I started a thread a few months ago but I can't find it again.
I bought a new fermenting fridge and a 60L fermenter. I'm prone to back problems and whilst I can lift an ordinary fermo onto the counter and fill kegs / bottles / transfer to cube etc the 60L is the biggest heaviest mofo you have ever seen when you get up close to one. So I had a think about transferring the wort at ground level without using a pump / lifting gear / warlock spells etc and with the help of Ross on the phone I did the following system. The only extras I had to buy were a little wooden plant trolley on castors, about $10 from the hardware, and a John Guest Bulkhead fitting which I fitted through the fermenter lid. The method consists of basically turning the fermenter into a sort of giant corny keg for 20 minutes.
It went like a dream, special thanks to Rosscoe who took the time to sit down and go through a couple of alternative plans. No photos unfortunately as my camera is out of charge. The second keg that I ran off was as clear as pub beer as it was the top half of the beer, so I'll gas over the next 2 days and it will be perfect (Yorkshire Gold) :icon_chickcheers:
I bought a new fermenting fridge and a 60L fermenter. I'm prone to back problems and whilst I can lift an ordinary fermo onto the counter and fill kegs / bottles / transfer to cube etc the 60L is the biggest heaviest mofo you have ever seen when you get up close to one. So I had a think about transferring the wort at ground level without using a pump / lifting gear / warlock spells etc and with the help of Ross on the phone I did the following system. The only extras I had to buy were a little wooden plant trolley on castors, about $10 from the hardware, and a John Guest Bulkhead fitting which I fitted through the fermenter lid. The method consists of basically turning the fermenter into a sort of giant corny keg for 20 minutes.
- Double batch BIAB with the 2 urns to fill 2 cubes -> one 60L fermenter (ended up with around 50L but the fermenter actually holds more like 70)
- Slide the ferm into the fridge, ground level (it's a Kegmate so right down on the ground)
- Ferment at desired temp in the fridge - under clingwrap.
- Dial it down to -1 for a cold condition, up to 3 weeks.
- Slide ferm out of fridge onto the plant trolley which luckily is exactly the right height
- Wheel to other end of brewery where the gas kegerator sits
- Remove the clingwrap and fit the lid
- Insert my "naked" gas line, with shutoff tap, down into JG fitting - crank the gas up to maximum.
- fit a sanitised transfer hose to the fermenter tap which should have the nozzle sticking out sideways.
- Get everything nicely arranged, a couple of buckets and a big roll of towelling etc.
- And a chair.
- Turn gas tap on to pressurise the fermenter
- Using the fermenter tap to control the process, run off a bit through the hose into a bucket to clear the throat.
- Put transfer hose into keg and whoosh, fills up in a bit less time than gravity
- Same with second keg.
- Turn off gas and lift the now light fermenter to counter, keeping transfer hose in place
- run of 6-10 bottles for bottle conditioning.
It went like a dream, special thanks to Rosscoe who took the time to sit down and go through a couple of alternative plans. No photos unfortunately as my camera is out of charge. The second keg that I ran off was as clear as pub beer as it was the top half of the beer, so I'll gas over the next 2 days and it will be perfect (Yorkshire Gold) :icon_chickcheers: