# Malt Mechanics 30L conical



## welly2 (5/8/15)

Has anyone seen, used, own or know anything about this?

http://cleverbrewing.com.au/brewing-equipment/mm-conical-fermenter.html

It looks the part, despite being plastic, and is priced between the SS Brewtech Brew Bucket and Chronical. In an ideal world, I'd have a Chronical but if funds can't stretch that far (at the moment, they can't) then I might think about one of these.


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## Camo6 (5/8/15)

I don't know. They look nice but for that price I'd rather keep saving and get stainless steel. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with fermenting in plastic, but stainless lasts longer, is harder to scratch or damage, easier to sanitise, won't discolour and looks so much nicer. In for a penny, in for a pound I say.


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## welly2 (5/8/15)

Camo6 said:


> I don't know. They look nice but for that price I'd rather keep saving and get stainless steel. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with fermenting in plastic, but stainless lasts longer, is harder to scratch or damage, easier to sanitise, won't discolour and looks so much nicer. In for a penny, in for a pound I say.


There is that too and what I was thinking as well. Although the Chronical is double the price. But it seems to be well worth every penny. I guess I should probably keep saving.

"Buy cheap, buy twice" as they say.


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## Fourstar (5/8/15)

this would be my choice for the price.

http://www.fullpint.com.au/the-brewbucket-stainless-fermenter/


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## droid (5/8/15)

you can also upgrade the chronical to have the heat/cool element lid thingo to control your ferment temp how would you control temp in the plastic one? or do they have that coil thing too??


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## Yob (5/8/15)

Olive Oil drums while not conical offer a great trade off on price. 

Yeah, not a conical though...


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## SBOB (5/8/15)

Yob said:


> Olive Oil drums while not conical offer a great trade off on price.
> 
> Yeah, not a conical though...


they are if you use them upside down, but you would need some pretty strong glad wrap


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## TheJones (14/9/15)

Hey Welly2, and others on this thread. Just thought I'd jump on and give you a rundown on our fermenters, I actually started a thread here some time back but post release mayhem/new baby/managing the other half of our business meant I didnt actually get back here to update. Thread here http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/80022-plastic-conical-fermenters/

We're stoked to finally have product in Aus, these are a fantastic fermenter which as you suggested sit squarely between the SS brewtech product and regular brewing buckets. The product is made here in NZ, and all of the bolt-on bits are either 304 stainless or Silicone. They handle a few PSI for transfers and have nice big 1" dump valves for harvesting yeast, come in 30L and 60L sizes (can actually take those batch sizes, with head space). The insides are super-smooth, and the logical comparison is always with the more expensive product, given the quality of the product we are producing. Apprehension around plastic is largely unfounded/has been quashed over time, as most brewers always start in plastic, and often never migrate up to stainless anyway. These are a super-tough moulding with a nice smooth interior, and if cleaned and sanitised correctly will indeed last a lifetime, wont dent, and contrary to popular belief, unless you are using a sharp metal object and being a tool, will not scratch on the inside. I scrub mine with a fairly firm-bristled brush and it still looks like the day it came out of the mould. Aside from that, they are what they are, a good honest product, designed for serious home-brewers. Ive easily cracked 50 brews in my ones, and barring some catastrophic fail, will see many hundreds more Im sure. This isnt a cheap product, we have not skimped on materials or hardware. "buy cheap, buy twice" doesnt fit our mantra..

We have some pretty nice updates coming soon too so will keep you posted on this forum and our facebook. Welcome any questions etc you all have. Cheers for the interest


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## welly2 (30/9/15)

TheJones said:


