Help choosing a SS conical

[bakins]

I didn't get from this why you have to lift it? You can't wheel it around if it has casters?

Have to get it into cooler, which is about 24" from the floor,and then bottle it again if I bottle/keg straight from it. moving 5 gallons of beer in a conical is much easier than moving 10.

 

[MrH]

My fermentation cooler is through 2 doors and around a corner from my brew room. I'd need to get near boiling wort into the conical.

I ordered a 7 gallon one to test. We'll see how that goes. I wasn't worried about moving a 14 gallon unit around - I can use casters - but lifting it 24 to 48". I don't want to rack at all after I boil: hot wort into conical, dump trub and yeast, then bottle/keg straight from the conical

I assume then that you don't use a pump in your rig? If that's the case, then it makes sense, except the part about kegging/bottling. One of the biggest benefits of the $$$ conicals is the fact that they can be pressurized to push the beer with CO2. That's another reason I'm waiting to see prices for the ones CHI Company is looking at...

 

[MrH]

Have to get it into cooler, which is about 24" from the floor,and then bottle it again if I bottle/keg straight from it. moving 5 gallons of beer in a conical is much easier than moving 10.

Understood, and I have no doubt you'll be happy with the one you chose. Like I said, I think it's silly to spend $800-$1k for a 7 gallon fermenter when the 14gal is the same price. BUT, it makes MUCH more sense to go that way when there is a significant difference in price.

BTW, congratulations

MrH

 

[bakins]

Understood, and I have no doubt you'll be happy with the one you chose. Like I said, I think it's silly to spend $800-$1k for a 7 gallon fermenter when the 14gal is the same price. BUT, it makes MUCH more sense to go that way when there is a significant difference in price.

Yeah, if I had not found the $275 ones, I was formulating how to just buy 14 gallon ones and put 5 gallons of wort into them. Either that or redo my basement, again.

 

[SankePankey]

Wow,wish I'd seen that earlier... Anyone used it?

Glad you like. It doesn't have a 60 degree cone, so the only issue I can see is how it collects yeast, so we'll see. But even with a 60 degree cone, you are gonna have some yeast cake still left in the fermenter, right? It more than makes up for it that I can do pressurized ferments and/or condition right in the primary.

And the ease of cleaning I think will be great compared to anything else that isn't tri-clamp. Also really like my thermowell I got installed. I can have it down in the center of the liquid in the middle of primary, and then raise it to the top of the beer line during cold crashing to prevent any ice crystals from forming so I can do pretty cold crashing.

I tried for something that was as close to how a brewpub uses a uni-tank as I could find. This was it compared to even all the fancy pants conicals. Well, the morebeer with on-board temp control is pretty nice....for $2k+.

 

[bakins]

Glad you like.

So, you make these? I may be getting in touch. I looked at various ways to do a sanke, but I like the bottom valve idea.

 

[SankePankey]

So, you make these? I may be getting in touch. I looked at various ways to do a sanke, but I like the bottom valve idea.

No, not in the slightest. I bought one. Just glad you like my purchase and that my posting about it before I actually put it to use was of value to you. He had one on ebay with all the options I wanted (4" TC on top and 1.5" TC on bottom... I had a 16" theromwell added to the top tri-clamp custom) and it was a great deal. Mid $400's delivered. I would definitely go for that model rather than the non 4" TC model. All I have to do is remove the 2 triclamps and boil and I'm good to go. The weld on the bottom (both actually, but more importantly, the bottom) looks like its factory.

He sells keggle rigs on ebay too sometimes and if I wanted a keggle rig, I'd buy his cause they are a great value too. Very nice to see someone not overcharge for quality work.

 

[SankePankey]

Just make sure you realize that if you get a thermowell added and you quote a size, he will interpret that as the outside diameter, not the ID. Every one else that sells a tube of some sort (beer line, gas line, etc.) that something goes inside of it describes it in terms of ID. I am having a problem with that, but I'm getting a new probe and if that doesn't work, Aaron is gonna help me fix it. Not a huge deal. Just be aware of that.

I wanted a 3/8" thermowell for my LOVE probe and I got a 3/8" OD with a 1/4" ID. If I were to do it again, I would order my LOVE controller and have the probe shipped to him to verify before he sent both out to me. That wouldn't have added any cost to me since he could slip the probe in the same box.

 

[Jipper]

Glad you like. It doesn't have a 60 degree cone, so the only issue I can see is how it collects yeast, so we'll see. But even with a 60 degree cone, you are gonna have some yeast cake still left in the fermenter, right? It more than makes up for it that I can do pressurized ferments and/or condition right in the primary.

And the ease of cleaning I think will be great compared to anything else that isn't tri-clamp. Also really like my thermowell I got installed. I can have it down in the center of the liquid in the middle of primary, and then raise it to the top of the beer line during cold crashing to prevent any ice crystals from forming so I can do pretty cold crashing.

I tried for something that was as close to how a brewpub uses a uni-tank as I could find. This was it compared to even all the fancy pants conicals. Well, the morebeer with on-board temp control is pretty nice....for $2k+.

It doesn't even have a cone. And when i cold crash on my conical I get a nice yeast bed at the bottom with nothing on the sides. But I'm not sure how the cleaning of the sanke keg will be easy when you can't take the lid off and you have ham hands like I do You really don't need anything pressurizable to over 3 PSI anyway, because these are not for carbonation, they are for fermentation and the CO2 is for pushing beer into your keg.

 

[SankePankey]

It doesn't even have a cone. these are not for carbonation

Nope, no cone as I said. We shall see if I can get enough yeast to propagate out of the bottom dump. He says he does so I decided to believe him in stead of buying a plastic conical or chinese import.

By these, I guess you mean yours? I am going to force carbonate during cold crashing in mine and/or do pressurized fermentations - like a uni-tank in a brew pub - albeit without the cone, so then racking carbed beer to a serving vessel. Worth the trade-off for half the price with another gallon capacity especially since I will be brewing as close to 15 gal as I can ferment with. Which is another reason to do pressurized ferments- to keep the krausen down.

And definitely not for the ham handed, but I can touch the bottom with my bare hands and clean all the sides and top dome. I'm no he-man, though.

 

[Jipper]

No, by these I simply meant conicals.

 

[zymurgy101]

Have to get it into cooler, which is about 24" from the floor,and then bottle it again if I bottle/keg straight from it. moving 5 gallons of beer in a conical is much easier than moving 10.

Blichmann Ferminators have handles; the 7g and 14g models can be moved when full...according to the website. I have to go up a couple of stairs from my patio (brewstation) to inside my house for fermentation. However, I like the features of the MoreBeer version and it is made in the USA! Just wish it wasn't more than Blichmann and had handles.

 

[drez77]

Blichmann Ferminators have handles; the 7g and 14g models can be moved when full...according to the website. I have to go up a couple of stairs from my patio (brewstation) to inside my house for fermentation. However, I like the features of the MoreBeer version and it is made in the USA! Just wish it wasn't more than Blichmann and had handles.

I have the 14g Blichmann and carried it down the bulkhead steps a couple of times before that got old. No way I could do that myself. Now I just leave it in the cellar and pump directly into it and wheel it back into its home.