Sanke Fermenter Conversion

[lamarguy]

If anyone could report on how well force transferring with co2 to/from a keg using this I would really appreciate it!

I'm curious about the reasonable pressure limit for this device as well. I believe Derrin mentioned 3 psi in an earlier post, but it seems like the clamp and seals should be able to handle ~15 psi.

Is someone willing to pressure test their device for leaks?

 

[keelanfish]

Why would you ever need more than 3 psi? Every foot of head above the top of the keg will develop 0.4333 psi (assuming SG = 1.000) to this device. So, 3 psi will push beer almost 7' vertically. Unless you're racking from your basement to your first floor, I can't imagine why you need any more than this.

 

[juvinious]

To naturally carb the beer before going into the bright tank, keg, etc...

 

[lamarguy]

Why would you ever need more than 3 psi?

To support pressurized fermentation. Near the end of fermentation, set the spunding valve (e.g., pressure relief valve) to ~15 psi to naturally carbonate the beer.

1. Ferment with blowoff/airlock until ~50% attenuation is reached.
2. Attach spunding valve to capture CO2 at a given temperature and pressure.
3. Transfer carbonated beer directly to serving keg(s).
4. Prosit!

 

[Bokonon]

To support pressurized fermentation. Near the end of fermentation, set the spunding valve (e.g., pressure relief valve) to ~15 psi to naturally carbonate the beer.

1. Ferment with blowoff/airlock until ~50% attenuation is reached.
2. Attach spunding valve to capture CO2 at a given temperature and pressure.
3. Transfer carbonated beer directly to serving keg(s).
4. Prosit!

If someone donates the hardware to me I'd be happy to test it out. I suspect the weakest link will be however the hoses get attached, the rest of the hardware looks like it will hold the pressure fine. Since there aren't any quick disconnects that seal on this kind of setup there would need to be some kind of valves on the lines.

Well maybe no valves if you can hook up co2 to the spunding when its done to push it out, but I'm not sure if the spunding will let gas flow both ways. You would just keep a corney quick disconnect on the racking/liquid side so no pressure will come out

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Derrin,

I love it I am very interested in one however I have a question about the thermowell... Can I just stick my temp probe from my love controller into the thermowell. Will it fit? or will I have to purchase one of your thermowell's in order to make this work?

Thanks,

Jason

 

[Bokonon]

Derrin,

I love it I am very interested in one however I have a question about the thermowell... Can I just stick my temp probe from my love controller into the thermowell. Will it fit? or will I have to purchase one of your thermowell's in order to make this work?

The probe from my ranco fit right in. I'm not sure the size of the love controllers probe but I suspect this is a pretty standard size

 

[Brewers Hardware]

If someone donates the hardware to me I'd be happy to test it out. I suspect the weakest link will be however the hoses get attached, the rest of the hardware looks like it will hold the pressure fine. Since there aren't any quick disconnects that seal on this kind of setup there would need to be some kind of valves on the lines.

Well maybe no valves if you can hook up co2 to the spunding when its done to push it out, but I'm not sure if the spunding will let gas flow both ways. You would just keep a corney quick disconnect on the racking/liquid side so no pressure will come out

Bokonon,

I don't condone this experiment nor do I recommend it, however, if in the course of using the hardware you purchased from me you should damage it in any way, shape or form, I'll happily replace it (and only it) free of charge.

just fwiw

 

[Brewers Hardware]

Derrin,

I love it I am very interested in one however I have a question about the thermowell... Can I just stick my temp probe from my love controller into the thermowell. Will it fit? or will I have to purchase one of your thermowell's in order to make this work?

Thanks,

Jason

Jason,
My standard thermowell is actually what's welded into the cap and a Love probe should fit it just fine. There is nothing else to buy. If, however, you wanted a separate probe for your Love controller just to leave in the fermenter, I'm working on a 2-fitting model that includes a complete wired probe for Love, Ranco, BCS-460 or BrewTroller.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Thank you for the info, I'll certainly have to get one soon.

 

[flananuts]

I ordered last week. how long should I expect to wait for the product to arrive? I'm not in a rush but would appreciate some idea of when. In the meantime, ye old keg is gettin a polishin.

 

[schweaty]

Getting a few of these is VERY tempting. My only concern is cleaning the inside of the keg after fermentation. Would you recommend a soak in PBW or some sort of acid?

 

[springer]

Getting a few of these is VERY tempting. My only concern is cleaning the inside of the keg after fermentation. Would you recommend a soak in PBW or some sort of acid?

I use oxyclean to clean the sanke keg rinse well and sanitize. no different than cleaning a corny other than its a little harder to see the inside. I use a Borescope to look inside I had it before I even started brewing.

 

[Brewers Hardware]

I ordered last week. how long should I expect to wait for the product to arrive? I'm not in a rush but would appreciate some idea of when. In the meantime, ye old keg is gettin a polishin.

There are still just a few that haven't shipped but I took delivery of 100' of 3/8 tubing yesterday and the current run will cover the final back orders and put some inventory on the shelf. I expect to ship today or tomorrow.

 

[mmb]

Mine arrived today. Great build quality and clean, excellent welds. Very impressive, I can't wait to use it.

 

[BK_BREWERY]

is this designed to be used with pumps since you don't reccomend pressurizing the vessel?

Also why would you leave the racking cane in while fermenting, why not just cap that with a plug and only insert the racking cane when needed?

 

[Brewers Hardware]

is this designed to be used with pumps since you don't reccomend pressurizing the vessel?

