Fermzilla

[BrewsWayne]

I have 2) 27L fully fitted FermZillas in constant use. I have recently picked up a 55L that will be plumbed into the glycol system shortly.

The thing I like the most about the FermZilla is the collection chamber. I have plastic carb caps on all the pressure fittings. I do not get much trub into the fermenters. I use a 65L BrewZilla and the filter plates do their job very well.

I do have full temperature control on the fermenters and that helps with yeast dumps and dry hop removal.

I use an iSpindel to monitor temperatures and gravity. After gravity is stable, I drop the temp to 10C to remove yeast. I close the butterfly valve and reduce the pressure in the collection chamber by using a short cobra tap. I use two of the tools to remove the collection chamber. One on the butterfly valve assembly and one on the chamber. I make sure to have a bowl under the whole assembly to catch any overflow from the chamber when taken apart.

The chamber is easy to clean and sanitize.

When dry hopping, I put in the hops, put the chamber back on the FermZilla and tighten to just beyond finger tight. I injct CO2 in the chamber and then purge it 10 times. At that point I open the butterfly valve with CO2 still connected. I open the pressure relief valve on top of the FermZilla, briefly, and the hops get thoroughly mixed.

When dry hopping is finished, roughly two days, I drop the temp to 4C for 24 hours. I then repeat the above procedure. I finally add 8 ml of BioFine Clear and purge as above.

This results in rather clear beer that is then transferred into corney kegs with CO2.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[Joshed1]

I have both the zilla and rounder and while I was so happy with the idea of the zilla and its usefulness, I just don't use it enough to warrant it. With the extra parts I'm not crazy on having to clean it all out (the rubber seal looks like its got some yeast in there which I will need to take it all apart and clean it down. There's also more places for it to leak (even though if done up correctly it shouldn't (ie plastic caps on collection jar).

2x rounders would be better value imo. The one thing the zilla has been useful for is yeast collecting though. Buy extra collection jars, unscrew and cap after brew and throw it in the fridge. To be fair though if you just tipped out the yeast after a brew into a jar it would do the same thing.

 

[Mikeyr]

More than happy with mine, wouldn't get 2 all rounders in my fermentation fridge so easy decision.

I like Gashes trick of closing the valve and leaving the yeast slurry in, cleaning the top, reloading and letting it lose! Yeah i know all about over pitching and don't need any coaching. Brilliant so far for similar and increasingly "bigger" brews. In fact did a RIS with a scoop of yeast out of the top of the collection jar and went like a train. As good as any starter.

Cleaning doesn't seem that hard, can get the hose nozzle in to "jet out" the yeast that i agree seems to creep into that seal. Version 3 might be on the cards to sort that, my only real complaint.

Touch wood and wishing i didn't say this but 15+ brews in, not had any "poor cleaning" issues with the output.

 

[Teebs]

First off is pressure or not, you've chosen pressure (zilla or rounder) cool so now all that's left is yeast/trub removal, ideally you wont have much trub in your wort (should be back in the kettle) or non if you're using extracts or FWK's but you can always rack under pressure to another vessel, dry hop is easy using magnets and probably better than using the zilla's bottle from an oxy perspective, so what's left? Yeast! Collecting removing etc. Not all the yeast settles into the bottle of the zilla there is a lot sitting on the cone sides, so separation of settled yeast and beer requires racking, we're left with collection, and yep the zilla does a great job of that, you can of course swirl the rounder after it's been emptied but it's messier and not as sanitary. The zilla is 27L the rounder 30L, my preference would be 35L but I make a lot of high gravity stuff, both require the purchase of the pressure kit. One last point is sexy, the zilla is and the rounder isn't, but at $140 and $70 respectively is one super model better than two plain Janes? If I could trade my zilla for two rounders I would, but then I've never been much on super models, way too temperamental, and high maintenance, bit like the zilla really My 2 bobs worth.

Also, I’m pretty sure I could fit two all rounders in my fermentation fridge. No chance with the Fermzilla

 

[pauly]

I have both the all rounder and the FZ. I bought the AR for doing kit cider for the missus, however I have also used it with some pale ales since.

The AR is very very easy to clean, less things can go wrong, it fits in my fridge easier to cold crash. The FZ takes me the evening to clean if I am disassembling and soaking it, whereas the AR will be done in 30 mins with maybe 10 mins actual attention to it and the rest soaking.

