Conical Users Large and Small: Do you even dump, bro?

[Broothru]

Wow! that thing has a lot of ports.

The European Kegland

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Deadalus]

I brew with a buddy who has an SS brewtech unitank. The cip works like a charm but yes all ports need to be taken down and dealt with but it's nearly the same work for one port as it is for five.

I mean, the whole thing about Tri clamps is they're designed to be exposed to a thorough cleaning so as to be sanitary as possible.

Each to their own and if you have the space and inclination for it I don't see why not but I also understand how people would be put off by it.

I have unitanks (Brewbuilt and SS Brewtech). My Brewbuilts have one less port on both the lid and the cone, while the SS Brewtech has one less than on the lid. It takes a lot more time to clean and assemble than a carboy, bucket, or simpler fermentation vessel. Especially if you are actually using the ports. For instance, thermoprobe, sampling valve, gas stone, racking cane, blowoff elbow and tube, spunding valve or prv, hop bong, elbow and sight glass, and all the valves. Plus cooling coil if that's what the vessel uses. You can CIP but I don't trust yet that all that gets cleaned properly. Still working on the CIP though. And putting all that back on takes time too, particularly my small ones (7 gallons) near the cone where the ports are close. If they are on the floor without leg extensions, it can get aggravating as the clamps need to be positioned just so for some things.

That particular model is nice looking though and 600 euros is ~$620 US. The two valves are nice to have, others may come with just one, but these are ball handle style not squeeze trigger. Otherwise, no real accessories. It's not jacketed and has the v-band. I'm not a fan of the v-bands. One would have to add in the accessories given by competitors to get a feel for the cost. It's wider near the cone ports so that is helpful and I wish I had a viewing port like that!

 

[RyPA]

I ferment in the keg. I get a full 5 gallons without issue.

I use the standard/basic floating tube and place a large SS nut or fender washer over the middle of the tube to keep it properly submerged.

I use low PSI PRV valves (blue-10psi, purple-15psi, red-25psi) or a blowoff tube as needed.

Not sure why the big deal on head space? A corny hold 5.25+ gal. I use a blow off for hefe and the blow off is not that much.

Do you leave no headspace and let the krausen deal with its own problems?

I fermented a NEIPA in a 6g Torpedo earlier this year with Verdant IPA yeast and used the gas in for the blow off. It ended up clogging the port and was a PITA to get cleared out. Even the prv got clogged. Luckily the batch survived and all ~5.5 gallons reached a glass.

 

[DevilsCups]

Do you leave no headspace and let the krausen deal with its own problems?

I fermented a NEIPA in a 6g Torpedo earlier this year with Verdant IPA yeast and used the gas in for the blow off. It ended up clogging the port and was a PITA to get cleared out. Even the prv got clogged. Luckily the batch survived and all ~5.5 gallons reached a glass.

Is your Torpedo a Mega Mouth?

 

[RyPA]

Is your Torpedo a Mega Mouth?

No, it has a standard sized opening

 

[DevilsCups]

No, it has a standard sized opening

Ah, gotcha. I use a Mega Mouth 6gal with a modded lid for fermenting and it works out pretty well, with a few more accessories.

 

[Willy]

Dump or no dump? For me it depends on the recipe. For Pilsners, I dump on day 3-4 ... Before the trub gets compacted.

For ales and stouts I usually just let it compact, no dump. I am still not harvesting yeast as it seems to be more trouble than it's worth vs the cost of dry yeast.

I don't think dumping matters all that much one way or another. Could I taste the difference between a dumped or non-dumped batch. I doubt it.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Dump or no dump? For me it depends on the recipe. For Pilsners, I dump on day 3-4 ... Before the trub gets compacted.

For ales and stouts I usually just let it compact, no dump. I am still not harvesting yeast as it seems to be more trouble than it's worth vs the cost of dry yeast.

I don't think dumping matters all that much one way or another. Could I taste the difference between a dumped or non-dumped batch. I doubt it.

Supposedly important if you're adding fruit at the latter stages of fermentation

 

[Willy]

Supposedly important if you're adding fruit at the latter stages of fermentation

Didn't know that. I have not fruited a beer yet. Someday.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

A

Didn't know that. I have not fruited a beer yet. Someday.

According to David Heath anyway. The man seems to know his onions.

 

[day_trippr]

According to me, too

Cheers!

 

[James_AZ]

Primarily wrestling between stopping the floating diptube from sucking CO2 getting caught up on the side and jostling the keg to stop it. That solution causes more sediment and hop material to mix back in with the beer and I finally decide to cut my loses and not dump a ton of trub into the serving keg. A floating diptube in something like the all rounder at least allows you to visually see where the open tube is grabbing the beer from and when it's about to hit sediment. In a keg, you're running blind and I don't think I ever maximized my yield.

I put a large stainless washer on my dip tube. it helps weight it down and keep the float submerged.