Also why would you leave the racking cane in while fermenting, why not just cap that with a plug and only insert the racking cane when needed?

The ideal situation is to use a siphon to move the beer out, but a slight amount of CO2 can be used to push the beer out, provided you don't allow the keg to pressurize since there is no relief valve.

Leaving the racking cane in place allows you to make sure it's sanitized with t rest of the fermenter and just reduces the risk of dropping something in or having something else happen when trying to insert it. It also gived one more avenue for pressure to escape in the event of a blocked blow-off port.

 

[caspio]

Just an update, I got mine last week. the USPS dinged up the box a little, but everything inside was fine. Welds look great, I can't wait to try it out! Just picked up a keg from my next door neighbor for $20, so I'm set on one. I've been hitting up craigslist for a second keg, but so far no luck. Thanks derrin for a good price on a great product!

BTW - what would be your price to ship me a couple extra o-ring sets. I can pretty much guarantee I'll lose some or drop it in the fermenter, so I'd like to have some spares ready to go.

 

[mmb]

BTW - what would be your price to ship me a couple extra o-ring sets. I can pretty much guarantee I'll lose some or drop it in the fermenter, so I'd like to have some spares ready to go.

Or better yet, post the McMaster-Carr numbers....

 

[flananuts]

Got mine last week. Well packaged and protected. Sanke is being cleaned now. Only question is do I "bling" the keg first or just get fermenting!

 

[Brewers Hardware]

Just an update, I got mine last week. the USPS dinged up the box a little, but everything inside was fine. Welds look great, I can't wait to try it out! Just picked up a keg from my next door neighbor for $20, so I'm set on one. I've been hitting up craigslist for a second keg, but so far no luck. Thanks derrin for a good price on a great product!

BTW - what would be your price to ship me a couple extra o-ring sets. I can pretty much guarantee I'll lose some or drop it in the fermenter, so I'd like to have some spares ready to go.

You're welcome! Thanks for the business!

I'll look up the McMaster numbers on them, but you have to buy 100 of the small ones and 10 of the big ones at a time. If you NEED an extra set, just send me a SASE with the email address you used to buy one and I'll just send you a set.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

So I am debating the buying a conical or buying one of these items for either a 1/4 or 1/2 sanke. My question is, how do you take hydrometer samples with this setup. For the people that have them already do you simply siphon a sample out? How do you then stop the siphon in a controlled manner? I see this as the only downfall to using it over a conical and if it can be overcome easily I'm all in. Thanks!

 

[mmb]

My take on it, others might be different.

I usually don't take samples of batches I'm repeating and I don't bother with 10G batches of unproven beer. If I hit my temps and gravities right I've never had a stuck fermentation.

I suppose I might use a sanitary air filter and "blow" a sample out if I needed to for some reason, but up to one month in primary, crash cool and keg I usually don't bother. I've got my process down and a repeatable wort is fairly easy to produce at this point.

 

[lamarguy]

My question is, how do you take hydrometer samples with this setup.

Personally, I'm planning to experiment with pressurized fermentation. This approach would allow you to easily pull samples at ~5psi.

 

[Bokonon]

I just racked my beer out of the fermenter yesterday. The first of the beer I ran into a water bottle for hydro sample and tasting. I started with the racking arm where it should be above the trub then lowered it till it started to cloud up, then raised it back up till it ran clear. I pulled off about 16oz of beer this way then moved onto filling two kegs.

After the kegs I filled up a gallon jug which I later pitched some bugs into.

I really like the process. The one thing I'll have to adjust next time is to pull off my blowoff tube and just cover with paper towel or foil when I crash cool. It sucked back my sanitizer.

 

[Mongo64]

I'm wondering if someone who has this can take a measurement for me? I am interested in knowing the height of this while attached to a 15.5 gal. Sanke.
Reason is that I have a fermentation box with 25 inches of vertical clearance. Could be modified if needed.

And what do you guys do for cleaning on of these?

 

[lamarguy]

I'm wondering if someone who has this can take a measurement for me? I am interested in knowing the height of this while attached to a 15.5 gal. Sanke.
Reason is that I have a fermentation box with 25 inches of vertical clearance. Could be modified if needed.

You can get by with 25" clearance, assuming the racking cane is fully inserted, which isn't ideal. You really need 30+ inches of clearance to make it practical.

And what do you guys do for cleaning on of these?

I haven't yet, but I plan to to soak the keg in warm (150F) PBW.

 

[ntempleton]

Ordered one yesterday. Can't wait to get it and give it a try.

 

[caspio]

Pulled a sample last night from the first batch I'm fermenting with one of these. Having the racking cane already there made it super easy, normally I have to pull carboys out of the ferm chamber because I don't have the vertical clearance to get a cane or autosiphon in.

Anyway, at a week and a half the wheat I have in there is tasting delicious. After another week or so I'm going to try a low-pressure CO2 transfer from the fermenter to the beer-in on a corny.

Edit: I ordered the version with the thermowell, mainly as a future project. Without going all-out and getting a bcs or a labjack setup, is anyone aware of a thermometer or pic kit that does temp logging, preferably with a pc interface so I can dump data to a laptop?

 

[fartingdog]

I just did my first transfer using this yesterday. It ran seamlessly.

I ran my filter inline between the fermenter and the purged keg, pushed with 3 psi of CO2, a totally closed system. I put the corny on a scale (saw this trick somewhere on the forum), waited til it weighed 48# or so (40# of beer plus the weight of the corny), and switched kegs to rack the rest. Freaking awesome, I am so hooked on this thing!