The answer to your question, I don't know. The answer to the air bubbles rising up has been discussed a lot. It is not really an issue as the bubble rise up quickly and leave through the airlock. They are large bubbles and are not getting incorporated into your beer.
FastFerment conical fermenter??????
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The answer to your question, I don't know. The answer to the air bubbles rising up has been discussed a lot. It is not really an issue as the bubble rise up quickly and leave through the airlock. They are large bubbles and are not getting incorporated into your beer.
ATLbeerdude
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Thanks for the response, I appreciate it.
I've not done a hop tea for my FF. I've found they don't produce much flavor and can give a vegetal taste to beer in general.
If you are concerned with the air in the collection ball getting into your finished beer, you can (if you have the sample port) fill your collection ball with beer from the fermenter before attaching it to the FF.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
I just read through all 100 pages over the past couple of days. I just ordered a fastferment and I feel I am educated enough now to get a good start on things! Thank you all! As for those that don't want to read through 100 pages to become knowledgeable about this fermenter, here are the cliff notes:
1) The sealing on the lid is an issue. Make sure you wrap with teflon tape, and that you have the newer addition with the clear silicone gasket vs. the foam (pool noodle looking) one.
2) You can dump the trub easily by racking into the conical, waiting overnight and then dumping the trub by attaching the bottle filler attachment and dumping the trub in a bucket until beer comes through and then quickly close the ball valve. Attach the yeast collector, open the valve, and pitch the yeast.
3)The changing of the collection balls: It seems that if you initially dump all the trub before pitching, all you need is a change after primary and then a change when secondary is complete. Maybe you will need another change if you have some more yeast or trub in the unit. Don't worry about the bubble that moves through the beer when you open the valve. In all 100 pages, I did not see one person reporting oxidation in their beer from this.
4)yeast harvesting: If you want to harvest, if you have initially dumped the trub before pitching, you can harvest the next collection ball after primary. pour it into a mason jar and follow yeast washing procedures.
5)LEAK TEST BEFORE YOU POUR YOUR WORT IN
6)dry hop in muslin bags to prevent all the mess and the waste of beer you will have from changing multiple collection balls to get all of the hops out.
7) get a sampling port (fast ferment sells one with the preferred drill bit). This will allow you to easily test your gravity without taking the lid off or taking off the collection ball.
8) If you plan to bottle, just drain from the fastferment into a bottling bucket with your priming sugar in it. This will eliminate the chance of taking sediment off the walls of the conical when stirring in the priming sugar if you try to bottle from the conical its self.
9)You may want to take a marker and outline the measurements on the outside of the conical as they are difficult to see, but this is up to the individual (I probably wont).
10)Use seal tape on all white plastic threads that is on the conical and on the collection ball. Also, seal the thermowell by wrapping it a good 3 times at least. There is instructions with the kit that will tell you what to wrap and the kit should come with seal tape.
11) ENJOY IT!!!!
My fermenter is coming in the mail tomorrow and I cannot wait!
1) The sealing on the lid is an issue. Make sure you wrap with teflon tape, and that you have the newer addition with the clear silicone gasket vs. the foam (pool noodle looking) one.
2) You can dump the trub easily by racking into the conical, waiting overnight and then dumping the trub by attaching the bottle filler attachment and dumping the trub in a bucket until beer comes through and then quickly close the ball valve. Attach the yeast collector, open the valve, and pitch the yeast.
3)The changing of the collection balls: It seems that if you initially dump all the trub before pitching, all you need is a change after primary and then a change when secondary is complete. Maybe you will need another change if you have some more yeast or trub in the unit. Don't worry about the bubble that moves through the beer when you open the valve. In all 100 pages, I did not see one person reporting oxidation in their beer from this.
4)yeast harvesting: If you want to harvest, if you have initially dumped the trub before pitching, you can harvest the next collection ball after primary. pour it into a mason jar and follow yeast washing procedures.
5)LEAK TEST BEFORE YOU POUR YOUR WORT IN
6)dry hop in muslin bags to prevent all the mess and the waste of beer you will have from changing multiple collection balls to get all of the hops out.
