plastic vs steel conical fermenter

[lehr]

This is 16 gallons or so I've run 180 gallons through it with no problem.

Pat

 

[Cape Brewing]

so u dont need a airlock for the conical then? also does the ball valve just screw on the bottom of the tank?

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.

 

[tdiowa]

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

 

[Cape Brewing]

... and there you go.


Nice job and nice write up tdiowa.

 

[PsicloneRN]

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!

 

[insnekamkze86]

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.

 

[Red Clay]

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

 

[samc]

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

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

 

[Red Clay]

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

Right, makes sense. Does anyone have a source of rotating racking hardware?

 

[insnekamkze86]

when you use the ball valve to dump the yeast how do u know when to stop dumping and close the valve?

 

[jwillie]

Right, makes sense. Does anyone have a source of rotating racking hardware?

http://www.zymico.com/konical/

 

[jwillie]

I keep the yeast in a sterile bottle 1L if i am brewing another batch with the same strain. I dump until it runs clear about a week after the pitch. Then when i keg i do the same thing open valve let it go clear then transfer.

 

[Red Clay]

http://www.zymico.com/konical/

Thanks for the link. It looks like they've discontinued their racking arm, so I'll have to make up something on my own.

 

[arturo7]

Ya know, the whole idea of a racking arm in a conical confuses me. For taking samples OK, but for filling?

If the goal is to have an aerated wort, why not pour it in from the top? The wort splashes in and gets aerated in the process.

Am I missing something?

 

[mikefromcu]

Hey Arturo,
The racking arm is for filling - not the conical but the kegs. Your valve is above the yeast/break in the bottom of the cone, you can rack sediment free beer into the kegs and as you get towards the bottom, you rotate the racking tube south (down) until you just start picking up yeasties.

I haven't checked out the Frugal write up yet, but it sounds like there isn't a rotating racking solution on there. Anyone do this yet with success? I saw one Australian guys setup but it involved machining plastic parts on a lathe. Anything more off-the-shelf out there?

 

[samc]

Hey Arturo,
The racking arm is for filling - not the conical but the kegs. Your valve is above the yeast/break in the bottom of the cone, you can rack sediment free beer into the kegs and as you get towards the bottom, you rotate the racking tube south (down) until you just start picking up yeasties.

I haven't checked out the Frugal write up yet, but it sounds like there isn't a rotating racking solution on there. Anyone do this yet with success? I saw one Australian guys setup but it involved machining plastic parts on a lathe. Anything more off-the-shelf out there?

http://suburb.semo.net/jet1024/Rotating Racking Arm.htm

 

[tdiowa]

For the dump valve at the bottomtank I have a 1 1/2 FPT threads already in the tank. I bought a Nylon Reducer Bushing 1/1/4 to 3/4 and then put a 3/4 - 3/4 Nylon Close Nipple in the 3/4 inch reducer bushing. I then attached a brass 3/4 inch ball valve to the nipple. Thus my dump valve.

As far as my bottling port I then measured 6 inches up the side of the conical and using a 3/4 hole saw cut a hole in the side of the conical. I then had a 1 1/2 inch brass pipe that I pushed through the hole and attached O ring over the threads I then threaded a 1 1/4 inch bushing like I used for the dump valve until finger tight. On the outside I threaded another O-Ring over the pipe and put several washers up against the O-rings and then threaded another 3/4 inch ball valve and tightened the Washers and O-Rings snug against the conical and thus sealing it from leaks.

Now for the top. I know there has been some questions about Air tight versus Open. The lid screws on and off and into and "flange". I went to Grainger and bought a O-ring that goes over my lid and then screws into the top. Thus sealing the lid. I then took some silicon and sealed around the flange edges. I don't know what yours will be like but my lid flange is removable and I took mine off and seal the lid back on. On my lid I have a cap that I removed and my Air Lock fits perfect.

Another modification that I did was that I cut the lip down on the inside of the conical flange for easier cleaning. I just used a dremel tool and it was very easy.

Another thing I did was that I made sure all the edges were nice and smooth and nylon taped all the fittings

The following are the web site addresses where I got my

Bushings:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3GZC7

Nylon Nipples:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ww...Search&originalValue=Nylon+Nipple&L1=Nipples,

O-Rings:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/guideBrowse.shtml

I bought all my ball valves, washers, smaller O-rings brass nipple at Ace Hardware.

A couldn't be happier with my 2 conicals. I have used Plastic Conical for the last 4 years and never had a problem. When I keg I hook up the hose to my bottling port and open the valve and within 10 minutes I am done. As far as cleaning I then take the conical to my wash room sink, open the port, dump and throughly rinse the inside and scrub with a plastic pad any residual. I then fill the conical back up with water and Oxyclean and let soak for several hours. I then heat up water to boiling and after I dump the Oxyclean water put the boiling water in the conical along with Star San and seal the conical up and let sit for a day. When I go to brew I dump the water and I am ready to put the wort in the fermenter.

If I am going to wash yeast I after I keg I will dump 2 quarts of boiled water that has been cooled into the fermenter and swish it around real good and let sit for an hour. I then fill the 2 quart jar up with the yeast. I then put the jar in the refrigerator I will break it into smaller portions at my leisure.

I hope this helps. I f anyone has any questions let me know.

TD

 

[tdiowa]

Ya know, the whole idea of a racking arm in a conical confuses me. For taking samples OK, but for filling?

If the goal is to have an aerated wort, why not pour it in from the top? The wort splashes in and gets aerated in the process.

Am I missing something?

Bingo award. This is what I do. I just dump in from the top and then Oxygenate through the top.

TD

 

[Red Clay]

I hope this helps. I f anyone has any questions let me know.

It sure does! Thanks.

I've place my order for the tank. I'll try to take some pics documenting my build to share with others.

 

[insnekamkze86]

sounds like fun

 

[insnekamkze86]

Could one just buy one of those tanks and put a ball valve on the bottom of the tank and be good to go for brewing beer or alcohol?

 

[lehr]

Could one just buy one of those tanks and put a ball valve on the bottom of the tank and be good to go for brewing beer or alcohol?

Do you mean fermenting beer ? You will also need a racking arm to draw your beer off for kegging or bottling. The bottom valve is to drop trub and it also helps in cleaning.

Pat

 

[Cape Brewing]

... unless you just siphon it.

 

[insnekamkze86]

so one would also have to drill a hole for another valve so u can transfer the beer to bottle or keg.

 

[Cape Brewing]

... or you could just siphon it.

I haven't put racking arms or anything in mine. I have a large autosiphon that works great. I just clamp it to the edge of the lid and drain away. Why bother with making it more complicated than it needs to be?

 

[insnekamkze86]

thats what i was thinking just was wondering, bc i was thinking u could ferment it in the tank then siphon it to another vessel or carboy then bottle or keg.

 

[FSR402]

why can't you just rack from the bottom port?

 

[insnekamkze86]

I dont know thats what i was kind of asking about before but maybe because that valve at the bottom is just trub maybe not sure.

 

[Red Clay]

I think you could rack from the bottom port if you didn't want to wash your yeast and had the appropriate rack height. Being as I haven't used a conical yet, my opinion/thoughts are only that however.

 

[insnekamkze86]

yea true but i think you could dump the trub out first and when the yeast is gone you could rack from the bottom. Just my opinion.