FastFerment conical fermenter??????

[MaddBaggins]

for those using the FF, at what point to you suggest changing out the collection ball? I have an ale going, fermentation seems to have slowed or stopped and has been in the FF conical for 4 days. Should I swap out the collection ball now or should i give it a solid week?

Just wondering the timing of when the collection balls get changed. thanks

I'm almost 2 weeks in. The ball has about 1 inch of yeast in it. Seems a shame to waste the beer on top of it. I think I'll cold crash, decant and drink it.

Personally, I'm going to go with a single collection ball use. Attached from the start and removed about 2 weeks in. After that, everything goes in the keg.
I'm only going to be using the FF for kegged beers. No long term conditioning.

 

[Bobbybob]

I finally got my first batch into the fast ferment last night. A 1.049 hefeweizen. Let it sit about 3 hrs for any trub to settle, and when shined a light on the ball it was clear, no trub. Not sure why but even the kettle had very little.
So I pitched wyeast 3333 and realized that it is so flocculent that it was chunked up in the flask and probably sank to the bottom, and into the ball. I pulled the ball and dumped it back in, leaving the valve closed. This morning it was bubbling away nicely so I opened the valve. Epic fail. Within seconds of it bubbling up, the air lock started spraying sanitizer up in micro streams, then the foam arrived and did the same. I grabbed a blow off tube for my bungs, and swapped it for the air lock and in the time it too to swap about 2 cups of foam escaped, plus another cup or so through the tube.
After about 5 min it settled back down and I was able to put a fresh air lock on it. This was about 2 gal of foam forming in like 30 seconds. I know that disturbing it during fermentation will cause the co2 to come out of solution, by holy beer foam. Never like this.
Anyone else had this happen?

Had this happen with a beer a couple of weeks back. No airlock activity for 26 hours so what did I do I nudged the better bottle. Then turn away from it and look at my dry yeast packets. I was shocked when I turned back to see 6 streams of foam shoot out of my airlock, and hit the ceiling. I name it Vesuvius Red ale.

 

[jleiii]

I'm almost 2 weeks in. The ball has about 1 inch of yeast in it. Seems a shame to waste the beer on top of it. I think I'll cold crash, decant and drink it.

Personally, I'm going to go with a single collection ball use. Attached from the start and removed about 2 weeks in. After that, everything goes in the keg.
I'm only going to be using the FF for kegged beers. No long term conditioning.

When I left for the holiday my hefe was on day 4 and the ball was about 90% full of yeast, and most of that dropped in the previous 24 hrs. I've never used WY3333 before, so no idea if this is typical for this strain.

My plan is to primary in the FF, and then secondary in carboys for any that need it.

 

[fhk]

I would love a spigot or something that I could slowly stream out 2 oz of beer.. thinking about adding a spigot.. any suggestions on how?

Easiest way is to just use the thermowell fitting, 1/2 inch NPT. If you need the thermowell you could thread in a tee. I just used a reducer and a 1/4 ball valve with hose barb.

 

[redwing_al]

Easiest way is to just use the thermowell fitting, 1/2 inch NPT. If you need the thermowell you could thread in a tee. I just used a reducer and a 1/4 ball valve with hose barb.

great idea.

 

[Raidsker]

Too bad to hear about the guys lid. A collar on one of my valves didn't tighten correctly and they sent me a new one right away.

Made the centennial blonde and everything worked fine. I didn't modify the lid so it only bubbled a day or so. Beer turned out tasty still.

Just wanted to chime in.

 

[ChefRex]

Harvested yeast from my second batch today, filled 100% with yeast, pitched to a breakfast stout,1.077 sg bubbling away in an hour.

Happy:rockin:

 

[redwing_al]

Harvested yeast from my second batch today, filled 100% with yeast, pitched to a breakfast stout,1.077 sg bubbling away in an hour.

Happy:rockin:

So, what exactly is the process for reusing yeast from FF collection balls? Pour off the beer and empty yeasties? How do you get the yeast cake out of the ball?

 

[ChefRex]

There was no beer in this ball, full to the top with yeast, none in the FF above the valve so I might have an inch at most.
Sprayed everything down poured out approximately what I wanted and pitch.
Dumped the last ball down the drain, same yeast, lots of healthy yeast.

 

[jbb3]

There was no beer in this ball, full to the top with yeast, none in the FF above the valve so I might have an inch at most.
Sprayed everything down poured out approximately what I wanted and pitch.
Dumped the last ball down the drain, same yeast, lots of healthy yeast.

Cool! Definitely all yeast.

I have a full collection ball collected last weekend in the frig. How long can I keep it in the frig and still be viable?

 

[ChefRex]

Viable? A long time, pitchable without a started a good couple of weeks, the full ball is not ideal, I added some beer after removing some to help keep it fresh.

