Brewtech SS fermenting vessels discussion thread

[Fat Bastard]

Looking at it, it looks too tall. The welders at work have decided that the lid itself is too thin to weld easily, but they were happy to cut the triclover fitting off and lower it, leaving just enough room for the clamp. That should give me enough room without chopping the legs. Given that the lids will be available as a spare part in the future, I think this is the first port of call.

 

[sjp770]

I was a little disappointed with how thin the lid is I must say...

 

[HeavyNova]

I'm happy to say I've just taken delivery of a 26L Chronical and after reading about the potential sanitation difficulties with the included ball valves I'm keen to switch them out to butterfly valves. Sounds a bit silly but I have no prior experience with valves so the various types, sizes and thread patterns have me a little confused.

I'd like to avoid buying the wrong ones! Can anyone let me know the right pair for to replace the 2 that came with the Chronical?

The one previously linked in Ebay (a few pages ago) appeared to have a triclover on each side...so what do you get to connect a 1/2" hose or quick disconnect fitting to that?

 

[sjp770]

1.5" Triclover to 12mm barb

 

[HeavyNova]

Cheers sjp770, I think I've got my head around it now.

I just need an extra tri-clamp, gasket and a 1/2" female threaded section to fit behind the butterfly valve to easily attach a QD or whatever else...and just make sure it's all 1.5" triclover stuff.

 

[Florian]

If you're going down the route of triclover and butterfly I would stay well clear of any threads. Every fitting you need is available as triclover as well.

 

[HeavyNova]

OK, I hear what you're saying. Cheers for the advice Florian.

 

[pat_00]

Would it be silly to try no-chilling in one of these? Anybody done it?

My idea would include allowing for the shrinkage, some kind of reverse airlock or something similar.

Then you could suck out the break with the long racking arm and start fermenting.

 

[Florian]

yep. can't link to it from phone but it's post 129 on page 7.

 

[mckenry]

Would it be silly to try no-chilling in one of these? Anybody done it?

My idea would include allowing for the shrinkage, some kind of reverse airlock or something similar.

Then you could suck out the break with the long racking arm and start fermenting.

Its only silly if you cant replace the vacuum created when the liquid cools. An airlock - standard, (not reverse whatever that is) would allow air in and stop your bucket or chronical caving in due to the vacuum created as wort shrinks. There are sanitary air filters that will do the job. Still, its air getting in, which isnt the best idea. You could try to rig up a CO2 system on low to keep it positive pressure, but then you run the risk of carbonating unfermented wort. Not good for yeasties. Just no-chill in airtight plastic if you must no chill. I use the CO2 in my keg fermenter, but just give it a squirt to bump the pressure up a bit. A keg is a whole lot stronger than a bucket or chronical though. I had to chill wort down from 19 (post chiller) to 12 to pitch my lager yeast in my 17 gal chronical.
I'm thinking, as the chronical can be pressuried to 5psi and there is a relief valve built in, I might set my reg to 5psi when chilling next time, just to keep the headspace at neutral pressure.

 

[Florian]

also, no need to rack out trub via racking arm, just dump through your bottom valve, that's what it's there for.

 

[pat_00]

I was thinking of the brew bucket, no the chronical.

Yeah a sanitary air filter was what I was thinking. Just trying to eliminate plastic where I can in the brewing process.

As soon as we get a water tank, chilling is on the cards so maybe I'll wait.

 

[Florian]

I was thinking of the brew bucket, no the chronical.

Maybe time to split the thread up?

Maybe leave all brew bucket posts here and move the Chronical stuff to here: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/79956-ss-brewtech-chronical-7-gallon-conical-fermenter/

Happy to supply a list with post numbers to be moved to the other thread if that helps.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

For those contemplating the change of ball valve to a butterfly valve please look at an exploded view of the butterfly first.
You will see there is just as much potential for it to harbor bacteria as a ball valve, as with any valve its how you clean the product that counts.
I have worked professionally with both and can not say I have had more problems with one or the other.
Save your money and spend it on good cleaning and sanitising products.
NeV

 

[Newerabrewing]

Hi All

I Have to agree with Nev on the above it is entirely up to the individual regarding the ball vs butterfly I have spoken to Ss Brewtech and they have received zero issues directly relating to any of the valves supplied with either the bucket or Chronicals forums excluded. Obviously this does not mean that proper sanitation should not be carried out before and after each use. I have also supplied some of these units to both small and larger breweries as test units for recipe design and none are switching out the valves. Again entirely up to you guys and if you want to change them but there is a heap of other brewing goodies out there to spend money on.

Besides the valve differing of opinions I would be interested to hear about what improvements you think could be made to either the bucket or the chronicals I have several small beer related prizes for the top five ideas on what we could do better.

 

[Camo6]

I'd love to see a lid for the bucket with a dry hopping port. I'm currently stacking mine and it's a pain shifting them around to take a lid off.

 

[Florian]

Besides the valve differing of opinions I would be interested to hear about what improvements you think could be made to either the bucket or the chronicals I have several small beer related prizes for the top five ideas on what we could do better.

Extendable legs. Some sort of legs that can be pushed into each other or extended out and then locked with a pin or similar.
Helps people with small fridges as they can bring the bottom valve right down to the floor, and also helps if you want your fermenter to sit higher for easier gravity transfer or to add extra valves and other connections.

Something similar to this:

 

[lukencode]

Brewbuckets would be even more awesome with:

- themowell
- metric markings
- bigger pickup tube
- some sort of hatch to dry hop though

 

[Newerabrewing]

Brewbuckets would be even more awesome with:

- themowell
- metric markings
- bigger pickup tube
- some sort of hatch to dry hop though

Good one
I think at least two of these might be in future revisions

 

[Newerabrewing]

Extendable legs. Some sort of legs that can be pushed into each other or extended out and then locked with a pin or similar.
Helps people with small fridges as they can bring the bottom valve right down to the floor, and also helps if you want your fermenter to sit higher for easier gravity transfer or to add extra valves and other connections.

Something similar to this:

21B79fFPAuL.jpg

Mmm that's an interesting one there is definatly something like this on the books for 2015 but not sure if its going to reduce the height any its more for boosting.