"Open" Keg Fermentation

[cod3ck]

I'm thinking of trying to ferment 11-12 gallons of beer (10 gallon batch) in a keg that has the top cut off of it and a lid placed over the cutout. This was already done, so the standard Sanke tri-clamp seal isn't an option.

As long as everything is cleaned and sanitized, should I be concerned about not using an airlock and having an "air tight" system?

If this works, my next plan of attack is probably going to be temp control with a stainless immersion chiller [emoji16]

 

[Dcpcooks]

You will get wild yeast, oxidation and and unpredictable results with an open fermentation.

 

[RM-MN]

I'm thinking of trying to ferment 11-12 gallons of beer (10 gallon batch) in a keg that has the top cut off of it and a lid placed over the cutout. This was already done, so the standard Sanke tri-clamp seal isn't an option.

As long as everything is cleaned and sanitized, should I be concerned about not using an airlock and having an "air tight" system?

If this works, my next plan of attack is probably going to be temp control with a stainless immersion chiller [emoji16]

Guess what? Airlocks are a recent requirement to beer making. As long as you put some kind of cover on your fermenter so things don't fall into the beer it will be fine. Many of us using bucket fermenters don't have much luck getting them sealed and still manage to make beer.

 

[cod3ck]

Good to hear! [emoji482]

This is what I'm planning to give a shot! I'll start with an ESB -- fermenting in my basement at around 65-70 F

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351711.781561.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351730.246666.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351741.629291.jpg

 

[Stillraining]

You will get wild yeast, oxidation and and unpredictable results with an open fermentation.

Hmmmm, you better inform half the commercial brewing word because they should be educated...

OP Go for it...pitch a healthy starter and you should be just fine. Keep an eye on dropping Krasen and think about transferring to your closed kegs then.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Hmmmm, you better inform half the commercial brewing word because they should be educated...

OP Go for it...pitch a healthy starter and you should be just fine. Keep an eye on dropping Krasen and think about transferring to your closed kegs then.

In a clean room and with transfer to a conical, keg, carboy or bucket after primary I agree 100%. But that's not what he is asking. I think he is looking to go all the way through fermentation in a open vessel.

 

[RM-MN]

In a clean room and with transfer to a conical, keg, carboy or bucket after primary I agree 100%. But that's not what he is asking. I think he is looking to go all the way through fermentation in a open vessel.

I saw the word lid in his opening post. That isn't an open fermentation. It just doesn't have the airlock.

 

[mattd2]

I saw the word lid in his opening post. That isn't an open fermentation. It just doesn't have the airlock.

It is not uncommon in the commercial world for smaller breweries to ferment in tanks with "half moon" lids - most of these are reused farm milk vats (another situation where they do not want unwanted organisms into the product).

Look at this yeasty goodness

 

[cod3ck]

Cool! Yeah, I probably could have been clear in my first post

Ultimately my intention is to go through primary (for a week or 3 depending on the beer style), then cold crash in the fermenter before transferring directly to kegs.

So there would be no secondary fermentation in this type of a vessel.

What I really like about this idea -- because it is such a big opening on the fermenter, I can get a stainless immersion chiller, hook it up to my DIY glycol chiller (food safe), and drop that into the beer during transfer from the boil kettle. This way, without going broke, I'll have full control over temperature and cold crashing! [emoji482]

 

[logdrum]

I'd love to see that DIY chiller...

 

[cod3ck]

"...May not look like much, but she's got it where it counts" [emoji57]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351303.326721.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351319.145714.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489351332.732464.jpg

I made this for way cheaper, but the build was inspired by:
http://byo.com/recipes-tag/item/1877-build-your-own-glycol-fermenter

 

[Stillraining]

I saw the word lid in his opening post. That isn't an open fermentation. It just doesn't have the airlock.

I even saw the picture..

 

[Dcpcooks]

I even saw the picture..

I thought he was going coolship style with a wonky lid. BTW I just pickup up a project piece. It's gonna be a 10g coolship once I figure out the best plumbing for the drain View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489446255.652859.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1489446275.041921.jpg

 

[Stillraining]

Very cool. Looks like you can just open that window and start collecting.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Very cool. Looks like you can just open that window and start collecting.

That's the plan!

A friend just finished up at Siebel and I met him at Dovetail brewery in Chicago a few weeks ago. I got the friends and family tour. They have a massive coolship upstairs and two awesome open fermentors next to the brew house in a separate room. I think I talked my way into brewing with them for a day next month. The window to the coolship room overlooks the L tracks. I was blown away that they are able to collect usable bugs in a city by the tracks. But their barrels of lambic smell and taste amazing.

 

[Stillraining]

So all you need now is a train in your back yard..,,,Woot Woot

 

[cod3ck]

That's awesome! I'd never heard of coolship until your posts:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolship

Thanks for sharing!!

...having a dedicated sour vessel would be SWEEETTT [emoji482]