Newbie FastFerment Questions

[pshankstar]

I'm sorry if these sounds like silly questions, but what I'm reading from older threads seem to be conflicting or people have different ways of doing things. So I figured I would throw this out there to see where people are at now with their FastFerment systems, so that I have a better understanding of my own.

I placed the wort into the fermenter about 36 hours ago, topped it off to the right amount and gave it a good whirl to oxygenate it before the yeast. I opened up the ball to let the sediment start trickling in and then pitched the yeast (Dry, English Ale Yeast). So here are my questions:

1. Should I have left the valve open for a few hours to collect some sediment then dump the contents of the ball, reattached the ball and then pitch the yeast?
2. How often should I empty the contents of the collection ball? I leave this Sunday for a vacation for about two weeks. Should I empty it late Saturday night or Sunday morning before I leave? I would assume so, but I feel that some people only do this once and not multiple times.
3. Oh! If I dump the collection ball contents this weekend, will I possibly lose the yeast and will fermentation stop?
4. Getting samples to check the gravity. Do you remove the lid with the air lock on it to get the sample? Or do you hook up the hose to get the sample from the bottom?

Thank you in advance everyone! This forum has become my favorite site over the last few weeks now that I have created an account! Thank you all for your help and experience you share with us all!

 

[mpjay2000]

I'm interested in someone with experience with the FastFerment Conical to chime in also. I used mine for the first time Sunday. I filled it with wort with the collection ball attached and the valve open. I had to wait an hour or two until the wort was at the right temperature to pitch the yeast. I emptied the collect ball (it had a small amount of trub in it) resanitized it, attached it and pitched the yeast.

I wasn't planning on taking the collection ball off again until right before I cold crash.

Any thoughts on this process?

Thanks!
Mpjay

 

[Hoppity]

I collect the trub in the ball before I pitch yeast. I leave the valve closed during fermentation then reattach ball for yeast dump. I then attach hose and drain into CO2 filled keg for dry hop/secondary. I push the beer into a serving keg with CO2.

Do not keep trub or wort in ball attached to fermenter with valve closed, you'll blow out the wall of the ball or worse with ferm pressure.

 

[pshankstar]

Thanks Hoppity! I made the mistake of pitching the yeast before I emptied the ball with trub in it. [emoji53] Will this be an issue? Also, should I empty it during fermentation? Or just wait until I am ready to keg it? I'm such a newb!!! LOL

 

[helterscelter]

I usually don't bother dumping trub before I pitch. I just attach the ball leave the valve open and pitch. Let the fermentation happen. The ball will fill with trub and yeast. Remove the ball (close the valve first) dump the yeast or keep it. The trub doesn't hurt anything.

I've then flushed the ball with co2 and reattached and I've reattached with just air. Again it's up to you. I've not done enough brews with it to notice a large difference either way. If you're really worried about oxidation in secondary then flush with co2.

Once fermentation is done, I detach there ball and rack into a co2 purged keg using the bottom drain hose

 

[pshankstar]

I usually don't bother dumping trub before I pitch. I just attach the ball leave the valve open and pitch. Let the fermentation happen. The ball will fill with trub and yeast. Remove the ball (close the valve first) dump the yeast or keep it. The trub doesn't hurt anything.

I've then flushed the ball with co2 and reattached and I've reattached with just air. Again it's up to you. I've not done enough brews with it to notice a large difference either way. If you're really worried about oxidation in secondary then flush with co2.

Once fermentation is done, I detach there ball and rack into a co2 purged keg using the bottom drain hose

Thanks that makes me feel better. How long do you wait to dump the first time?

 

[pshankstar]

I usually don't bother dumping trub before I pitch. I just attach the ball leave the valve open and pitch. Let the fermentation happen. The ball will fill with trub and yeast. Remove the ball (close the valve first) dump the yeast or keep it. The trub doesn't hurt anything.

I've then flushed the ball with co2 and reattached and I've reattached with just air. Again it's up to you. I've not done enough brews with it to notice a large difference either way. If you're really worried about oxidation in secondary then flush with co2.

Once fermentation is done, I detach there ball and rack into a co2 purged keg using the bottom drain hose

Thanks Helterscelter that makes me feel better. How long do you wait to dump the first time? Double post from iOS app!!!

 

[helterscelter]

Thanks that makes me feel better. How long do you wait to dump the first time?

it depends on how lazy I'm feeling. I try to pull the first ball off after 3 to 7 days, once initial fermentation has slowed. one batch I left it on there for 3 weeks before I pulled it. (again, I've not done enough batches to tell a discernable difference in times)

 

[Jordo_nb]

The first time I used it, I did the trub dump, but don't do that anymore. I like to get the yeast working quickly to avoid any potential infections.

For primary, I leave the valve open and let it do its thing. Once the krausen has fallen, about 3-4 days I will remove the ball and dump the contents down the drain.

Usually a couple days before I keg, after about 2 weeks or so, I will remove the ball for the second time. This yeast I save as I feel it's cleaner. Maybe I'm wrong.