7) get a sampling port (fast ferment sells one with the preferred drill bit). This will allow you to easily test your gravity without taking the lid off or taking off the collection ball.
8) If you plan to bottle, just drain from the fastferment into a bottling bucket with your priming sugar in it. This will eliminate the chance of taking sediment off the walls of the conical when stirring in the priming sugar if you try to bottle from the conical its self.
9)You may want to take a marker and outline the measurements on the outside of the conical as they are difficult to see, but this is up to the individual (I probably wont).
10)Use seal tape on all white plastic threads that is on the conical and on the collection ball. Also, seal the thermowell by wrapping it a good 3 times at least. There is instructions with the kit that will tell you what to wrap and the kit should come with seal tape.
11) ENJOY IT!!!!
My fermenter is coming in the mail tomorrow and I cannot wait!
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
Just plan in it leaking. I really wish I hadn't purchased this and had instead applied the money to a stainless unit. Or that new one that uses the mason jars to collect...although for the $$ on that one stainless might again be the way to go.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Not many ppl on here have complained of actual leaks (besides the lid gasket). Did you wrap everything with thread tape a good 4 or 5 times around? Im going to water test mine. I think i got the earlier version one though. It has the foam gasket ring. Ill just make a gasket for it if it doesn't seal
tight nbd.
tight nbd.
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M0KCE
Well-Known Member
I just unassembled it and now need to run to the store for some more thread tape. It didn't leak until this most recent batch and then this time it's just been a PITA.
I've got a bunch of stuff in the cart at Adventures in Homebrewing and have added the sampling port and a few other parts that I've been meaning to get for it. Thermometer, carrying strap, etc. It's like a sign from a diety, the total at check out is $1343...my old fire department number. Sitting here now trying to decide if I want to order now and brew next weekend or wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday to see if I can do better than the site wide pre-BF 10% off.
I disagree on the leaking. I use multiple FFs and none of them leak. You may not be taping your threads well enough.
I don't like the collection balls for yeast harvesting, but I wouldn't be happier with a mason jar set up either. Rather than trying to harvest yeast and separate trub, I just overbuild my yeast starters and harvest myffuture yeast from them.
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
I'd be happier with the mason jar due to availability. Plus I like the wide mouth, I think it would do better job of letting things settle in to the jar vs the narrow opening on the FF. My thread taping skills are unrivaled on this planet and I assure you that's not the problem.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Did any of you have problems hand tightening the thermowell into the fermenter? I cannot even tighten it enough by hand to get it set on the threads. I have no problem using a wrench to tighten it, but i dont want to strip the threads. Also the handle that turns into a tool to take apart the ball valve does not fit to even take it apart.
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
Mine fits better one way vs the other and even then it's a bit tricky to get it to seat in the holes.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Here's an idea: how about developing a hop screen that is the gradient of a muslin bag that goes over the connector between the collection ball and the ball valve? This would allow you to simply put your hops in the collection ball and allow them to infuse up into the beer. When you are done dry hopping, just take the collection ball off. This would make Fastferment a good 100,000 more I bet (you guys reading this?? 
) . Anyone have any ideas to do this, or have tried/succeeded? I tried putting a piece of a muslin bag between the connector and the collection ball but the threads became too tight and would not screw on all the way. Lets innovate something!!! Of course you could just throw a muslin bag in the top, but this would literally allow the hop oil to infuse up through your beer and would be an easy clean up.
) . Anyone have any ideas to do this, or have tried/succeeded? I tried putting a piece of a muslin bag between the connector and the collection ball but the threads became too tight and would not screw on all the way. Lets innovate something!!! Of course you could just throw a muslin bag in the top, but this would literally allow the hop oil to infuse up through your beer and would be an easy clean up.
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
It leaks from above the ring on the collection ball. Am I missing an o-ring or something?
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
There should be a black O ring that goes between the collection ball grey fitting and the grey threaded ball valve. A little black o ring that is about an inch in circumference.
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
Bingo! That's gone walkabout. That explains the leak.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Glad you found it!! My kit came with two of those black o rings. If you dont have one, Im sure you can find one at a hardware store pretty quickly. Cheers! 
