plastic vs steel conical fermenter

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insnekamkze86

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Hello there i am wanting to invest in a conical fermenter but am not sure which kind to buy either the plastic or stainless steel style conical fermenter.
Can you guys help me out? I plan on getting the one that allows you to make 10 gallons of beer. Plastic is cheaper but i want to go with the better design and better way of equipment for a conical fermenter.
 
If it were me I would get stainless. This is only MY opinion however and many people have different opinions on which is better and why. I simply like the fact that you don't have to worry about scratching stainless and I feel it's easier to clean and sanitize. In general I think stainless is allows you to do more to it without screwing it up. Obviously the stainless conicals are more expensive which is why got away from the conical approach and I now ferment in stainless kegs.(Please note everything is in bold because these are my opinions so take them as that)

It would be best if you posted what models you are comparing as one plastic conical is different from another and the same is true with the stainless versions.
 
Take a look @ inductor tanks such as the ones shown at http://www.tank-depot.com/product.aspx?id=854 - they are cheaper than the ones @ learntobrew. Cleaning plastic tanks with warm/hot water and some Oxyclean pretty much eliminates the scratch issue. Last time I cleaned mine I just rubbed off the dried gunk from the sides with warm water & my fingers after a short soak with Oxyclean. Then a few minute soak & swirl with Iodophor or StarSan and your ready to ferment. Stainless is better IMO just costs a lot more and I was in the experimenting mood.
 
Samc's comments seem rather accurate from what I've read in the past with the whole plastic vs stainless threads. Obviously stainless is more expensive but you have to decide for yourself if the cost is more or less important than dealing with the less forgiving plastic. This is what it comes down to and it's a personal decision and nothing more.
 
I have four 30 gallon plastic conicals that I got form tank depot and I got all four for about $100 a piece.

So far so good. Not really sure what the big advantage would be if I had gotten stainless. They're not hard to clean and I think the above comments on cleaned them on spot on.

My lids aren't air tight (yet) but if I really wanted to, I'm confident I could figure out a simple gasket to make them airtight. (Pretty sure folks on HBT have done this).

So for about $400 and the cost of some DIY stands which I made from scrap wood I had around the house, I have four 30 gallon conicals that... if I had gone stainless, would have cost me at least 4 times that much.

... hell... if one gets all scratched up and no good... I'll just buy another one and still be way ahead of the game.
 
I was wondering because i hear that going with steel is the better way to go with these fermentors. But i have been using a plastic 7 gallon carboy and plastic bottles and have good results so i was wondering about having these huge fermentors in plastic. Yes they are cheaper to go with but that didnt matter to me thats why i was asking the difference of having plastic or stainless steel in these kind of fermentors. Also how have the ferementors from tank depot been doing for you in alcohol results?
 
I have a plastic conical in your link. I like it but I end up using my carboys more often than not.

The downside of every conical (plastic or metal) is that you have lots of parts to clean. Plus it is difficult to clean because they are just plain bigger - thus harder to move around. So unless you get a small conical you will need a lot of room to move around the conical to clean it.
 
those tanks from tank depot are nice but how does the fermentation take place in one of those? Sorry if that seems like a dumb question.
 
I have a MiniBrew 15. I like it, but it was $100 not $600. I'd prefer stainless, but I don't think I could ever justify spending $600 for a fermenter (even though I've probably spent 10 times that on brewing equipment over the years...hmmm, maybe I should buy one).

The big downside of the plastic conicals is the durability of the threaded parts. It's way easier to cross thread and if you do, you're pretty screwed. They'll also wear out more quickly even if used properly.

If you have the cash and inclination, go stainless.
 
Thats true. They aren't air tight when they arrive but I don't think it would be difficult to make them air tight if you really wanted to. You could just add a basic gasket around the lid.

I haven't bothered to make mine air tight because I don't see any reason to. I am not aging any beer in mine, just fermenting and if I'm just fermenting, I don't see any reason why they have to be air tight.
 
I ferment all the way out in my conicals dumping yeast after the first big push is done but start to finish, beers aren't in those conicals longer than about a month or so... and again, i don't see the need for ait-tight over that short of a time period.

Anything longer, if I'm lagering or I need to age a beer a lot longer, and then I'll rack off into 1/2 keg sankes.

If you wanted to seal up one of these plastic conicals, I don't think it would be difficult to do.
 
also how do u dump the yeast in those tanks? Also do u have to drill a hole for the airlock or how do u get that to wk with these tanks. sorry if im not following, maybe if you had some pics that might help. These do sound like the best way to go for making beer, just want to get all the facts before i start buying conical fermentors. I also brew mead and that requires alot of aging and clearing with the dumping of the yeast.
 
I built a DIY stand for my big conicals that gets them high enough off the floor and then have a simple ball valve on the bottom of the conical. If I want to dump yeast, I simply open the valve and dump yeast like you would any other conical.

I haven't bothered with a racking arm or anything like that because I've never needed it (although it would be a nice addition).

for the airlock, I simply drilled a small hole in the lid... but again... that was kinda dumb since they're not airtight anyway.
 
insnekamkze86 said:
Hello there i am wanting to invest in a conical fermenter but am not sure which kind to buy either the plastic or stainless steel style conical fermenter.
Can you guys help me out? I plan on getting the one that allows you to make 10 gallons of beer. Plastic is cheaper but i want to go with the better design and better way of equipment for a conical fermenter.
Click to expand...

