Spunding PSI

[Brews and Blues]

Closed system transfers eliminates any potential issues from that. Moving off the yeast cake also eliminates needing to install floating dip tubes. You're also limited in what size batch you can ferment in each vessel. I have kegmenters sized from about 3-1/2 gallons up to 15-1/2 gallons. We did a 12 gallon (into carbonating/serving kegs) batch in the 15-1/2 gallon kegmenter last.
With my new conicals (getting their first batches Sunday and then sometime next week) I'll have even more options and be able to fine tune things easier. Dry hopping is going to be easier and O2 free. I'll be carbonating in those before moving some to serve on tap and the rest will go directly into cans.

Did you use a 5 gallon keg for that 5 gallon batch? Or did you use one of the 6 gallon Torpedo kegs to get 5 gallons out??

Standard 5 gal corny keg. They hold a bit more than that really and it was the perfect amount of space for fermentation actually. That being said, i don't aerate. I just give it a good mix. I did temp control a little low - around 63F, so maybe those things kept the fermentation from being out of control. And maybe a different yeast and aeration would give me different results.
If I like the end result of this brew, I will be using this method every time. It basically leaves all of the work on brew day, which is nice for me because spare time always eludes me LOL.

 

[Golddiggie]

Standard 5 gal corny keg. They hold a bit more than that really and it was the perfect amount of space for fermentation actually. That being said, i don't aerate. I just give it a good mix. I did temp control a little low - around 63F, so maybe those things kept the fermentation from being out of control. And maybe a different yeast and aeration would give me different results.
If I like the end result of this brew, I will be using this method every time. It basically leaves all of the work on brew day, which is nice for me because spare time always eludes me LOL.

Shifting to a conical (15psi working pressure rated) allows me to cold crash the entire batch (I'll be able to do this with my normal batch sizes since the fermenter can hold up to 14 gallons) and then carbonate it in a few days (they say 24-48 hours, I'll probably go 48-72 hours). I can then pressure/closed transfer part to serving keg to go into the keezer (my normal keg size is 3 gallons) and then can/bottle the rest directly. The fermenters are on locking wheels, so they'll roll from the brewing area into the fermenting area. The glycol chiller means I can either do precise fermentation temperature control (more a concern in the summer) as well as cold crash as desired/needed.

I'll also be able to dump the yeast out the bottom once fermentation is done and they've all settled down (probably post cold crash). I can dry hop as well, dumping the hop matter out (if needed/desired) before carbonating the batch. Or, rather, finish carbonating the batch. Since I'll also be fermenting under pressure. I'm planning to put dark brews (stouts and porters) at a higher ferment pressure than IPAs and other pale ales. Of course, that also depends on what I want from the yeast.

I'll fine tune my methods over the next few batches with the new fermenters.

 

[DuncB]

30.5 litres in a 34 litre fermentasaurus, no blowouts or escapes started under minimal pressure and then turned it up.
I find the krausen is well controllable with the pressure and spuning appropriately. That said did clean my Duotight spunding valve out the other week and there was a bit of gunk in there.

 

[DuncB]

@Golddiggie
Agreed I use similar pathway, my fermenters higher pressure rated so I aim for carbonation level correct at end of ferment. That's about 35 psi at 30 celsius if a kveik ferment.
Flushing the kegs out and then purge with CO2 for a good while after really gets rid of any oxygen prior to transfer.

 

[murphyslaw]

I’m new to spunding. Once my beer gets to about 1.022 or so (6-10 points left), I can just set it to 20-30 psi? That’s not going to prematurely stop fermentation, right?

And using a tilt, will the gravity readings be worthless once I start spunding?

 

[murphyslaw]

A related question about the tilt hydrometer. One of the beers I am currently fermenting is an English porter that I brewed Sunday. I pitched a starter of wlp002 around 5pm and it took off later that night. According to my tilt it went from 1.050 to 1.025 in about 24 hours and down to 1.016 by 36 hours. That’s when I put on the spunding valve set to 20psi.

I have a little fear that the 1.016 reading isn’t right, really just because it’s so soon after pitching. I think this yeast just does that sometimes? I’ve read that high krausen can cause inaccurate tilt readings. My graph is steadily downhill, but bounces around a bit. Bounces where it might drop 4 points suddenly then back up 3 and down 2. Not more than that.

Anyway, I guess my point is to ask if the Krausen makes the tilt reading totally unreliable or just off a few points and therefore safe to assume I’m sub 1.020 and safe to sound at a high psi.

 

[McMullan]

I’m new to spunding. Once my beer gets to about 1.022 or so (6-10 points left), I can just set it to 20-30 psi? That’s not going to prematurely stop fermentation, right?

And using a tilt, will the gravity readings be worthless once I start spunding?

That's pretty much what I do for ales, just more 15-20 psi for my own preference. I'd double check the Tilt reading.

 

[murphyslaw]

That's pretty much what I do for ales, just more 15-20 psi for my own preference. I'd double check the Tilt reading.

Thanks!

 

[McMullan]

A related question about the tilt hydrometer. One of the beers I am currently fermenting is an English porter that I brewed Sunday. I pitched a starter of wlp002 around 5pm and it took off later that night. According to my tilt it went from 1.050 to 1.025 in about 24 hours and down to 1.016 by 36 hours. That’s when I put on the spunding valve set to 20psi.

I have a little fear that the 1.016 reading isn’t right, really just because it’s so soon after pitching. I think this yeast just does that sometimes? I’ve read that high krausen can cause inaccurate tilt readings. My graph is steadily downhill, but bounces around a bit. Bounces where it might drop 4 points suddenly then back up 3 and down 2. Not more than that.

Anyway, I guess my point is to ask if the Krausen makes the tilt reading totally unreliable or just off a few points and therefore safe to assume I’m sub 1.020 and safe to sound at a high psi.

On the occasions I miss the window for fixing the spunding valve, I just add some sugar to the FV before fitting the spunding

 

[odie]

I’m new to spunding. Once my beer gets to about 1.022 or so (6-10 points left), I can just set it to 20-30 psi? That’s not going to prematurely stop fermentation, right?

And using a tilt, will the gravity readings be worthless once I start spunding?

that's pretty much my current method. ferment ales in the keg with a blow off tube. after a couple 3 days or so, I will remove the blow off tube, install a spunding valve and let it finish out as the remaining fermentation raises the PSI from zero to around 15-20.

If it's a lager I will spund from the start, but at ale temps.

It will finish carbed but not over carbed. So when I tap it and set my regulator, it should finish carbing quickly.