I expect that 15psi would be fine. However, I plan to only take it to 5-10psi until brewers hardware decides to run one of theirs up to 15psi. I have a schwartz in it now that will be capped in 2-3 days. We will see then.

Morebeer conicals have a 5psi pressure relief. I usually cap it off at harvesting to 5-8 psi (accidentally extended the pressure relieve valve spring). I pick up a hair of carbonation at this pressure but instead use it for dropping yeast and taking samples.

 

[calebstringer]

Im really leaning towards the brewers hardware 30, jacketed. But if Im spending that much, I need to be able to hit 15. With your input, and looking at the construction, I really dont think thats an issue. But I don't necessarily want to be the guinea pig.

 

[Doctor_M]

Im really leaning towards the brewers hardware 30, jacketed. But if Im spending that much, I need to be able to hit 15. With your input, and looking at the construction, I really dont think thats an issue. But I don't necessarily want to be the guinea pig.

Like i mentioned earlier if it hadn't been for brewhemoths black Friday sale I would have probably bought the 30 gallon jacketed like your looking at. I like that they have the 8 inch opening. I'm hoping someone finds out soon whether or not they are pressurizable. Here's to hoping that they are

 

[bemerritt]

I just picked up the 20 gallon jacketed. I can post pictures or answer any questions about it. I had a long talk with derrin (sp?) about pressure when I picked it up on Friday. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he it seems he plans on pressure testing as soon As they figure out some legal stuff. He also said he has zero plans of changing the design. The things are built like a tank. If the pressure thing is the only part holding you back, go for it! You'll absolutely love it. He even hinted that he might be working on some kind of spunding valve, so thAt tells you that some pressure testing is definitely on the horizon. And no, I won't try and blow mine up for the sake of science!

I'm working on getting a heated cooler of glycol controlled by a bcs462. Hopefully the maiden voyage will be next weekend, so I'll have many more comments and pictures to come.

 

[calebstringer]

Not blowing up for science....just carbing at 15 drinking!

 

[beerbeer95648]

Took it to 10psi today to drop yeast. Had no problem.

 

[calebstringer]

I talked to Derrin. Same as you guys said. He's in the works of getting pressure test certified, and a pressure relief valve, but no eta. I had emailed him this weekend before finding thus thread. I'm itching to pull the trigger on my first one.....

 

[hennja2]

I decided on the 14.5 gallon Stout Conical and it arrived today. It looks great! One small dent, but otherwise it is perfect. The welds are top notch and the butterfly valves are beautiful. I love being able to remove the top and clean the entire thing by hand. I can't wait to fill it this weekend.

 

[beerbeer95648]

I will post a few more thoughts about my brewers hardware conical soon. Just kegged my smoked (briess cherry wood smoked malt) schwartz beer from it. Was a breeze.

 

[beerbeer95648]

Sorry.

 

[calebstringer]

any more thoughts beerbeer?

 

[beerbeer95648]

any more thoughts beerbeer?

I have put 4 batches through it now. Cleaning has not been an issue. I have been putting a 2 gallon bucket under it and cleaning by hand. The large T/C lid makes that easy. It hold temp very well, and I have no problem at 10psi. I havent needed to take it to 15psi, but dont foresee an issue with doing so. I can fit quite a bit in there. I usually cool in 12 gallons and still have 7" of headspace. Kegging has been a dream, even compared to my B3 conical. This is mostly because of how well this fermenter holds pressure vs my B3. I can crank up the pressure and fill kegs in no time flat.

The only gripes are:

The racking arm could go lower into the cone. I tend to drop or harvest yeast out at day 7. I then drop a quick slug of yeast every other day or so until kegging. What this means is that I dont often have much yeast left in the fermenter at kegging. So, when I go to rack into kegs I am left with nearly 1/2 gallon of beer in the fermenter when the racking arm loses contact with the beer. This hasnt been a problem for me because I brew extra volume to counteract this. If you only harvest what you need and leave the rest behind the racking arm length is less of an issue.

There are some small pit marks internally from the welding process and subsequent chemical polishing, however they are polished well. I recently toured a large brewery manufacturer that was importing Chinese tanks for the craft market for breweries that want a cheaper option than domestically manufactured tanks and they were exactly the same. However, there is one unpolished pit on the inside ferrule for the thermowell. That area I am forced to squirt in alcohol and flame to sanitize. I am happy overall with the internals.

Overall, I am happy. I havent used my b3 conical since getting this. I have since welded the spunding valve I built since it was leaking, and drilled and taped a 1/2 barb fitting into the lid of my Nalgene harvest bottle so I can lightly unscrew this cap and essentially harvest in a closed system. I wouldnt change anything if I was on the market again for a conical.

 

[calebstringer]

I just wish there was one more triclamp fitting through the wall to hook a carb stone to.

Thanks for the feedback beer beer!

 

[beerbeer95648]

I just wish there was one more triclamp fitting through the wall to hook a carb stone to.

Thanks for the feedback beer beer!

No problem. As far as the carb stone, you could always put an elbow, sight glass/union, and T/C stone at the bottom (providing you dropped all the yeast out) and carb from there. I've done that before on larger tanks.

 

[Ampule]

I bought the BrewersHardware 15 gallon non-jacketed and love it. I oxygenate through the elbow at the bottom (valve has to go right at the bottom of the cone to do this - butterfly hits the stone) using a B3 2" carbonation stone. You could probably carbonate similarly. I also bought the CIP ball and am using a sump pump with ~125* water and soap to do the main cleaning. It gets 99% of the junk out with no problem. I inspect and clean by hand after.

I also pressurize to 5lbs when racking to kegs, and it's pretty awesome to have the beer move so quickly all while under CO2.

I made two youtube videos of the conical - one is a brief overview and the other is CIP.

Overview:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j0q6PXiEV8[/ame]

Cleaning:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kde3ZAxzqY[/ame]

 

[mikehoover]

Would you mind sharing which pump you are using? Thanks!