I thought I would re-pitch the yeast from the FZ but in practice I never have and I am not sure it's worth the time for me, for a few dollars. Reinserting the collection jar in the FZ to dry hop is a pain, also if you have just cleaned it and sanatised it then the hops stick to the inside. Really it's only a few minutes of messing, but I really can do without it.

Realistically if I am feeling lazy I can get a brew on with a FWK in the AR in about 10 minutes, 5 mins for a dry hop through the top, 20 mins to do the pressure transfer to a keg, then 30 mins cleanup. It can make a nice keg of beer with an hour of effort. If I am really pressed for time then I will dump the hops in at pitch and re-use the existing keg without cleaning it!

I am currently doing a hazy pale with a double dry hop. I have always dumped after the first dry hop as I was not comfortable keeping the hops in there for so long, however I am trying it in the AR this time. If it does not taste like a mown lawn then I probably will put the FZ in the attic and only use the AR.

I think if you are a perfectionist then the FZ gives you a lot more options, if you are pragmatic or lazy then the AR is great

 

[Grmblz]

@pauly don't forget the magnet method for your dry hopping, it's great for dropping the hops after high krausen but can also be used to pull the hops up out of the beer.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Funny how times have changed, when I posted up about the snubnose and the outcry from Keg Land and other forumites in March 2019 how it can't work, what a bad idea. It is now an accepted method. Yes so easy to use, so easy to dry hop so easy to clean, nothing to do with laziness just a matter of cutting out unnecessary work. And you can still be a perfectionist.
Keep the trub out using a KK helix, all that goes into the fermenter is clear wort, obviously it will have cold break which will only materialise at about 4 C .


Clear beer into fermenter, clear beer in to the glass, no finings needed.

 

[S.E]

Funny how times have changed, when I posted up about the snubnose and the outcry from Keg Land and other forumites in March 2019 how it can't work, what a bad idea. It is now an accepted method.

Hi WEAL, yes how times have changed indeed. Not so many years ago we were all perfectly happy fermenting in buckets, simple HDPE fermenters and cubes or SS kegs if we wanted to go a bit upmarket.

These days it seems almost compulsory to be fermenting in PET and under pressure for some reason.

I often re pitch yeast directly from one brew to the next so I really liked the idea of the PET conical when they came out and had thought of getting a couple but as they were only about 30L I would have also needed a second fermenting fridge as I never brew less than 50L.

By the time the larger ones were available people were reporting problems with the dump valves etc so it hardly seemed worthwhile as the fermenters I have been using for over 10 years are still going strong with no issues.

The only criticisms I recall with the snub nose was it incorporated a cone without a dump valve so the cone was completely redundant and just made the fermenter an unnecessarily awkward shape to fit in a fridge.

The updated designs with the round and flat bottoms look a much better idea. However I don’t really see much if any advantage to them over fermenting in cubes or kegs.

What am I missing here WEAL apart from lack of a dump valve on a conical fermenter what was supposed to be the bad idea with them?

And what is this new accepted method you speak of that these now offer.

Cheers Sean

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Hi WEAL, yes how times have changed indeed. Not so many years ago we were all perfectly happy fermenting in buckets, simple HDPE fermenters and cubes or SS kegs if we wanted to go a bit upmarket.

These days it seems almost compulsory to be fermenting in PET and under pressure for some reason.

I often re pitch yeast directly from one brew to the next so I really liked the idea of the PET conical when they came out and had thought of getting a couple but as they were only about 30L I would have also needed a second fermenting fridge as I never brew less than 50L.

By the time the larger ones were available people were reporting problems with the dump valves etc so it hardly seemed worthwhile as the fermenters I have been using for over 10 years are still going strong with no issues.

The only criticisms I recall with the snub nose was it incorporated a cone without a dump valve so the cone was completely redundant and just made the fermenter an unnecessarily awkward shape to fit in a fridge.

The updated designs with the round and flat bottoms look a much better idea. However I don’t really see much if any advantage to them over fermenting in cubes or kegs.

What am I missing here WEAL apart from lack of a dump valve on a conical fermenter what was supposed to be the bad idea with them?

And what is this new accepted method you speak of that these now offer.