 

[ChefRex]

I racked to a keg, couldn't be easier, stout boiling and going in next

 

[jbb3]

I racked to a keg, couldn't be easier, stout boiling and going in next

Like a well oiled machine...

 

[ChefRex]

Stout's in, I'll let it settle for several hours,dump the ball,reinstall and pitch the yeast harvested yesterday:rockin:

 

[AfroHopster]

I have a fridge and either need a stand or better yet has anyone tried to glue/jbweld the supports on to the rear of the fridge and put the conical on. Not sure it would hold thou and I didnt want drill into the fridge

 

[ChefRex]

I have a fridge and either need a stand or better yet has anyone tried to glue/jbweld the supports on to the rear of the fridge and put the conical on. Not sure it would hold thou and I didnt want drill into the fridge

I don't think you're going to find a run of the mill adhesive that would support that much weight.

 

[redwing_al]

I have a fridge and either need a stand or better yet has anyone tried to glue/jbweld the supports on to the rear of the fridge and put the conical on. Not sure it would hold thou and I didnt want drill into the fridge

It would never support the weight.. take it from a guy who has made all those same mistakes..

 

[cantrell00]

It would never support the weight.. take it from a guy who has made all those same mistakes..

Didn't think it would but I am considering bolting a 2 X 4 through the side of the fridge... One one the inside & outside with fridge wall sandwiched in between.

 

[jbb3]

Didn't think it would but I am considering bolting a 2 X 4 through the side of the fridge... One one the inside & outside with fridge wall sandwiched in between.

You must have better luck than me. I would be paranoid that I would hit one of the cooling lines when I drilled/screwed into the frig.

 

[cantrell00]

You must have better luck than me. I would be paranoid that I would hit one of the cooling lines when I drilled/screwed into the frig.

It's certainly a risk but you would only need two per side... The odds are in your favor though. Many more square inches without tubing in the wall than with.

 

[HK823]

About the screw top lid, how tight do you think it should be?
After the first half-turn I find that I have to hold the V-barrel in a vice grip between my legs in order to screw it further on. Worried if it's going to be like that when going to take a gravity sample.
I already gave the threads the craft knife and sand paper treatment.

 

[redwing_al]

I wonder the same thing. Whenever I tighten my life, I have to contort in the same sensual position to 'screw' it on.

However, I get it as right as possible. Not sure I bottom it out, and I suppose it does not leak. I'd be curious on other responses as well.

 

[gotbags-10]

Same here. I'm convinced I never actually get mine screwed on tight

 

[HK823]

Small update on the screw top lid and how I managed to fix it (it still doesn't feel particularly smooth but I can manage fitting the lid with using just one hand and it will do).

Reface and chase the threads with a pin/needle file like the one displayed. I used a sharp pointed file with a circular profile. Spent 30 mins or so doing so, ending up with clothes and carpet filthy with white plastic dust.
Finish off by applying a smidgen of keg grease, and massage it in by attaching/re-attaching the lid about 10-20 times.


And if anyone's still looking a an easy way aerate the wort before pitching the yeast: I'm planning to use a smaller cement mixer mounted on a drill.

 

[redwing_al]

Small update on the screw top lid and how I managed to fix it (it still doesn't feel particularly smooth but I can manage fitting the lid with using just one hand and it will do).

Reface and chase the threads with a pin/needle file like the one displayed. I used a sharp pointed file with a circular profile. Spent 30 mins or so doing so, ending up with clothes and carpet filthy with white plastic dust.
Finish off by applying a smidgen of keg grease, and massage it in by attaching/re-attaching the lid about 10-20 times.


And if anyone's still looking a an easy way aerate the wort before pitching the yeast: I'm planning to use a smaller cement mixer mounted on a drill.

I have used a paint mixer on a drill to aerate wort and it works great. I concur!

 

[gotbags-10]

I'm sure it works great to aerate I would just be worried I might hit the sides with it. One slip up and your plastic fermenter is toast

 

[Kalmah]

They have purpose made plastic aeration rods for drills so you don't need to worry about scratching the sides.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/mix-stir-agitator-rod.html

 

[gotbags-10]

So maybe I'm just being to paranoid. I have one of those also but it's a hard plastic and spinning in a drill it would still leave some surface scratches on the fermenter I feel like. I was actually looking for some food grade rubber I might be able to put around those paddles to prevent scratches. Again this might not be necessary I'm not sure

 

[DustyBrew]

FYI. On my second Irish Red Ale batch. And both times no action on Airlock. I believe everything is sealed up fine. The yeast strain WY1084 is bottom fermenting so active bubbles not present. My Amber Ale had lots of visual activity in airlock.

Brew On............

 

[Newsman]

With respect to aeration, why not just use an oxygen bottle and stone???? Why bother with mechanical aeration at all???