I went with the stainless from this company

http://www.toledometalspinning.com/products/hoppers/

They have gone up in price but well worth it. I have a 14.7 gallon. I made a stand out of an old chair and mounted it on casters so I can move it around. I shored it up with 2' X 4's. The bottom dump valve is a weld free. I put a clear piece of acrylic on top so I could see it. I bought a seal for the lip from williams brewing. I aligator clip it throw the fermentation lock on it. I can send you a picture if you need one. I've seen the same set up but the guy built the frame out of PVC.

these are great for yeast ranching if you like.
 
Cape,

How much beer do you typically lose when you dump the yeast? Would it be a good idea to add a 45 and then a short piece of pipe and another valve? I have two inductor 35's and plan on doing this. Tell me what you think.
 
okay i starting to nderstand now, but now if the lid isnt air tight could the beer be infected in anyway? Also doesnt the brew need the whole ordeal about the airlock not allowing air in and letting carbon dioxide out. How does the lid cope with these tank for fermenation?
 
During active fermentation the beer does not have to be air tight. As long as no dust particles or mold spores are able to fall into the fermentation vessel you are fine which is why a lid or something to cover the vessel is needed but not an air tight seal. On the other hand if you have relatively large gaps that fruit flies can get through then you can have some contamination from the bacteria they carry (acetobacter). There are many people that have plastic fermenters that are not air tight due to bad seals in the lid. They get no airlock activity as a result but the beer is fine.
 
Scut_Monkey said:
During active fermentation the beer does not have to be air tight. As long as no dust particles or mold spores are able to fall into the fermentation vessel you are fine which is why a lid or something to cover the vessel is needed but not an air tight seal. On the other hand if you have relatively large gaps that fruit flies can get through then you can have some contamination from the bacteria they carry (acetobacter). There are many people that have plastic fermenters that are not air tight due to bad seals in the lid. They get no airlock activity as a result but the beer is fine.
Click to expand...



Yeah, I don't have my conical air tight. I added an acrylic window in the lid to watch the ferment. I like that even better than watching an air lock/blow off tube.
 
insnekamkze86 said:
so u dont need a airlock for the conical then? also does the ball valve just screw on the bottom of the tank?
Click to expand...

You would need an airlock or some other way to release pressure if you had an airtight seal. If you don't have an airtight seal one is not needed. But you would then have to monitor fermentation via hydrometer samples from the ball valve which would be better anyway then looking at the airlock. Like JKoravos said, if you had an acrylic top you could visualize the fermentation which would be cool.

I'm taking a stab in the dark here but I believe the conicals he mentioned have a solid bottom to them and therefore no hole at the bottom of the conical. If that's true you could then drill the size of hole needed to install a weldless bulkhead such as the weld-B-Gone. Is this true JKoravos?
 
This is 16 gallons or so I've run 180 gallons through it with no problem.

Pat
img1571u.jpg
 
insnekamkze86 said:
so u dont need a airlock for the conical then? also does the ball valve just screw on the bottom of the tank?
Click to expand...

The plastic ones from tank depot come with a threaded connection on the bottom so yes, you simply screw on a ball valve.

Stainless steel is really really nice and if I win the lottery, I would go all stainless but for the money, personally, I can't see spending that much cash when I could get something that, in my opinion (I'll keep giving the disclaimers) does just as good of a job for 10% of the cost.
 
I have just finished my second 10 gallon fermenter from the Tank Depot and currently have a 7.5 gallon batch actively bubbling away. Before I was using (2) 6.5 gallon plastic fermenters from MiniBrew for the last 4 years and never had a problem.

Last spring I decided to go with a 10 gallon from Tank Depot after reading this web site.

http://frugalconicalfermenter.blogspot.com/

I too was a little apprehensive about open fermenting but with a little modification I now have a sealed fermenter with a Airlock. No problems so far and I am glad that I went plastic for the economics that plastics bring to the table.

TD
 
I recently bought the 14.5 gallon blingman after a few years of debating the cost and now that I have it honestly I can't figure out why I waited so long. I love it. Definitely my favorite piece of equipment now!
 
ok thanks it sounds like the best thing to do is buy one of these tanks from tank depot.
I am just so use to air seal fermentation thats why i was so curious about these tanks. Because i belive i will be buying some just wanted to know some real insite on them before i decide to go with them. If i do go with them i was looking at the 35 gallon one with poly stand already on the tank.
 
Tdiowa,

Would you share the modifications you made to make it airtight?

I'm about to buy this full-drain bio-diesel tank from the Tank Depot. I decided it is cheaper to buy this tank, outfit it with valves, buy an upright freezer and temperature control than it is to buy a similarly sized SS conical and a fraction of the price of buying a B3 temp-controlled one.

Any thoughts on an appropriate ball valve and racking system? I'd like to go full-bore on the dump valve to reduce the chance of clogging, but once you get to 1.5", the valves are more expensive. Is everyone using plastic valves?

Cheers,

Red Clay
 
Red Clay said:
Tdiowa,

Would you share the modifications you made to make it airtight?

I'm about to buy this full-drain bio-diesel tank from the Tank Depot. I decided it is cheaper to buy this tank, outfit it with valves, buy an upright freezer and temperature control than it is to buy a similarly sized SS conical and a fraction of the price of buying a B3 temp-controlled one.

Any thoughts on an appropriate ball valve and racking system? I'd like to go full-bore on the dump valve to reduce the chance of clogging, but once you get to 1.5", the valves are more expensive. Is everyone using plastic valves?

Cheers,

Red Clay
Click to expand...

Plastic valve on mine - wouldn't make much sense to spend money on metal when everything else is plastic.
 

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