Cheers Sean

Hi Sean, I put taps on my Snub nose, the cheap taps I put on also has another fitting as an extra, which in effect is similar to a racking arm. So while I am fermenting in one snub nose, I am purging the second Snubnose with venting CO2 which my dry hops are sitting in waiting for the transfer to the secondary.

I can transfer tap to tap without any extra gas needed, round and flat bottoms that can't be done, it has to be a pressure transfer.
I can, and have done exactly the same in cubes, you are right it can be done, not every one can fit barbed fittings in the top of the cube though. As you may well remember even that caused controversy when you first mentioned fermenting in cubes some years ago

For an off the shelf item for me the Snubby works well as seen in the posts above others are finding the round and flat bottom fermenters are working for them, so with all that has been sold, flat bottom and cone that is what I am meaning by it is now an accepted method since the hoo ha when I first posted the Snubby in March 2019.

 

[Grmblz]

The elephant in the room is top opening size and distance to bottom, snub v all rounder, having said that you do have a point.

 

[Hangover68]

With the various all in one fermenter/kegs available, if you are serving from them is there is a time limit ? IE if i am the only beer drinker will it spoil before i finished it ? - this is applicable to kegs as well.

 

[S.E]

Hi Sean, I put taps on my Snub nose, the cheap taps I put on also has another fitting as an extra, which in effect is similar to a racking arm. So while I am fermenting in one snub nose, I am purging the second Snubnose with venting CO2 which my dry hops are sitting in waiting for the transfer to the secondary.
View attachment 118037
I can transfer tap to tap without any extra gas needed, round and flat bottoms that can't be done, it has to be a pressure transfer.
I can, and have done exactly the same in cubes, you are right it can be done, not every one can fit barbed fittings in the top of the cube though. As you may well remember even that caused controversy when you first mentioned fermenting in cubes some years ago
View attachment 118038
For an off the shelf item for me the Snubby works well as seen in the posts above others are finding the round and flat bottom fermenters are working for them, so with all that has been sold, flat bottom and cone that is what I am meaning by it is now an accepted method since the hoo ha when I first posted the Snubby in March 2019.

I see what you’re saying but don’t understand why you couldn’t fit taps for tap to tap transfer in the round or flat bottom?

As you say we were doing closed loop gravity transfers in cubes years ago, surely if someone could drill a hole and fit a tap to a snub nose they would be able fit a barb to a cube cap? Actually all as I ever did was drill a hole in the cube cap and fit an airlock grommet to plug the gas tube in to using 10mm tube with the bottom piece of an old airlock cut off and pushed in to it.

I didn’t cause controversy with fermenting in cubes that was pretty common the controversy was using cubes as casks as it was suggested they would somehow explode.

To be fair it was only a couple members that made ridiculous comments and got abusive with me over cube casks.

I was told by mods at the time that though not always appreciated it was sometimes overlooked when some long established members caused mayhem and chaos and even made personal attacks as it created extra interest and entertainment for some folk.

I suspect that is why the KK KL war is allowed to play out on here as it creates interest and long threads in a controlled manner when folk get bored with discussing brewing.

Have you noticed that apart from those threads how smoothly the forum runs these days? Little or no personal attacks and relatively new members can post an opinion without being abused.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The bottom part of the cone on the Snubby is a lot thicker to allow a tap to be fitted, I am not sure the flat bottom or all rounder can accommodate that.
That's right it was in one of the beer engine threads the pandemonium broke out, even worse when you consider how little pressure there is in a cask. Wasn't one of the antagonist a mod at the time?
True about it being a smoother running forum, can never see any point in personal attacks on any forum, not like you can go into the car park and sort it out.

 

[CKK]

The bottom part of the cone on the Snubby is a lot thicker to allow a tap to be fitted, I am not sure the flat bottom or all rounder can accommodate that.
That's right it was in one of the beer engine threads the pandemonium broke out, even worse when you consider how little pressure there is in a cask. Wasn't one of the antagonist a mod at the time?
True about it being a smoother running forum, can never see any point in personal attacks on any forum, not like you can go into the car park and sort it out.

