Catalyst Fermentor Kickstarter

[StoutNoDoubt]

I don't know how many of you have seen the couple of vids I've posted so far but I have one coming up of me fermenting with it and I'll tell you right now that this thing is working very well so far.

 

[8rnw8]

I don't know how many of you have seen the couple of vids I've posted so far but I have one coming up of me fermenting with it and I'll tell you right now that this thing is working very well so far.

Only saw the first one with the temperature chamber build. I'd love to see more. How is the temp chamber working for you? Where do you put the 2 liters that you have filled with ice? Underneath the catalyst? I keep a mason jar attached pretty much always, so not sure I could fit a two liter under there. Do you not keep a mason jar attached to the trub trap?

 

[Jettison]

Just updating on the dry hop situation -

A lot more of the hop residue has settled in the mason jar, but still some clinging to the conical section just above the valve.

Gentle taps on this section don't seem to loosen it. I've just put the Catalyst in a fridge to Cold Crash. Hopefully this gets the remaining residue off into the mason jar.

 

[StoutNoDoubt]

Only saw the first one with the temperature chamber build. I'd love to see more. How is the temp chamber working for you? Where do you put the 2 liters that you have filled with ice? Underneath the catalyst? I keep a mason jar attached pretty much always, so not sure I could fit a two liter under there. Do you not keep a mason jar attached to the trub trap?

Actually, you can fit four - two liter bottles inside the stand under the conical. fits perfect! I just posted a filling video as well and will have another one covering the fermentation process with it. Mason jar is attached as well. The cooling box I built is working very well to keep it cool. Cheers!

 

[str8jkt]

Just updating on the dry hop situation -

A lot more of the hop residue has settled in the mason jar, but still some clinging to the conical section just above the valve.

Gentle taps on this section don't seem to loosen it. I've just put the Catalyst in a fridge to Cold Crash. Hopefully this gets the remaining residue off into the mason jar.

Could you not just crank the valve open and shut a couple times to help loosen up that area? As long as the mason jar is still attached that would probably do more than to just tap on the area?

 

[8rnw8]

I think when/if you move it to a higher location to bottle it might get shaken off. If not, would probably come out in the first pint.

 

[Jettison]

Could you not just crank the valve open and shut a couple times to help loosen up that area? As long as the mason jar is still attached that would probably do more than to just tap on the area?

I didn't try this, but it's a good idea.

I think when/if you move it to a higher location to bottle it might get shaken off. If not, would probably come out in the first pint.

Cold crashing worked really well. Almost all sediment was confined to the mason jar.

Bottled it up last night, now just the waiting a fortnight to really try the product.

As a side note, I tasted the last little bit (wasn't enough to fill another bottle). It tasted fine but not as amazing as the smell I was getting when filling bottles.

I'm sure (hoping) that the flavours will evolve in a few weeks, but thought I'd mention it.

 

[pagrider]

This to me highlights the issue you need to collect the wort above the base of the conical so you dont get trub or yeast in your keg or bottle. Simple fix and I bet a port a couple of inches above the base will be incorporated in the next generation.

 

[pagrider]

Heard today brew demon is upgrading their fermenter all this competition will be good for homebrewers IMO. Better products at better prices. Someone needs to do a comparison brew demon vs fast ferment vs catalyst

 

[8rnw8]

Heard today brew demon is upgrading their fermenter all this competition will be good for homebrewers IMO. Better products at better prices. Someone needs to do a comparison brew demon vs fast ferment vs catalyst

THAT we can certainly agree upon!

 

[whovous]

I have the three gallon BrewDemon and the Catalyst. They are not even close. The BrewDemon is much cheaper, and it shows.

 

[str8jkt]

This to me highlights the issue you need to collect the wort above the base of the conical so you dont get trub or yeast in your keg or bottle. Simple fix and I bet a port a couple of inches above the base will be incorporated in the next generation.

Not sure what you mean by this? The mason jar is meant to collect all trub and yeast so that you don't have to worry about this. It was stupid easy to unscrew the yeast mason jar and just screw on the bottling attachment.

 

[pagrider]

Not sure what you mean by this? The mason jar is meant to collect all trub and yeast so that you don't have to worry about this. It was stupid easy to unscrew the yeast mason jar and just screw on the bottling attachment.

is that what you do to take a sample as well to check gravity? Seems simple enough I guess

Because yeast and trub can get caught up on the walls of the conical near the base every conical on the market has a sample port. The valve on the bottom is used to dump yeast and trub. Conicals also typically have a 60 degree slant to the base this leaves room for all the crud to settle. The catalyst has far less slant so it looks like crud could easily settle above the mason jar. It may be different due to the butterfly valve and as such can be untraditional. Waiting on feedback before I consider one. Maybe they have figured something new out and the other conical manufacturers will be playing catch up.

 

[Jettison]

is that what you do to take a sample as well to check gravity? Seems simple enough I guess

I take samples for gravity readings by removing the stopper in the lid, and drawing a sample with a sterilised baster.

 

[8rnw8]

Bottling today. I dry hopped with 6 ounces pellets. All settled down into the jar except a super thin layer near the valve. I initially figured I'd just toss the first bottle, but when I moved the catalyst to the counter to bottle, it knocked that last bit loose, and it slowly settled down into the jar. Bottling went well. Still a pain, but no more or less than usual. Someone should invent something to revolutionize bottling. No, kegs don't count.

You could sample from the mason jar, or sample with a thief from the airlock port. It's funny to say that every conical on the market has a sample valve. Clearly some do not.

 

[user 151645]

I have two Catalysts. I just kegged 10 gallons of Blonde Ale. The bottom funnel system works great. I don't know how it could have been any easier. Cleanup was a breeze too. I'm a fan...

