*Opinion Wanted* --- Your Ideal Conical Set-up

[shamilton]

Brewing Friends,

I am considering stepping into the conical fermenter world. Unfortunately --- the requirements I have seem to - at a glance - be quite pricey.

So, I turn to you for expert advice. Can you please make recommendations for equipment to support the following:

1. Support 10 gallon batches
2. Temperature controlled (heat and cold)
3. Support pressure transfers in and out
4. Serve as Primary and Secondary fermenter

Looking forward to it! Thanks in advance ---

 

[cfrazier77]

What psi do you want it to be able to handle? 3 psi can do transfers, but you need much more if you ever want to do pressure fermentations.

 

[shamilton]

What psi do you want it to be able to handle? 3 psi can do transfers, but you need much more if you ever want to do pressure fermentations.

Great question. I have zero interest in carbing inside the fermenter. I'll use kegs for that.

 

[Ridenour64]

Soo many options to fit those. Not a conical, but I’m currently fermenting in a 15 gallon torpedo keg from morebeer. My only gripes are when it comes to dry hopping.

 

[Golddiggie]

The Spike CF10 would cover your needs. It has a working pressure level of 15psi, so more than enough for transfers at the start and carbonating in conical later. Since I got the pair of CF10's, I've been carbonating batches in them. Makes for a shorter time from grain to glass and much better carbonation levels. I also harvest the yeast from batches to reuse. Add a chill coil, and either a glycol chiller or other method to move cooling solution through the coil, and you have easy fermenting temperature control. I picked up a IceMaster Max2 to do that, since it's a turn-key solution (pumps and controllers built in/included). I'm actually looking to sell it so that I can get the Max4 since I want to add conical number three soon.

I went with additional items, beyond just the conical, with the first pair. Chill coils, short leg extensions, support bracket, wheels, and such. Sure, it's not a cheap item to get, but I consider it a "buy once, cry once" deal. I can use the same carbonation stone with any of the conicals I have/get since it's a standard 1.5" TC connection. Spunding valves are from SS Brew Tech (I like their design best). With three 1.5" TC ports in the lids, one can be used to add dry hops via a CO2 purged method. I would recommend getting a different sampling valve than what Spike includes. Such as what Brewers Hardware offers, along with the pigtail. This allows you to pull samples for both flavor and carbonation level easily.

With my next CF10 purchase (and future ones) I'm going to see if I can get the sampling valve deleted from the order. Since I won't be using that one. I'm also looking at the racking arm from Stout Tanks to see how I like that one. I need to take some measurements from one of the ones I have now to see how they compare for reach.

BTW, I was using kegmenters before. With how I needed to use a fermentation chamber for any kind of temperature control, and how more difficult it was to move, switching to the conical fermenter was an easy decision. Especially since my brew bitch is out of state for the next ~18 months (or so). Moving a kegmenter with 10+ gallons of wort/beer in it into the chamber (even when it's a small step) just isn't something I wanted to do. Plus, the chamber had a larger footprint than my current two CF10 configuration. I can also have either of the CF10's at a different temperature for doing different things. Like fermenting one at 70F and chilling another to harvest yeast or carbonate.

 

[Bobby_M]

A Spike CF10 inside a refrigerator.

 

[apache_brew]

Why do you want a conical? I can do everything you listed, plus do purged dry hoppings and take samples with a 1/2 bbl sanke keg and some extra parts with an upright fermentation chamber.

 

[eric19312]

OP you didn't say why you want to get a conical. I love my CF15 and think Bobby's recommendation for a CF10 in a fridge is a solid suggestion. But none of the criteria you mentioned suggested you are looking for stainless steel. I think a Fermzilla in a fridge with the $21 pressure transfer kit would do everything you mentioned in post 1 for a lot less money.

 

[Golddiggie]

Great question. I have zero interest in carbing inside the fermenter. I'll use kegs for that.

IME, carbonating inside a fermenter is a big time saver. Not to mention it's easier on YOU. I can carbonate an entire batch at one time in the CF10. Pull X gallons into keg, and put the rest into cans, easily. Also zero delays between when it goes into serving keg and can go into a glass. I don't need to swap corny keg lids (for the carbonating lid I was using) with that taking several days between chilling the beer to actually having it fully carbonated. I have never done the 'burst' carb method in kegs with using high pressure, shake/rattle/roll and then equalize either. At this point, from the time I connect up the carbonating stone to the conical, to I'm pulling completely ready to drink beer is 3-5 days. IIRC, Spike lists the time to carbonate at 24-48 hours from when the beer is chilled to temp and the stone is connected. I've never tested that, since I can give it a few more days on the CO2 feed. BUT, I can see the pressure level in the keg via the gas manifold (I set the spunding valve to a higher pressure level to close it).

If you're also thinking about harvesting the yeast, then a conical makes even more sense. You can drop the yeast out once you're sure it's job is done. Save it until you have a batch ready for it and keep on going. Or just drop the yeast out if you want to get the beer off the majority. Such as if you plan to age a beer for weeks (or more). IMO/IME, no need to transfer the beer to another vessel, just drop the yeast out. Less transfers means less risk to your beer.