> Hey Welly2, and others on this thread. Just thought I'd jump on and give you a rundown on our fermenters, I actually started a thread here some time back but post release mayhem/new baby/managing the other half of our business meant I didnt actually get back here to update. Thread here http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/80022-plastic-conical-fermenters/
> 
> We're stoked to finally have product in Aus, these are a fantastic fermenter which as you suggested sit squarely between the SS brewtech product and regular brewing buckets. The product is made here in NZ, and all of the bolt-on bits are either 304 stainless or Silicone. They handle a few PSI for transfers and have nice big 1" dump valves for harvesting yeast, come in 30L and 60L sizes (can actually take those batch sizes, with head space). The insides are super-smooth, and the logical comparison is always with the more expensive product, given the quality of the product we are producing. Apprehension around plastic is largely unfounded/has been quashed over time, as most brewers always start in plastic, and often never migrate up to stainless anyway. These are a super-tough moulding with a nice smooth interior, and if cleaned and sanitised correctly will indeed last a lifetime, wont dent, and contrary to popular belief, unless you are using a sharp metal object and being a tool, will not scratch on the inside. I scrub mine with a fairly firm-bristled brush and it still looks like the day it came out of the mould. Aside from that, they are what they are, a good honest product, designed for serious home-brewers. Ive easily cracked 50 brews in my ones, and barring some catastrophic fail, will see many hundreds more Im sure. This isnt a cheap product, we have not skimped on materials or hardware. "buy cheap, buy twice" doesnt fit our mantra..
> 
> We have some pretty nice updates coming soon too so will keep you posted on this forum and our facebook. Welcome any questions etc you all have. Cheers for the interest


Hey, that's for your comments. I'm kind of swaying between the two. There's a few things about the SS Chronical that I really like - the thermowell is a great ideal and particularly as I'm fermenting in a STC-1000 controlled fridge. I've currently been just sticking the temperature probe on the side with tape, covered by a bit of stubby cooler which is probably not all that accurate but not far off. I assume I'd have to something similar with the MM conical? What does it have inside in the way of a racking arm or does it just have the opening to the ball valve? I've never done a pressure transfer before (new to kegging) so am interested in how this works. I'm certainly thinking about shooting for the MM conical - the saving of $200 is a lot of grain/hops/yeast and certainly while not as bling as the SS chronical, your conical looks the part alright.

Cheers!


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## welly2 (30/9/15)

Oh, another question - what's the dimensions of it? I need to know if it'll fit in my fermentation fridge!


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## Bridges (30/9/15)

I have one of these and an olive oil drum, The MJ stainless goes great, yeah it's not a conical but it is stainless which makes cleaning and sanitising simple, The malt mechanics one looks great... but I always hated cleaning my old plastic fermenters as I was worried about scratching the surface that could then be a cozy little home for bugs to live in. I never had an infection in plastic, but I worry less with stainless.


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## yankinoz (2/10/15)

Fourstar said:


> this would be my choice for the price.
> 
> http://www.fullpint.com.au/the-brewbucket-stainless-fermenter/


Brewbucket is a bargain, but note there is no bottom tap. It is equiped to draw off beer abive sediments after fermentation, but not to drain trub before fermentation.


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## glenwal (2/10/15)

yankinoz said:


> Brewbucket is a bargain, but note there is no bottom tap. It is equiped to draw off beer abive sediments after fermentation, but not to drain trub before fermentation.


Might be a really dumb question, but how do you have trub that needs draining before fermenting?


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## ken_gilchrist (29/2/16)

Has anyone purchased and used one of these yet? I seen they are on a sale ATM and I am very keen if it will fit in my brew fridge. I was looking at the SS brew bucket too but I do like the idea of being able to dump yeast and trub.


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## sp0rk (29/2/16)

They've got a kickstarter going right now, but it's only half way to the target with 4 days to go
Don't know whether to go in on the kickstarter or not, I'm hoping they'd honour the prices for the participants?


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## welly2 (29/2/16)

sp0rk said:


> They've got a kickstarter going right now, but it's only half way to the target with 4 days to go
> Don't know whether to go in on the kickstarter or not, I'm hoping they'd honour the prices for the participants?


I did ask them a question on their facebook page about what the deal would be if the kickstarter wasn't successful (not looking like it will be) and they said they'd still be producing them but just not at the same price. My concern that if the price is much higher than the kickstarter price then for the little extra, it would probably be worth going for a SS Brewtech Chronical. The $350 price that it currently stands at is really as much as I'd pay for a plastic fermenter, and I realise it's a very well specced plastic fermenter.