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
I just added them to my order with AIH and pulled the trigger. Got a Grainfather on the way with that and a Catalyst Fermenter (not from AIH).
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Now that is a good Christmas present to yourself! How much do you brew at a time typically? That's a lot of beer making!
M0KCE
Well-Known Member
I did around 60 gallons in 2015. Only in the 30 gallon range this year. I take it to parties and such in 5 gallon kegs. Drink very little of it myself. Can't go to fire calls if I've been drinking so I usually don't when I'm at home.
ElmCityWobblyPops
Well-Known Member
Mine came with the silicon gasket for the top, it sucked, it either didn't work (because the cover wasn't cinched up tight enough) or it did work (because it was cinched up tight enough) but couldn't get the damn cover off afterwards.
I contacted FF to get them to send me one of the foam ones to double up with the silicon one, worked just OK, kept falling in (thankfully it floats better than the silicon ones do)
Finally I went to a party where they made place settings with your name on it, on about a foam leaf they cut out of 1/4" foam sheets they bought at the dollar store.
While I couldn't find them, I did find a similar product shaped like a pumpkin, and large enough to get an O ring cut out of it. So now I double it up with the silicon one. The last batch I did (which desperately needs to be bottled), I have never heard the airlock sing its lovely tune so much with the FF. Finally have a great seal.
I contacted FF to get them to send me one of the foam ones to double up with the silicon one, worked just OK, kept falling in (thankfully it floats better than the silicon ones do)
Finally I went to a party where they made place settings with your name on it, on about a foam leaf they cut out of 1/4" foam sheets they bought at the dollar store.
While I couldn't find them, I did find a similar product shaped like a pumpkin, and large enough to get an O ring cut out of it. So now I double it up with the silicon one. The last batch I did (which desperately needs to be bottled), I have never heard the airlock sing its lovely tune so much with the FF. Finally have a great seal.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
I got my conical today and I sent them an email regarding my tool on the handle not fitting the ball valve and having just a foam gasket when they now include the silicone ones with newer kits. I am hoping that they will send me both. I heard that they have great customer service. I am sure they will be responding to me tomorrow. I did send them like 3 separate emails though, because as I found something, I would email them. Hope I didn't tick them off. haha
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
They replied to me today and are sending me 2 of the "new rubber hollow gaskets" for the lid and also they are sending me a free thermometer for me giving them a positive review on Amazon! Great company!!
MrKelly
Active Member
I reuse the yeast most of the time. I never wash it or pour it into a jar. I just take the ball off the fermenter, drain a little of the beer and put the bung on it. Put it in the fridge as is. I think the longest I've had the thing in the fridge like this is 6-7 months and reused maybe 4 times.
I then just make a starter from it in a half gallon mason jar.
I think what helps this is I like you mentioned, dump the trub once before adding the yeast. I don't get clogs either like others seem too.
I then just make a starter from it in a half gallon mason jar.
I think what helps this is I like you mentioned, dump the trub once before adding the yeast. I don't get clogs either like others seem too.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Anyone else's thermowell not go all the way into the make a seal with the white threaded mold. I can see wort building up in this and causing issues. Deff got to take the thermowell out everytime your done to clean it. My thermowell did not want to stay centered with the threads as I was screwing it in.
I've had it happen twice now where it doesn't thread right and it leaked. I'm thankful it didn't mess up the threads.
Has anyone looked for or found orings for the valve?
I decided to fully disassemble the valve for a proper cleaning and the shaft orings are clearly damaged and it only makes sense to replace the ones under the ball seat rings. They don't appear to be common sizes, inch or metric. Has anyone sourced these?
I decided to fully disassemble the valve for a proper cleaning and the shaft orings are clearly damaged and it only makes sense to replace the ones under the ball seat rings. They don't appear to be common sizes, inch or metric. Has anyone sourced these?
Dfitz
Well-Known Member
I picked up a couple at ACE. Was mostly worried about loosing it and not knowing the original size have a leaker.
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
Brewmegoodbeer
Well-Known Member
I CANNOT get my thermowell to seal. I have taken it off, put seal tape on in a clockwise direction, and put it back in like 5 times now. I still get water dripping out. Any advise, or should I just return this thing and try to get a new one?
