pulley hoist system for carboys

[KBVC]

Here is my solution. Overkill I know but I had the winch at work and hadn't used it in a year so I decided this was a great way to use it. I ferment in 1/2 barrel sankes and usually have 11 gallons to get from my outside brewing area to my garage. I fill the sanke outside then move it to the garage on a dolly and use the winch to lift into the ferm chamber. The winch is mounted over the front edge of the chest freezer. Once fermentation is complete I use CO2 to push from the fermenter to the serving kegs.

 

[cheezydemon3]

IN A LOFT??????? awesome.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I'll actually be honest, and don't take this in a disrespectful way: I've always felt for homebrewers who aren't 'strong'. I'm a rather strong guy, and I workout hard 3-4 times a week, and it takes a lot for me to 'gracefully' lift a full carboy or keg. I can lift a full 1/2bbl, but it is not graceful.

So I can understand the wanting for something to make it easier. We as homebrewers lift heavy crap rather frequently. With that said, this is a really bad idea if you are working with glass carboys. Get a brew hauler, or move to plastic fermenters. When carboys drop and go boom, it's not pretty

It isn't just that, even someone STRONG will develop back trouble if they lift things this heavy regularly.

 

[Zeppman]

You guys have been great. What a good thread this has turned into. For now I've purchased the brew hauler, and some pulleys and such, but I may take the pulleys back. If the wife and I can lift the carboy together in the brewhauler, I'll just stick with that. I am intrigued by fermenting in a keg though. I can lift these things by myself (not a total weakling), but its not graceful, and I am worried that one day I will hurt myself. I've done some bodily harm (not brew related) trying to lift something some years back, and I just don't want that to happen again.

 

[cheezydemon3]

It isn't just that, even someone STRONG will develop back trouble if they lift things this heavy regularly.

You guys have been great. What a good thread this has turned into. For now I've purchased the brew hauler, and some pulleys and such, but I may take the pulleys back. If the wife and I can lift the carboy together in the brewhauler, I'll just stick with that. I am intrigued by fermenting in a keg though. I can lift these things by myself (not a total weakling), but its not graceful, and I am worried that one day I will hurt myself. I've done some bodily harm (not brew related) trying to lift something some years back, and I just don't want that to happen again.

See above. You and the wife lifting a piece of glass full of 5 gallons of liquid is a BAD idea on it's own, without the possibility of spinal injury.

respectfully, please come to your senses.

 

[Zeppman]

cheezy, ya you're right.... when you "add the dip tube in the keg and push the beer with CO2 after fermentation" how do you prevent the yeast from being sucked up through the dip tube? Do you wash your yeast? I could see it being difficult pouring out your washed yeast and being sanitary... meaning its hard to pour anything out of a keg without the liquid hitting handles, posts, etc.... basically I'd be worried about infection during yeast washing.

 

[cheezydemon3]

cheezy, ya you're right.... when you "add the dip tube in the keg and push the beer with CO2 after fermentation" how do you prevent the yeast from being sucked up through the dip tube? Do you wash your yeast? I could see it being difficult pouring out your washed yeast and being sanitary... meaning its hard to pour anything out of a keg without the liquid hitting handles, posts, etc.... basically I'd be worried about infection during yeast washing.

Ideally you let the fermenter/keg sit angled so that the yeast settle at an angle away from the tube. Cutting the tube is also effective.

For yeast washing, I would push the beer out. STOP

Open the top, por in however much sanitized water (or wash) and then shake it up and push that out with co2 into a mason jar or whatever.

You are going to be more efficient than you dreamed possible!

 

[Zeppman]

Any recommendations on how short you'd cut the dip tube? This sounds great, I just want to make sure I can keep washing my yeast.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Any recommendations on how short you'd cut the dip tube? This sounds great, I just want to make sure I can keep washing my yeast.

I refuse to do this. I do the tilt method.

I think an inch is standard.

 

[mjohnson]

In general, my yeast cake takes the entire depression in the corny keg. I don't have a CO2 system yet, so I still siphon from my corny kegs. I can set the siphon against the side on the bottom of the keg and get nearly all the beer with very little yeast. You could also try bending the tube up if you don't want to cut it.

I like fermenting in corny's. I've not had good luck using the gas disconnect for the blowoff, though. I had one clog pretty bad. I just take the whole post off and put 1/2 vinyl tube over it and secure with a worm clamp. Works great. With fermcap, you can pretty much fill it all the way up with very little blowoff.

For harvesting yeast, I do what was listed above - just pour some water in and transfer out via siphon or CO2.

cheers!

 

[scottland]

It isn't just that, even someone STRONG will develop back trouble if they lift things this heavy regularly.

