Brewtech SS fermenting vessels discussion thread

[TidalPete]

Getting a little battered here so apologies if some pics of Sav's Big (conical) Brewday present sideways.
So jealous but everything's

 

[Florian]

Nice one sav! Hope you gave those ball locks a good clean beforehand though.

Delivery on that sanitary sample valve was just under two weeks, but better to expect 3 and a half and then be pleasantly surprised if it comes earlier. Not that you could change it over half way through ferment anyway.

 

[Fat Bastard]

I think I read a while back about someone having problems with pressure transfers.

Well I am too. My 7 gal wouldn't hold enough pressure to initiate the transfer ( fermenter higher than the keg, transferred via 8mm OD beer line) and would leak gas pretty much from the get-go. Pressure was so low it wouldn't register on the regulator. I eventually fixed it by wedging bottle caps under the clamp wires, which of course bent the ******* out of them (caps and wires) and even then would only hold around 1.5 PSI, which seemed adequate for the transfer. I've now re-bent the wire clamps to provide more force, although it remains to be seen if this will be adequate.

I'm currently using a sample valve similar to what I've seen Florian using with a modified racking arm (3/8 SS) and try to transfer via the beer out post on the keg so I knew I'd need some gas once the head of pressure got too low to let it flow under gravity, but it would have been nice to not have to frig around with the clamps to make it happen.

New design seal in the offing yet?

 

[sluggerdog]

Howdy,

I've just received my brewmaster bucket and have an APA fermenting away nicely at the moment. I was wondering if because of the Stainless fermenter, racking arm and cone bottom that maybe I could skip adding gelatine to my kegging process?

My existing process is as follows:

- Ferment for 10 days
- Cold crash for 4 days
- Keg with gelatine
- Force Carb
- The beer is ok that day but within a week it's bright clear

I was hoping from what I have read I may be able to do this now:

- Ferment for 10 days
- Cold crash for 4 days
- Keg, no gelatine (the stainless fermenter (previously plastic) + racking arm helps with removing the yeast I would normally get and have gelatine remove)
- Force Carb and enjoy


Anyone else noticed they can skip finings / gelatine since going to a brewbucket / conical etc?

Thanks

 

[blekk]

I think I read a while back about someone having problems with pressure transfers.

Well I am too. My 7 gal wouldn't hold enough pressure to initiate the transfer ( fermenter higher than the keg, transferred via 8mm OD beer line) and would leak gas pretty much from the get-go. Pressure was so low it wouldn't register on the regulator. I eventually fixed it by wedging bottle caps under the clamp wires, which of course bent the ******* out of them (caps and wires) and even then would only hold around 1.5 PSI, which seemed adequate for the transfer. I've now re-bent the wire clamps to provide more force, although it remains to be seen if this will be adequate.

I'm currently using a sample valve similar to what I've seen Florian using with a modified racking arm (3/8 SS) and try to transfer via the beer out post on the keg so I knew I'd need some gas once the head of pressure got too low to let it flow under gravity, but it would have been nice to not have to frig around with the clamps to make it happen.

New design seal in the offing yet?

That was me FB. Not transferring under pressure but fermenting under pressure. I was only able to hold 1.2psi and when pushing gently (clamping down) on the lid around the edge I could hear gas escaping from the seal, then when fermentation started to slow pressure dropped back to 0.

I was thinking perhaps a drum clamp would work but there doesn't seem to be enough of a lip around the body to clamp down on. I'm going to see if some Food Lube will help the situation next brew but I doubt it.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Yeah, I don't think food lube will cut it. What it really needs is better clamps that can provide useful force, and/or a fatter seal. I know where I can get a food grade silicone seal made locally, but their prices are eye-wateringly expensive. I might enquire to see how much it will cost to make a few up if it's not stupidly expensive.

 

[Florian]

My seal seems to hold up well, not that I have paid particular attention to it though, but increasing pressure did also lead to increased transfer speed, even when pushing the beer through a filter, so it seems to be all good.

have you tried turning your fermenter upside down when cleaning (with a triclover end cap or bung attached to the lid port)? I know that mine doesn't leek that way, although this doesn't really resemble a pressure situation, but if your leaks than that's a dead giveaway that something is not right.

If you are convinced that you don't get a decent seal then I would contact your retailer and see what they say, it might just be a matter of exchanging the seal.

