TheCondor
Well-Known Member
Hey I was wondering who has a fast fermenter and do you like it or not? Pros, cons? Possibly looking into getting one, sorry if there is a thread about this already. Did a small search before I posted this.
Fast fermenter.
- Thread starter TheCondor
- Start date
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TheHopfather
Well-Known Member
#1 - Open Google, type the following into search;
site:www.homebrewtalk.com fastferment
#2 - get the following results;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=479018
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=576786
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=478906
Etc.
#3 - ???
#4 - Profit!!
site:www.homebrewtalk.com fastferment
#2 - get the following results;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=479018
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=576786
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=478906
Etc.
#3 - ???
#4 - Profit!!
I love the thing. Works fantastic. I have it mounted on a wall in my basement. The only cons, when you first get it, you have to clean up some of the flash/mold lines for the plastic with a sharp knife, files and sandpaper.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I have the older "V vessel" version along with 3 stainless conicals.. I can't control temps easily with my glycol chiller setup so I only used it once... the yeast seems to stuck to the conical sidewalls more than the stainless. I added some cheap stainless quick disconnect fittings and a stainless ball valve since the plastic one cracked before it first use. I have a second camlocks fitting with a hose for draining in kegs... works pretty good. I still always prefer the stainless ones for obvious reasons.
I was an early adopter from a few years ago (2 years now?). Bought four of them and was/am displeased. 2 batches of very expensive wine ended up going down the drain. A third is barely drinkable.
The lid never sealed properly as the top was wavy and uneven, random leaks would pop up from no where, and I found that the bottom valve and fittings ended up with some nasty looking stuff in them after a while. They were pitched as something that could easily handle long term storage of wine. After 2.5 months of purging the vessel headspace with CO2 at least weekly, if not more frequently, and keeping a close eye on for random leaks, I had severely oxidized and undrinkable wine. I did everything I could to salvage that wine, but a lot of money and work went down the drain.
I never could convince myself to use these for beer. It's more hassle than using a bucket or a keg for fermenting. They're cumbersome to lug around. I don't collect yeast from that little ball because I always overbuild my starters and collect nice clean yeast from there. And seeing how oxidized my wine was, there's no way I can be convinced they provide a good barrier to the atmosphere.
Others have had a different experience, of course. But I was happy the day I sold my last one.
BUT.... I love my FastRacks!!!!
The lid never sealed properly as the top was wavy and uneven, random leaks would pop up from no where, and I found that the bottom valve and fittings ended up with some nasty looking stuff in them after a while. They were pitched as something that could easily handle long term storage of wine. After 2.5 months of purging the vessel headspace with CO2 at least weekly, if not more frequently, and keeping a close eye on for random leaks, I had severely oxidized and undrinkable wine. I did everything I could to salvage that wine, but a lot of money and work went down the drain.
I never could convince myself to use these for beer. It's more hassle than using a bucket or a keg for fermenting. They're cumbersome to lug around. I don't collect yeast from that little ball because I always overbuild my starters and collect nice clean yeast from there. And seeing how oxidized my wine was, there's no way I can be convinced they provide a good barrier to the atmosphere.
Others have had a different experience, of course. But I was happy the day I sold my last one.
BUT.... I love my FastRacks!!!!
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
Ok im confused... google says the "Fastrack" IS the fast ferment conical? one thread on a forum talking about the older "V Vessel" as a fast rack and other links say fast rack is the manufacturer of the fast fermenter...
I guess I got lucky with my old v vessal since it uses a large rubber stopper instead of the screw on lid so it seals well.. It also came with the plastic camlock fittings at the bottom before fast ferment took them over, cheapened them and raised the price...
Fast rack is a tray that holds bottles upside down. It is made by the same company.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
ok... apparently its also the name of the company that makes the fermenter.
My FastFerment is about 6 months old and I have had zero problem with the lid sealing. Of course, as I said above. I went to town with an xacto knife, hobby files and sand paper to clean up all the flash lines. I believe you have to do this to get a proper seal. A co-worker who bought his before me did not do it at first and could not get a proper seal. It was not until he cleaned it up that it worked.
Thegundog
Active Member
I love mine....
The benefits are pretty well documented.
Get one!
The benefits are pretty well documented.
Get one!
This is a big beef I had with these things. Why on earth would you sell something that your customers have to essentially finish for you? It's something they should have done to begin with.
