why did YOU buy a conical fermenter?

[Phunhog]

I don't know...I think fermenting in Sanke kegs is almost as good. I have two and they only set me back 100 bucks. The same set up would have been almost 1500 dollars. Sure I can't harvest yeast as cleanly but I can buy a lot of yeast with the 1400 dollars I saved.

 

[Jukas]

Honestly, I bought mine because I wanted one and knew I was getting a really nice bonus this year so I had no problems dropping some cash on a luxury item. I did have a few practical reasons for wanting one, but there was no legitimate need.

My main desires were to stop having carboys in my home office, have temp controlled fermentation and the switch batch and forth between 6gal and 12gal batches easily.

Everything else is just gravy, pressurized fermentation, the ability to drop trub, the ability to harvest yeast at different periods of fermentation and the ability to fully transfer under pressure without the beer every touching oxygen to name a few.

 

[burgieburgie]

Honestly don't know why I bought mine. But I love em...

 

[MaxOut]

I don't know...I think fermenting in Sanke kegs is almost as good. I have two and they only set me back 100 bucks. The same set up would have been almost 1500 dollars. Sure I can't harvest yeast as cleanly but I can buy a lot of yeast with the 1400 dollars I saved.

Sanke kegs offer a great value for a stainless 15.5 gallon fermenting vessel’s and can be converted as simple as removing stem and add a carboy cap or stopper with airlock. They are also capable of holding pressure for pressurized fermentation, transfers and serving if equipped with 2” modified tri clamp cap and clamp. Better yet do like Sabco and weld a larger tri clamp for better access.
That being said kegs have quite a few disadvantages to conical’s and it’s not just about harvesting yeast.
Here’s a few others.
- No need to transfer to secondary.
- Racking port with arm for clean transfers.
- Easier to clean, pitch yeast, dry hop, and inspect with larger opening.
- Used kegs are harder to obtain legally without holes in them and new kegs are $150.00 plus
- Used kegs could possibly have beer stone build up on the inside walls, could be difficult to remove and could harbor bacteria.
- Coned bottom tank encourages flocculation and easier separation for removal of the yeast and hop trub.
- Conicals are available in larger than 15.5 gallons.

To me these disadvantages add up to a significant value in increased functionality and time savings. The icing on the cake is conicals are beautiful.