Brewhemoth conicals?

[dbrewski]

I guess I'll do a PBW soack, a bleach soak, and rinse thoroughly. I hope this won't become the routine for cleaning this thing.

Just stumbled across this thread, and I don't have a conical, but if it is stainless do not use bleach! Not a good idea. It pits and corrodes it.

 

[Shockerengr]

I'll second the no bleach comment. It would sanitize it once, but you run the risk of damaging the conical and creating a lot of pits for bacteria to hide.

I'd try a round of boiling water or a star san soak.

I also use a (new) garden pump sprayer to spray star san all around my brewhemoth.

 

[erikrocks]

Riiiiiight...forgot about the bleach issue. Thanks for that!

I guess my next brew day cleaning will consist of a PBW soak, rinse with boiling water, and soak with sanitizer.

Is anyone else having sanitization issues with the Brewhemoth?

 

[Mpez]

I often clean mine, then pump 4 or 5 gallons of boiling water into it and seal it up. I have never had an infection in the two years I have been using my brewhemoth.

I once thought about using the tri clover to NPS element adapter that Brewers hardware sells, and using it to boil water right in the brewhemoth, but pumping in boiling hot water has worked fine for me.
http://www.brewershardware.com/2-Tri-Clover-X-1-NPS-Element-Adapter.html

 

[cfrazier77]

Just stumbled across this thread, and I don't have a conical, but if it is stainless do not use bleach! Not a good idea. It pits and corrodes it.

Opps, I forgot that. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Ben58]

Bleach can and will cause chloride cracking in SS. Definately a no-no.

 

[JEBrew]

Yeah, as many have said already...

Please do not attempt to sanitize your Brewhemoth (or anything Stainless Steel) with bleach...it will ruin it.

Cheers!

 

[thatjonguy]

Use your CIP pump with Sani-Clean...again in case everyone missed it.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

I'm sure this has already been addressed, but since the thread has gotten so big:

Where are you guys racking into? I was originally just going to pump up into the racking port, but then got to wondering if going through the 1" TC in the top might be better to get some additional splashing/aeration action going on.

Thoughts?

 

[fork]

I often clean mine, then pump 4 or 5 gallons of boiling water into it and seal it up. I have never had an infection in the two years I have been using my brewhemoth.



http://www.brewershardware.com/2-Tri-Clover-X-1-NPS-Element-Adapter.html

You say seal, but you wouldn't want to completely seal a tank with boiling or even very hot water in it. When it cools it would create a vacuum and tanks like these can't handle a vacuum. I've seen the result of imploding tanks at commercial breweries and it isn't pretty.

Here's a video, hopefully the link works

 

[Shockerengr]

I'm sure this has already been addressed, but since the thread has gotten so big:

Where are you guys racking into? I was originally just going to pump up into the racking port, but then got to wondering if going through the 1" TC in the top might be better to get some additional splashing/aeration action going on.

Thoughts?

I pump the wort in through the top to help with the aeration.

 

[Shockerengr]

You say seal, but you wouldn't want to completely seal a tank with boiling or even very hot water in it. When it cools it would create a vacuum and tanks like these can't handle a vacuum. I've seen the result of imploding tanks at commercial breweries and it isn't pretty.

Very valid point, and you're right, there should be vacuum relief if using boiling water.

That said, just hot or boiling water being added wouldn't be enough by itself. If there is air inside when sealed, you won't get the vacuum after it cooled as you do when boiling water drives all the air out and replaces it with water vapor.

At the same time, if you're not driving all the air out and boiling, you probably aren't getting good sanitation.

Even with all that, the brewhemoth might still be strong enough to survive a high negative pressure. The diameter isn't that large, and the steel used is quite thick. That said, I have no intention of testing this theory out with mine :cross:

 

[CharlosCarlies]

I pump the wort in through the top to help with the aeration.

Good to hear.

 

[Jukas]

So I've been conical shopping for at last six months trying to make a decision.. I think I have it narrowed down to either the brewhemoth or a 14.5g short Stout. I'd really prefer the brewhemoth and went to impulsively order one last week but their site had issues so I forced myself to low down and rethink. I read this entire thread over the last 24hrs but theres some things I never saw a clear answer to.

A) Temp differential capability of the IC when used with a pump & freezer/glycol mix? It's not uncommon for my garage to hit 100F in the summer and I'm dubious that short of a glycol power pack I'd be able to hit lager/cold crash temps.

B) Are there any Fridges or Freezers that will fit this? With above in mind, I'd normally vote to just skip the IC and get a fridge or freezer, but this thing is huge compared to others, and nothing I've seen can easily fit 19"w by 56" high (website says 50" I'm figuring the other 6" for the spunding valve & general clearance). Some of the commercial ones might, but they're harder to find on CL in my neighborhood and almost the cost of a glycol power pack to boot.

C) I believe most commercial breweries sanitize with steam, has anyone devised a way to do so with the hemoth?

 

[DaleP]

B) Is an easy one, there are many folks who have their Brewhemoth in a fridge, The legs are adjustable.
A) If you put an insulating blanket on the Brewhemoth, temps 47-50 should be attainable, especially with 28 degree glycol. In a 100 degree room, getting it down in the low 30's, not sure, never tried it, always lagered my beers in kegs, in freezers, hated tying up fermenter space.
Hope I helped.