I usually flush the ball with CO2 at this point and add back on, and open the valve. When I go to keg, there's always a little bit more yeast that drops into the ball, along with beer. I dump these contents.

Seems like a bit of work, but I recently had two brews going at once, one with a carboy. I forgot how much I hated racking beers, and how much trub you suck into the keg. FF all the way!

 

[pshankstar]

Does this look normal? It seems like there is a lighter color just above the valve? I can see there is krausen (however it is spelled) on the top and some of it is stuck to the bottom of the lid too. Just this spot just above the valve on the fast ferment system seems odd... Or maybe it's just me?

 

[helterscelter]

Does this look normal? It seems like there is a lighter color just above the valve? I can see there is krausen (however it is spelled) on the top and some of it is stuck to the bottom of the lid too. Just this spot just above the valve on the fast ferment system seems odd... Or maybe it's just me?

Totally normal. That light color on the comical above the valve is yeast. Looks like your ball filled and the yeast continued multiplying, filling the cone. If you swap the ball you'll likely end up with another full one from the looks of it.

Strange that your ball looks to have a layer of wort in the bottom below the yeast. Usually that didn't happen, but I wouldn't worry about it.

How long has fermentation been going? I would probably swap the ball out if it were me.

 

[pshankstar]

Totally normal. That light color on the comical above the valve is yeast. Looks like your ball filled and the yeast continued multiplying, filling the cone. If you swap the ball you'll likely end up with another full one from the looks of it.

Strange that your ball looks to have a layer of wort in the bottom below the yeast. Usually that didn't happen, but I wouldn't worry about it.

How long has fermentation been going? I would probably swap the ball out if it were me.

Thanks Helterscelter, you have been a great help with your quick responses! The layer at the bottom of the ball may be due to me opening the ball right away before I pitched the yeast.

I pitched the yeast around 3:30am (EST) on Wednesday the 8th. So it has been about 2.5 days (60 hours) since I pitched the yeast. I noticed fermentation activity since yesterday morning, so 24 hrs +/- from when the yeast was pitched.

I have a second ball that I will start soaking in San Star and swap out the balls later today. I do not have anything to fill it with co2, so I have to fill it with distilled water or just let the O2 in the ball float up. I'll probably go with the distilled water route....

Thanks again and take care!

 

[helterscelter]

Thanks Helterscelter, you have been a great help with your quick responses! The layer at the bottom of the ball may be due to me opening the ball right away before I pitched the yeast.

I pitched the yeast around 3:30am (EST) on Wednesday the 8th. So it has been about 2.5 days (60 hours) since I pitched the yeast. I noticed fermentation activity since yesterday morning, so 24 hrs +/- from when the yeast was pitched.

I have a second ball that I will start soaking in San Star and swap out the balls later today. I do not have anything to fill it with co2, so I have to fill it with distilled water or just let the O2 in the ball float up. I'll probably go with the distilled water route....

Thanks again and take care!

you're welcome. glad to be at a point in this hobby where I can help.

Distilled water sounds like a plan.. I would still boil and cool it before adding it to your fermentor though. you can't be too careful around bugs.

btw, I usually pitch with the ball open as well.

QQ, I might have missed it, but what did you brew/pitch?

 

[Hoppity]

Looking very normal. One thing I've noticed in my limited 4 batch experience is the yeast never fully falls, so the yeast line you see in the conical does not represent all yeast (some sticks to wall). When you use the tube to move the beer, do it slowly so as not to run too much yeast off the sidewall. Like I said, I usually xfer from keg to keg, so it is not an issue for me. Enjoy the FF, my favorite new toy.

 

[pshankstar]

Helter, I brewed this IPA but with a slight variation. The yeast I pitched was a dry English Ale Yeast.

Here is the link to the recipe. I forgot to include it late last night. http://beerrecipes.org/showrecipe.php?recipeid=1261#sthash.gWlw9iJn.dpbs

 

[gotbags-10]

I've noticed that if I tap the sides a lot and give it an extra week in there it will fall into the ball. Stinks to wait though

 

[F3PawPaw]

I’m working on my second batch in a Cooper’s 3G fastferment. Currently I am fermenting a partial grain ale and I’m 5 days in. I dumped the trub from the ball today and when I replaced it, it seems there is a significant yeast cake above the ball valve blocking any more from falling to the ball. Any ideas? I’m inclined to just wait and see what happens but the impatient side of me has me looking to dump that cake in another week or 2.

 

[VTX1300]

I don't have experience with the 3 gallon size but with the larger unit. i just leave the valve open. Most times the air bubble from the collection ball will break it up. If not it usually drops on its own after a while. I have read that the 3 gallon size is more prone to clogging than the larger unit due to the smaller neck.

 

[F3PawPaw]

I don't have experience with the 3 gallon size but with the larger unit. i just leave the valve open. Most times the air bubble from the collection ball will break it up. If not it usually drops on its own after a while. I have read that the 3 gallon size is more prone to clogging than the larger unit due to the smaller neck.

 

[F3PawPaw]

Thank you VTX1300. After I saw your post I checked it out and it looks like it has fallen and filled the ball.