Keg King was not allowed to come on to this site for nearly two years through no fault of its own. It had to rely on others to stick up for it whilst it had buckets tipped over it. Thankfully we are now able to be here and be part of the brewing community and help out with answers about our kit. You can drill into the snubby but be mindful that it voids the pressure rating and we don't recommend it. Better to get the gen 3 and attach what you need to the adaptor on the bottom of the plunger valve. Comes with a barbed spigot too.

 

[Trippinonprozac]

Sounds like the AR is the way to go for me. I don’t think the issue that come with the extra features in the zilla is worth it yet.

Apologies in advance. When dry hopping using the magnet method, are you guys dropping in primary, leaving your hops exposed to ferm temps? If hopping in secondary do you cold crash before or after transfer?

I’m thinking ferment, crash, transfer dry hop. Transfer to Keg and fine. ??

HELP!

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Sounds like the AR is the way to go for me. I don’t think the issue that come with the extra features in the zilla is worth it yet.

Apologies in advance. When dry hopping using the magnet method, are you guys dropping in primary, leaving your hops exposed to ferm temps? If hopping in secondary do you cold crash before or after transfer?

I’m thinking ferment, crash, transfer dry hop. Transfer to Keg and fine. ??

HELP!

Transfer to secondary when there are a couple of points left to go, either use magnets or have the hops in secondary ready and waiting. Cold crash when finished, if you are going to use finings, fine when its cold, 2 to 3 days at -1 to 2 C when everything has dropped out transfer to keg.
Two things to remember, shrinkage. Finings can strip flavour and colour.

 

[Edward Rowe]

Keg King was not allowed to come on to this site for nearly two years through no fault of its own. It had to rely on others to stick up for it whilst it had buckets tipped over it. Thankfully we are now able to be here and be part of the brewing community and help out with answers about our kit. You can drill into the snubby but be mindful that it voids the pressure rating and we don't recommend it. Better to get the gen 3 and attach what you need to the adaptor on the bottom of the plunger valve. Comes with a barbed spigot too.

This is a thread for the Fermzilla. Which is a Kegland thread. Much like Kegland shouldn't be in your threads, stay out of ones relating to their products with your bullshit.

OR, if you do, farking start a new account and ohh I don't know, call your self Will or Maggie, or whoever are and join the rest of us away from your work account and then use your work account for work purposes so you don't seem like a childish brat.

And before you get all antsy pantsy, this should also apply to Kegland. If admin had any hopes and desires for this forum then they would make you segregate your personal rambling attacks from your business accounts to your personal accounts.

 

[awfulknauful]

This is a thread for the Fermzilla. Which is a Kegland thread. Much like Kegland shouldn't be in your threads, stay out of ones relating to their products with your bullshit.

OR, if you do, farking start a new account and ohh I don't know, call your self Will or Maggie, or whoever are and join the rest of us away from your work account and then use your work account for work purposes so you don't seem like a childish brat.

And before you get all antsy pantsy, this should also apply to Kegland. If admin had any hopes and desires for this forum then they would make you segregate your personal rambling attacks from your business accounts to your personal accounts.

Sorry sport this isn't a Keg Land thread so anyone can post, looks to me like he was answering a post about the void pressure rating of the snub nose fermenter when a tap is fitted.
Check out face book accounts around the world if you want info on the FermZilla, should be withdrawn from sale. Glad I am not using mine as a pressure fermenting vessel.
The first 2 pics a shard of the collection bottle struck the user in the throat drawing blood lucky it wasn't an eye.

Loads more on the internet.

 

[Edward Rowe]

I stand by my comments.

Also the title of the thread is Fermzilla, so it kind of is a Kegland thread. It's not "Pressure Fermenting Vessels"

And I got one of the first Fermzilla, pressure fermented, normal fermented, and it's been fine. You only hear about the things that go wrong, which make it seem like they are all going pear shaped.

 

[awfulknauful]

I stand by my comments.

Also the title of the thread is Fermzilla, so it kind of is a Kegland thread. It's not "Pressure Fermenting Vessels"

And I got one of the first Fermzilla, pressure fermented, normal fermented, and it's been fine. You only hear about the things that go wrong, which make it seem like they are all going pear shaped.

I got one of the first ones too big dent and stress fractures, just because it says Fermzilla doesn't mean only those with Fermzilla can reply. Its not only those that can't take pressure there are loads of folk who can't get the Fermzilla to hold pressure.