 

[Jukas]

B) Is an easy one, there are many folks who have their Brewhemoth in a fridge, The legs are adjustable.
A) If you put an insulating blanket on the Brewhemoth, temps 47-50 should be attainable, especially with 28 degree glycol. In a 100 degree room, getting it down in the low 30's, not sure, never tried it, always lagered my beers in kegs, in freezers, hated tying up fermenter space.
Hope I helped.

Dale,

Cheers for the reply. Since the legs are adjustable, can you give me an idea of the minimum height requirement for the hemoth with the spunding valve attached (http://brewhemoth.com/spunding-valve) and a 90deg bend on the dump valve?

 

[blad3rR]

Jukas,

Blackheart brewing has these in some sort of fridge/freezer

http://downthepieratehole.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/brewhemoth-fermentors-un-boxing/

 

[DaleP]

With the spunding valve on top, you are in the neighborhood of 36 inches. I'm not sure how tall the 90 is, I'll look into this at work today.

 

[Danzaslapped]

Waiting on the delivery of my Tri Clover Brewhemoth (w/ spunding valve & immersion coil) Patiently. But in the mean time I'm trying to get a parts list together of what I need to order to get this 100% working once its delivered. I'm clueless in the engineering department and need to have this fully planned out for my Breweries new pilot system (Or else they'll go with Morebeer, please no). Ordered an extra 4" cap so I can have a spray ball attachable to a 1/2" nipple welded into it. Also had an extra tri coupler installed for the racking arm.

Does this part list look all encompassing?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqtZaptI1G9YdElZaDlWU21USDBadVBHdmhlNXdSZUE

Anything wrong/what else do I need?

 

[Jukas]

I too am waiting on my tri clover hemoth with spunding valve and IC. Here's the fittings I was looking at, though I am having second thoughts about hte squeeze trigger butterfly valve vs the normal butterfly valves.

(1) 1/1.5 TC to 1/2" hose barb 90 deg bend. $15
(1) 1/1.5" TC Clamp $6
(1) 1" EPDM Sanitary Gasket $1.25

Racking Valves
(1) 1/1.5" Sampling Valve $29
(1) 1" Tri Clover Squeeze Trigger butterfly valve $49
(2) 1/1.5" TC Clamp $12
(2) 1" EPDM Sanitary Gasket $2.50

Thermowell

(1) 1/1.5" Tri Clover Thermowell 12" $24
(1) 1/1.5" TC Clamp $6


Dump Valves
(1) 1.5" Squeeze Trigger Butterfly Valve $53
(2) 1/1.5" TC Clamp $12
(2) 1.5" EPDM Sanitary Gasket $2.50
(1) 1/1.5" TC Cap $3

Misc:
(2) 1/1.5" TC Cap. $6
(6) 1" EPDM Sanitary Gasket $7.50
(6) 1.5" EPDM Sanitary Gasket $7.50
(2) 1/1.5" TC Clamp $12

Total: $248.25

 

[Bullet]

HI All, After two hours of reading I did not find the answer to a questions I have. Can you really ferment 20 gallons in one of these Brewhemoths? I read mentions of people doing it but none of them made mention to how it went and if that is how they do it on a rewgular basis.

Can someone chime in that regularly ferments 20 gallons on these and let me know how it works for them?

Thanks!

 

[Ben58]

I do it all the time. You get some krausen blow through the blow off tube, but thet is intoa 5 gallon bucket with Star San.

 

[cfrazier77]

I have done 18 gallons repeatedly with no blow off. 2 more gallons should not be an issue.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

I might start digging through the thread anyways, but since it's gotten so long:

What kind of pump are yall using for the CIP?

 

[StMarcos]

1hp sump, 3/4''id line, mcmaster spinner

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Thanks StMarcos. Damn, I was looking at 1/4-1/3 hp pumps. Glad I asked first!

 

[StMarcos]

Maybe lesser hp would work. I started with a stpats stainless spinner and a 1/4hp pump, and it wouldn't spin. Kept returning the pumps for bigger ones 'till I got to 1hp, and it still didn't spin. Then swapped the stpats spinner for the mcmaster one, and it works well.

 

[cfrazier77]

I use a 1 HP pump and a spray ball from brewers hardware and it takes all of the crud off.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/900W-1-HP-S...921?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5f0218a1

https://www.brewershardware.com/CIP10F10.html

I had a friend weld a SS threaded pipe in a 4" cap that had a hole drilled in it. Now they have this already done.
https://www.brewershardware.com/CIP10TC10TC40.html

I let it clean for about 30 minutes, then a 5-10 minute rinse, then 5 minute sanitize.

 

[thatjonguy]

Some where on this forum (I thought it was in this thread but can't find the post) someone reported using a pump in the 1/4 to 1/2 hp range (I think) with great results. I think they used smaller tubing to make up for the lack of hp on a brewershardware.com spray ball.

I wish I could find it because it is tax refund time!

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Yeah I'm using the Brewer's Hardware CIP ball as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/900W-1-HP-S...2533921?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5f02 18a1

Looks like a great deal compared to what I've seen. Thanks!