As for making one yourself, possible, I recently played around with RTV-2 silicone on another project, and since I had a little left over I made a triclover seal by filling the liquid silicone between two end caps. The trick in your case is to obviously get a got enough cast which even with some alginate might be a bit difficult to achieve as you need a correctly sized seal to begin with. Plus, the RTV-2 silicone seems to be hellishly expensive here in Australia (prob why the place you know is expensive too). I ended up sourcing mine from Germany from silikonfabrik.de for about half the price delivered.

All a bit too much hassle for a fermenter seal really, I would just contact the retailer or distributor and go from there. They are advertised to hold up to 5 psi after all.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Yeah, I think that ideally the manufacturer should come to the party with a thicker seal, but as pressurised ferments and transfers are relatively esoteric at the cheaper end of the market, the vast majority of purchasers will be happy with the way it works as-is. The guys I know do all manner of silicone extrusion and I'm hoping that they'll have something off the shelf that can be obtained by the metre and joined with CA (super glue) type adhesive. We use similar methods at work to make similar, but larger seals. Given that we just bought 6m of pharma grade 3/4 polyester reinforced silicone tube for about $1500, it ain't going to be cheap.

 

[mckenry]

Yeah, I think that ideally the manufacturer should come to the party with a thicker seal.

I'd buy one. Mine loses pressure when transferring. Hard to get all the beer through the filter.
Would a second same sized seal, seal properly? Or would they just kink on each other?

 

[Camo6]

What about shimming the top of the lid with a ring of plastic or steel? Similar to your bottle cap trick FB but would spread the load a bit.

 

[hotmelt]

What about pulling a vacuum through the gas post.

 

[Black n Tan]

SS Brewtech claim that "If you plan to do pressurized transfers from your ChronicalTM fermenter, be sure NOT TO EXCEED 5PSI. Pressures beyond 5 psi are both dangerous and potentially damaging to your fermenter." I therefore think it is reasonable to assume that the SS conical should hold pressure to 5psi. If it does't take it up with the retailer.

I almost purchase an SS conical, but in the end went with a stout tank, for three reasons: 1/ it had more head space and 2/ I was worried that the latch design of the SS con would be inferior to the ring clamp, although I do fight with my ring clamp on occasions 3/ I was lucky enough to be offered a Stout Tank at the same price as the SS conical (sorry guys these were the last ones from someones bulk order). Stout Tanks claim that there tanks can handle 4psi for transfer. I recently contacted them to see if it was possible to pressure ferment in them or pressure cold crash at 4psi, and they thought it would hold pressure but no-one had tried it. I gave it a go and it worked fine, no leaks over 7 days at 4psi. That said Stout Tank usually retail for almost double the SS conical in this country, so I think the SS conicals offer good value for money, but if they make a claim they should be held to it.

 

[mckenry]

yep, i reckon mine starts to leak at about 2psi. Hard to tell on the gauge though as I imaging the accuracy isnt great. Its below 5 though.

 

[Weizguy]

Righty O. Pitched my first batch into the new brewbucket. Had a bit of over flow from the aeration of the wort, tipped it in as per normal. Waited for the foam to dissipate before pitching the yeast. Nervous times I tell ya.

Anyone keen to share how they do it without spilling foam everywhere?

Decrease batch size

 

[Dan Pratt]

My SS brewbucket arrived and is going under the Xmas tree.......come on Christmas Day! :super:

 

[Feldon]

My SS brewbucket arrived and is going under the Xmas tree.......come on Christmas Day! :super:

Christmas trees are full of wild yeast. Then there's that grubby old bloke in a red suit and a filthy white beard full of biscuit crumbs who'll have his hands all over it on Chrissy Eve.

Better open it now and start using it before it becomes contaminated.

 

[Weizguy]

My SS brewbucket arrived and is going under the Xmas tree.......come on Christmas Day! :super:

Is it a glycol-cooled Christmas tree?

 

[Dan Pratt]

Is it a glycol-cooled Christmas tree?

my wife is quite accepting of my hobby but to have a glycol-cooled tree would require some in depth conversation........

 

[blekk]

Put another batch down yesterday and had a play with the spunding valve today. Managed to hold a stable 4psi with a little bleed on the valve.

 

[blekk]

Quick question for all you chronical owners. Are your clamp and clamp wires tight when closed on the lid? When my lid is locked down I have some slack in the clamp and clamp wire.