Secondary Fermentation with Conical Fermenters

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kellzey

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This is my first time using my Blichmann conical (or any conical for that matter).

For a secondary fermentation, I was going to rack to a 6 gallon carboy, but then read you can secondary ferment in the conical, by just draining the yeast off and removing some of the trub?

Is it that simple?

Would I just open the bottom spigot on the conical and get the yeast sediment out and the trub from their too?

Or would I do yeast from the bottom and then use the rotating valve (with integrated racking arm) to try and get as much of the trub off?

Any guidance or help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

K
 
This is my procedure. I filter the wort with a mesh steel basket then put the wort in the fermenter. I let it sit for about 45 minutes, then I drain about 12 ounces to get anything that has settled out. At this point I add the yeast. Unless you have a specific reason to do so, there isnt a reason to drain the yeast in order to have a secondary type fermentation. I leave my brews in the conical for 4 weeks then transfer to a keg for 2 additional weeks of aging.

To answer your question specifically if you want to drain the yeast and trub you open the bottom valve. The rotating valve is used for transferring during bottling etc. Make sure you first remove the safety valve when you drain or you will suck liquid back through your air lock.

I have drained the yeast out of the fermenter for a whiskey stout because I needed to add oak chips and did not want them in the fermenter with the yeast. If there are no adjuncts being added to the fermenter I would just let the beer sit on the yeast and allow the yeast to do its job and clean up the beer.
 
Right, you just drain out from the bottom. When it starts pouring beer, you're done. If you want to, you can drop yeast, wait a few days and do it again... and maybe a time or two more.
 
The main advantage of a conical is that you don't have to transfer to a secondary. It is your primary, secondary, tertiary, etc. all in one. You can get beer off of yeast and trub without transferring the beer by opening the dump valve. If you are not dumping trub and/or harvesting yeast, then there is not much of a point in using an conical (other than the fact that it decreases the surface area of trub and dead yeast in contact with your beer).
 
Thanks for all of the info! As I said it's my first time and I'm still going through the learning process! :)
 
Glad I found this post. I was going to put my Oktoberfest in a secondary for a month. Guess I'll just get all the yeast out of the conical instead. Thanks guys.
 
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