Fermenters...why Cylinders?

[buttersd70]

Hey Carbonator

Did you and Randy steal that fermenter from Crab Man?

:lol:

 

[Carbonator]

Hey Carbonator

Did you and Randy steal that fermenter from Crab Man?

:lol:

It was an early mornin rade! Heaps more there! :icon_cheers:

 

[Kai]

I have fermented in plastic cubes plenty of times in the past, no real difference to a 30L fermenter. Also just as easy (or even easier) to clean. Either fill with napisan or bleach solution and leave for a day or fill with a few litres of hot caustic and shake the bejeezus out of it. I really don't think fermentation dynamics or cost of manufacture come into play with 30L plastic fermenters.

 

[dig]

These Nalgene carboys make great fermenters for use in the fridge. HDPE plastic, quality spigot, autoclaveable.

 

[reviled]

Shit... I just realised that two of those blue-style jerry cans would fit in my tiny fridge. Thanks!

+1, we just upgraded our small food fridge to a normal one, and I was gutted cos its too small to fit a 30 litre fermenter, but a 20litre jerry can, or two of em... Perfect :icon_cheers: Cheers

 

[Polar Beer]

I have fermented in plastic cubes plenty of times in the past, no real difference to a 30L fermenter. Also just as easy (or even easier) to clean. Either fill with napisan or bleach solution and leave for a day or fill with a few litres of hot caustic and shake the bejeezus out of it. I really don't think fermentation dynamics or cost of manufacture come into play with 30L plastic fermenters.

Thats the way I clean my No Chill cubes Kai and it works a treat.

So far I haven't read any compelling reason to stick with cylinders. In fact, most posts here suggest box shapes wont make any difference at all to a 30L fermentation. Some of these jerry cans are even cheaper then purpose built fermenters.
Granted, some black cylinder fermenters do have impressive old skool graphics of hairy bikers on them. But I couldn't give a flying flat fosters about that.

Last I looked 99% of fridges were square. Why have I been putting a round peg in a square hole all this time? Is this just a case of copying the bigger boys?

 

[Fermented]

• If round fermenters are 'rolled' would it not be easier to injection mold them?

The pail types are injection moulded and the carboy type (screw-on lid type) are blow moulded (ie injection mould the slug, blow mould the slug for the finished product). The lids are both injection moulded.

Wall thickness in injection moulding is a constant (pretty much) set by the mould.

Wall thickness in blow moulding is less constant (more variables in the process).

And yes, I have been involved in the plastics industry far too long.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[Adamt]

In what way? Is it the depth (or lack thereof) of the fermentation or surface area that affects the profile more?

Mainly for bottom fermenting lager yeasts (which accounts for a massive majority of commercially produced beer):

Too tall and you can get issues such as wort concentration by buoyancy at the bottom of the FV and higher hydrostatic pressure stressing the yeast. I remember reading something in Briggs (Brewing Science and Practice) about the formation of higher alcohols being favoured with a too-tall FV.

Too short and wide and you have temperature profile problems; industrial FV's are cooled via jackets, too wide and you don't have adequate heat transfer.

There's a couple of pages on the subject in Briggs but I can't be bothered fishing it out!

Cheers
Adam

 

[Polar Beer]

Well, I took my thinking out loud (re: expanding the box fermenter idea, to an upside down obelisk shaped wanna-be conical) to the next stage. Spoke to a food and beverage vessel fabrication co. (withholding name as I am related to one of the partners)

He knew all about the 60 degree incline on cones etc. Basically, yes - cones add big time to the cost. But using an inverted pyramid "transition" piece may not be suitable.
Firstly, the corners will create friction & drag. This will impact the journey of the yeast to the bottom of the vessel. Maybe prohibitively so. Certainly not something a commercial brewer would entertain.
Secondly, the corners would need to be polished to food grade. This ads costs not required in cones.

I asked if all this is still relevant when talking about HB scale brewing. Advice was, he couldn't see why not.

Good news for me though. Looks like I'll be getting a conical. Just need to wait around for the right pieces of surplus/unwanted items to surface in the factory. :super:

Still, the obelisk idea is keeping me thinking. Might push for a price comparison out of curiosity.