 

[8rnw8]

I have two Catalysts. I just kegged 10 gallons of Blonde Ale. The bottom funnel system works great. I don't know how it could have been any easier. Cleanup was a breeze too. I'm a fan...

Did you have any issue with hop matter blocking the narrow bottling attachment funnel? That was the only hiccup I ran into, mostly just from bottling a super dry hopped ipa before all the hops had completely settled. Should've either been patient, or cold crashed, but on a quest for aroma.

 

[VinceFrance]

Do you guys know any supplier in Europe (UK or France)?

Shipping costs are over 80 dollars via Craft a Brew.... Thanks by advance

 

[DurtyChemist]

I have a few questiosn for users of this system since I'm looking at buying it for a gift.

How are you guys handling the giant oxygen bubble that comes up when you open the valve? It seems like it's just asking for off flavors to have that large oxygen bubble come up through the bottom when you open the valve to dump trub.

Has anyone fermented with a mason jar attached and the valve open? I figured this would be the ideal way to ensure you can save the yeast as well as remove the trub while also eliminating the oxygen addition.

Will this fit in a refrigerator? I saw the dimensions are about 15"x19"x27" so I'm curious if that would fit in a top freezer style fridge currently holding a brew bucket or two. I know the easiest way is to measure it but it's an odd questions to ask someone who you're buying a gift for.

 

[str8jkt]

I have a few questiosn for users of this system since I'm looking at buying it for a gift.

How are you guys handling the giant oxygen bubble that comes up when you open the valve? It seems like it's just asking for off flavors to have that large oxygen bubble come up through the bottom when you open the valve to dump trub.

Has anyone fermented with a mason jar attached and the valve open? I figured this would be the ideal way to ensure you can save the yeast as well as remove the trub while also eliminating the oxygen addition.

Will this fit in a refrigerator? I saw the dimensions are about 15"x19"x27" so I'm curious if that would fit in a top freezer style fridge currently holding a brew bucket or two. I know the easiest way is to measure it but it's an odd questions to ask someone who you're buying a gift for.

Will answer what I can.

Second question first. You are supposed to ferment with the mason jar attached and valve open. That allows fermentation while also allowing the trub to settle down into the mason jar (along with some yeast). You then remove the trub and this then falls into question 1 - You can minimize the oxygen that is reintroduced a couple ways. The easiest is before replacing the mason jar and reopening the valve just sterilize and then fill the mason jar with water. When you open the valve there will be a small amount of air that goes up through (from the small gap) but it is very minimal. Then it will allow the yeast to settle down into the mason jar to collect and wash if you want.

I can't answer the fridge part though...

 

[whovous]

My FC is an old 14cf fridge w/ a top freezer. When I removed all the shelves, the Catalyst fitted in just fine, but there was no room for an airlock on top so I had to use a blowoff tube even though I only had three gallons of beer in the 6.5 gallon space. There is one last "shelf" that covers the space for the crisper drawers on the bottom. I think it will come out easily enough, but I've not yet tried. If it does, there will be plenty of room to use an airlock.

My first thought was that if your fridge was bigger than 14 cubic feet, you might not have my problem, but it occurs to me that refrigerator heights are somewhat standard, so I dunno.

 

[user 151645]

I didn't have anything in the beer to block the funnel. I dumped the trub jar when it got full. You can see the trub working it's way down the fermenter. The last small jar I emptied had some trub in the bottom topped with beer. There was nothing but clear beer left in the fermenter when it came time to keg.

 

[8rnw8]

I didn't have anything in the beer to block the funnel. I dumped the trub jar when it got full. You can see the trub working it's way down the fermenter. The last small jar I emptied had some trub in the bottom topped with beer. There was nothing but clear beer left in the fermenter when it came time to keg.

Nice. Wishing I had put a larger jar on the catalyst, or used a hop bag (although I still feel like they kill aroma and utilization? Maybe it's in my head). 6 ounces dry hops filled the jar I had and about half the cone!

 

[RoGuE_HAHG]

Let me ask you all a pressure question...

How are you cold crashing with the Catalyst? I know its possible, just want to hear how you are going about it.

Thanks!ipe:

 

[whovous]

Let me ask you all a pressure question...

How are you cold crashing with the Catalyst? I know its possible, just want to hear how you are going about it.

Thanks!ipe:

Nothing complicated. I left the blow-off tube in place and reduced the temp in my old fridge fermentation chamber from 68F to 37F. That's it. I used the blow-off tube in the first place because I did not have room in the FC for an airlock.

 

[Jettison]

Nothing complicated. I left the blow-off tube in place and reduced the temp in my old fridge fermentation chamber from 68F to 37F. That's it. I used the blow-off tube in the first place because I did not have room in the FC for an airlock.

Did you get any suck-back of solution into the fermenter when cold crashing?

 

[RoGuE_HAHG]

This was going to be my question as well.

Did you get any suck-back of solution into the fermenter when cold crashing?

 

[whovous]

Did you get any suck-back of solution into the fermenter when cold crashing?

No. My batch size was about three gallons, which may have been a factor. I crashed at about 37F. Does colder make more of a difference?

 

[RoGuE_HAHG]

I would think the gas volume in the catalyst would be effected very similarly by dropping from fermentation temps down into the 30s. 37 vs 34 wouldn't be a huge volume change IMO.

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking of pumping some CO2 into the top every 10 degrees or so, as it cools

No. My batch size was about three gallons, which may have been a factor. I crashed at about 37F. Does colder make more of a difference?

 

[StoutNoDoubt]

Posted an update on the use of this fermenter. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!
Www.youtube.com/c/thebrew-q