Pressurized Fermentation - How To??? Concerns and Questions

[bisforbrew]

Planning on fermenting under pressure via Torpedo Keg from more beer.

Concerns - will this thing explode on me? I will be using a spunding valve ( might just buy one from more beer )

How much pressure is too much pressure to ferment under?

Should I build or purchase ? I want to hear experiences from both people who've bought and built.

Any pitfalls that in should avoid?

High Krausen - So i've heard dry hop should occur at high krausen if you're trying to achieve the fabled biotransformation.

Is there a way to tell when its high krausen with out opening the keg to check?

 

[mredge73]

There is a giant thread on this, seriously it is huge:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=44344

1. Stay under the max test pressure of the keg and it won't explode on you, if concerned use make sure you have a pressure relief installed.
2. This is debatable, I ferment at 15 psi on 5 gallon corny kegs.
3. Purchase a vessel that is designed to be used under pressure with the max pressure stamped on it somewhere. Spunding valve can go either way.
4. You may want a gant, or a vessel to go between the keg outlet and the spunding valve.
5. Fermcap, buy it and use it
6. Dry hop after fermentation is complete in a secondary vessel if you can.

 

[schematix]

I wrote up a thread on it too (link in sig). Not original ideas, but a lot of really goods ones all put together.

I ferment around 3.5 psi.

I dry hop in the keg before primary has completed to scavenge oxygen.

 

[Brendos]

I ferment at around 20psi which is around the manufacturers recommendation for the Williams Warn system I have