There's a guy at my gym that's in his 60s and can deadlift over 500 pounds. He would disagree with you.

If you develop back trouble, you aren't lifting said heavy objects properly

 

[H-ost]

After holding many manual labor jobs including several years of warehouse experience I can tell you that you can't always use proper lifting techniques. To add, this thread was started because the OP was concerned with lifting carboys in and out of a chest freezer, there is no way to properly do that.

 

[KPSquared]

It isn't just that, even someone STRONG will develop back trouble if they lift things this heavy regularly.

This is the dumbest comment in this thread. . . I don't think much under a hundred pounds is heavy. . .I'm a big dumb farm kid, lifting has never been an issue. Use your legs, keep your back straight, no twisting. . .it's not rocket science. Full carboys are a joke. . .full sankes are more like work. Improper lifting can hurt you, proper lifting, within your strength, it's just good for you. . .

As far a lifting out out a chest freezer, I bend at the waist, lift straight up with my arms, then basically do a straight leg dead lift. No unhealthy strain. I'm 6'1" and can reach the bottom of a chest freezer no problem.

 

[Hang Glider]

...I don't think much under a hundred pounds is heavy.... I'm 6'1" and can reach the bottom of a chest freezer no problem.

I find an 80 lb bag of concrete quite difficult.
I'm 5'8", 54 years, and 170lbs and I can't reach the bottom of my chest freezer. My waist is below the top of the freezer...

might be dumbest comment as far as you are concerned, ...but that may not apply to everyone else. just sayin'

 

[BullGator]

I am a former bodybuilder and I am having a harder and harder time moving full 6.5 gal carboys around. However, I lift them over a 10" collar in my chest freezer. I have a solid step stool I lift them on first. I then stand on the stool and lift them on the collar (it is like 2" thick). I then carefully lower them with one hand hanging down. I obviously have one of those carboy handles. Taking them out is the reverse.

I actually was just thinking I need to get back on the weights if I want to keep this carboy handling up.

I am intrigued about fermenting in kegs though. I have a lot of extra kegs so this might be something to look into.

 

[Kahu]

I'm kinda short (5'6") so I had the same problem with having to really reach to get to the bottom of the chest freezer. I don't have any problems just carrying the carbon, but I would always have a sore back after lifting one in or out of the chest freezer. So I built a frame on wheels that rolls over the freezer and added a cheap harbor freight winch...

 

[bad67z]

After holding many manual labor jobs including several years of warehouse experience I can tell you that you can't always use proper lifting techniques. To add, this thread was started because the OP was concerned with lifting carboys in and out of a chest freezer, there is no way to properly do that.

This^^^

I in my younger years I worked for UPS for 5 years loading outgoing trailers, 1200 packages per hour that weighed from 1lb. to 70lbs. I have had more training on the subject of proper lifting and handling of load than most. From my experience there is no way I can see to follow proper lifting techniques and place a full carboy in or remove a full carboy out of a chest freezer.

 

[Zeppman]

Back to fermenting in the keg... so is the keg tilted the whole time the beer is fermenting, or do you just tip it at the end when you are ready to transfer? Since corny kegs hold about 5.25 gal, how much actual finished product do you get, when you leave the yeast and trub?

As far as lifting, some above stated it perfectly.. lifting the carboy is not the problem... its lifting it out of the bottom of a chest freezer. I am not tall enough to "lift with proper form".. hence the risk for injury.

 

[mjohnson]

All said and done, I usually end up about 4.75 gallons. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I do my best to leave lots of trub in the kettle.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Back to fermenting in the keg... so is the keg tilted the whole time the beer is fermenting, or do you just tip it at the end when you are ready to transfer? Since corny kegs hold about 5.25 gal, how much actual finished product do you get, when you leave the yeast and trub?

As far as lifting, some above stated it perfectly.. lifting the carboy is not the problem... its lifting it out of the bottom of a chest freezer. I am not tall enough to "lift with proper form".. hence the risk for injury.

Just a second

This is the dumbest comment in this thread. . . I don't think much under a hundred pounds is heavy. . .I'm a big dumb farm kid, lifting has never been an issue. Use your legs, keep your back straight, no twisting. . .it's not rocket science. Full carboys are a joke. . .full sankes are more like work. Improper lifting can hurt you, proper lifting, within your strength, it's just good for you. . .

As far a lifting out out a chest freezer, I bend at the waist, lift straight up with my arms, then basically do a straight leg dead lift. No unhealthy strain. I'm 6'1" and can reach the bottom of a chest freezer no problem.

Durrrrrrrr...the irony is nearly suffocating genius. Lift all you want and leave reality to the rest of us.