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## sp0rk (29/2/16)

Yeah, I'd be jumping in on the 60L, but I don't want to have to transfer money in and out of my debit account if it's not going to go ahead


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## welly2 (29/2/16)

sp0rk said:


> Yeah, I'd be jumping in on the 60L, but I don't want to have to transfer money in and out of my debit account if it's not going to go ahead


They only debit your account if it's successful. You don't pay anything up front.


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## Wimmig (29/2/16)

Fourstar said:


> this would be my choice for the price.
> 
> http://www.fullpint.com.au/the-brewbucket-stainless-fermenter/


Yessssssss! I absolutely love this product and the price is pretty much spot on!


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## welly2 (5/3/16)

Well, it was successful! They raised $53k. I did actually support it so looks like I'm getting one of these.


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## yankinoz (20/3/16)

Fourstar said:


> this would be my choice for the price.
> 
> http://www.fullpint.com.au/the-brewbucket-stainless-fermenter/


I haven't used a conical, but am interested. I see one possible advantage of the Malt Mechanics. The MM has a bottom tap. No more whirlpooling or filtering wort going into the fermenter. Dump, let trub settle, drain out the bottom, pitch. Has anyone done this?

Both the MM and the BB have a tap a little ways up, for draining beer off from sediment at the end of fermentation.


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## ramo (24/8/17)

bump, curious and going to be in the market for a fermenter. Anyone have feedback? Anyone have pics of them in fermenting fridge.


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## Dr_Rocks (25/8/17)

I have the 60L version and it's handy. When dumping the sediment I do find that you have to have the tap on slowly and let it leak out for 30 mins to an hour. If you fully open the tap up it digs a little channel through the sediment to the beer and you start dumping beer not sediment.....not good!

If you don't have it in the fridge it can be tricky trying to sit a heat belt around it because of the shape of the legs so getting a fermentation chamber that fits it is key.


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## tumi2 (16/4/18)

Dr_Rocks said:


> I have the 60L version and it's handy. When dumping the sediment I do find that you have to have the tap on slowly and let it leak out for 30 mins to an hour. If you fully open the tap up it digs a little channel through the sediment to the beer and you start dumping beer not sediment.....not good!
> 
> If you don't have it in the fridge it can be tricky trying to sit a heat belt around it because of the shape of the legs so getting a fermentation chamber that fits it is key.


The heat belt issue is the only thing stopping me going for the MM fermenter. I often make pilsners which I need to heat from 11degrees to 18degress for a diacytal rest. Anyone got an idea on an alternative way to heat my fridge / fermenter if I can't use the heat belt...

Any other feedback about the fermenter would be welcome. Thanks


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## Sidney Harbour-Bridge (17/4/18)

tumi2 said:


> The heat belt issue is the only thing stopping me going for the MM fermenter. I often make pilsners which I need to heat from 11degrees to 18degress for a diacytal rest. Anyone got an idea on an alternative way to heat my fridge / fermenter if I can't use the heat belt...
> 
> Any other feedback about the fermenter would be welcome. Thanks


I leave the freezer door open to allow it to warm up, works in the summer OK.


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## NealK (17/4/18)

A heat belt lying in the bottom of the fridge will do the trick. I have never put my heat belt on a fermenter as it will not give an even heat. Heating the air around the fermenter will slowly raise the temperature without hot spots.


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## Dr_Rocks (17/4/18)

tumi2 said:


> The heat belt issue is the only thing stopping me going for the MM fermenter. I often make pilsners which I need to heat from 11degrees to 18degress for a diacytal rest. Anyone got an idea on an alternative way to heat my fridge / fermenter if I can't use the heat belt...
> 
> Any other feedback about the fermenter would be welcome. Thanks


I have one of these heat pads and just put it in the fridge, if it's particularly cold I wrap the heat belt around and between the two of them I seem to maintain good temp control.

The only other feedback I have is you have to really, really (really) tighten the tri-clamp fittings. I've had one or two brews with the odd drip onto the floor of the fermentation fridge, apart from that I'm very happy with my purchase.


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