I find an 80 lb bag of concrete quite difficult.
I'm 5'8", 54 years, and 170lbs and I can't reach the bottom of my chest freezer. My waist is below the top of the freezer...

might be dumbest comment as far as you are concerned, ...but that may not apply to everyone else. just sayin'

I am in fantastic shape. Can I lift 5 gallons without injury? Sure. Should I, do it at random intervals now and again?

Can someone who is 6'6" lift a full keg into a Keezer while bending the knees? NO.

For the *********s who want to puff their chests and risk their backs and say "heh heh, this one time, at the gym...." find another thread.

After holding many manual labor jobs including several years of warehouse experience I can tell you that you can't always use proper lifting techniques. To add, this thread was started because the OP was concerned with lifting carboys in and out of a chest freezer, there is no way to properly do that.

This^

Back to fermenting in the keg... so is the keg tilted the whole time the beer is fermenting, or do you just tip it at the end when you are ready to transfer? Since corny kegs hold about 5.25 gal, how much actual finished product do you get, when you leave the yeast and trub?

As far as lifting, some above stated it perfectly.. lifting the carboy is not the problem... its lifting it out of the bottom of a chest freezer. I am not tall enough to "lift with proper form".. hence the risk for injury.

Ideally it is tilted the whole fermentation (away from the dip tube) but it can be tilted at syphoning, gently, with less benefit, but the yeast cake stays put and the liquid settles right where the dip tube is and you get more beer, less yeast.

And it is well documented that people who are 12 feet tall or over can bend at the knees and lift a keg in or out of a keezer.

 

[Zeppman]

Is the dip tube in the keg during the entire fermentation, or do you only put it in when when its time to transfer?

 

[cheezydemon3]

Is the dip tube in the keg during the entire fermentation, or do you only put it in when when its time to transfer?

I take it out and use that side for the airlock. If you leave it in, there will be some gunk in it from fermentation, not much, but it might clog.

 

[Zeppman]

And at about what angle to do keep the keg at? How do you keep it from tipping over? I know these are dumb questions, but for someone who's never come across this or thought of this before, I could use any tips you've got.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Empty your keg and take off the lid. Put 3 or 4 cups of water in and with a flashlight look at the bottom.

tilt it until all or all possible water are away from the dip tube (within reason, you don't want it horizontal) with the understanding that you will lay the keg back flat when syphoning, or even tilted the other way, so if the yeast cake is too steep, it will crumble and fall back towards your dip tube.

Mine tilts about what a 2x4 laid flat and just barely under the bottom will lift the dip tube side.

 

[cyndysm]

So has anyone used the Foreverlast Tripod Game Hoist and what are your comments? I'm 5'2" 100 lbs & working out of my kitchen; just purchased a hydraulic lift table $150 from Harbor Freight (if I can just get it out of the car) but still need to get it picked up another 8" to the lowest level of the table.

 

[cheezydemon3]

So has anyone used the Foreverlast Tripod Game Hoist and what are your comments? I'm 5'2" 100 lbs & working out of my kitchen; just purchased a hydraulic lift table $150 from Harbor Freight (if I can just get it out of the car) but still need to get it picked up another 8" to the lowest level of the table.

Wow! I wish you luck.

I would pu the hoist maybe on an 8 inch dolly.

You can tilt a keg or Bucket to get up 8 inches or so without straight up lifting.

Can that thing live in the kitchen or roll to storage?

A dolly makes sense.

 

[cyndysm]

The table is only 28" x 18" so it's not huge; I'll try the dolly to get the carboys or buckets up to the minimum 8" height. Should work. Can't wait! No more 3 gallons for me!

 

[cheezydemon3]

The table is only 28" x 18" so it's not huge; I'll try the dolly to get the carboys or buckets up to the minimum 8" height. Should work. Can't wait! No more 3 gallons for me!

 

[lschiavo]

I was just thinking about this and it reminded me of the unistrut trolley system. I have used this for sliding doors before.

Here is the trolley:

That runs in a piece of strut like this:

You could hang a piece of strut on the ceiling which runs from your racking area right over your chest freezer then hoist and walk the carboy right to the freezer. I haven't been able to find a curved section of strut to turn a corner though...that would be nice.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

The table is only 28" x 18" so it's not huge; I'll try the dolly to get the carboys or buckets up to the minimum 8" height. Should work. Can't wait! No more 3 gallons for me!

If you need to get it up 8 inches, just make a small ramp out of a small bit of plywood or cardboard on some books or something and scoot it up? Or is pushing it not possible either? Worst case if you have a dolly is just make a small ramp and wheel it up...you dont need a fancy hoist to lift something up 8 inches.