Keg King S/Steel Uni tank

[wide eyed and legless]

Carrying on from the Guten thread it seems only apt to start another thread for those interested in a s/steel fermenter the KK Uni Tank will be in stock this week, changes made to the sample is the 1/2" BSP dump valve will now be 3/4" BSP. The glycol cooling system I believe is being replaced and pressure lids will be made available at a later date.

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I was just telling my mate about these the other day but thought they would be a while off.
What is the total volume?
Can they take much pressure?
Is the angle of the cone sufficient?

 

[devoutharpist]

posting for interest. currently looking to upgrade from the classic plastic fermenters. From what i have seen these would be 30L?

Tossing up between an SS brew bucket, a kegmenter or a fermentasurus. But this could definitely be a goer, especially if the pressure lid isn't too far off. Anyone got any details on the pressure lid? I assume it is just a lid with some posts on it?

Not too sure if i really need a glycol coil in there though..

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thirty litres is the volume, it has got a silicone seal and looking at similar models should easily handle 15 PSI, the angle is sufficient and the whole body has a slight taper.

 

[brewermp]

Do you have a link WEAL?

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I thought the magic angle was 60° or something? Which is why the Fermentasaurus ended up so tall.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I thought the magic angle was 60° or something? Which is why the Fermentasaurus ended up so tall.

So it is,but that collection cone will fill with yeast and as I said the sides are at a slight angle also. I was concerned about the stability but thinking about it when full it will be fine.

Do you have a link WEAL?

I will imagine when the fermenters come in (today) it won't be long before they put up photos and maybe a video on their website and Facebook.
Seems we are being spoiled with fermenters, the Snubnose, 2 new Fermzillas from KL, another new Fermentasaurus from KK and this s/steel Uni tank from KK.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

Hopefully those ball valves can be easily changed. I'm not a fan of them on the hot side of things let alone the fermentation side. With that small dump pipe coming out of the bottom the only option might be a 3 piece ball valve, at least that can be dismantled to be cleaned.

 

[malt and barley blues]

I think if you want to go up to a more sanitary unit the Chronical is the way to go but about $700 more and it still has the same sanitary ball valve in the sampling port. Given the cost of this one it represents good value for money, I had been using the bog standard Bunnings plastic taps for years without any infection.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

It will always be a case of you get what you pay for, but it does look value for money, even though I am more than happy with the $75 Snubby.

 

[Reg Holt]

I think any one who is worried about infections from the sanitary ball valves could just take them off each time give them a clean and sanitise, or do as I do with the Snubnose, if they are going to come with a pressure kit pressure transfer into the keg and plug up the ports for dumping and draining.
Another advantage is top cropping the yeast, which is a little more tricky with the Snubnose.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

Ball valves that don't come apart can't be cleaned properly. There used to be a thread here from Tony who had a infection problem, couldn't find the problem for nearly a year. Finally cut one of the ball valves open and it was full of black stinky sludge. This was after running caustic, pbw and other cleaners through the system.

At least a 3 piece ball can be pulled apart to be cleaned but the best option is a butterfly valve but you need a decent diameter to be a dump valve so it won't block.

 

[Reg Holt]

Ball valves that don't come apart can't be cleaned properly. There used to be a thread here from Tony who had a infection problem, couldn't find the problem for nearly a year. Finally cut one of the ball valves open and it was full of black stinky sludge. This was after running caustic, pbw and other cleaners through the system.

At least a 3 piece ball can be pulled apart to be cleaned but the best option is a butterfly valve but you need a decent diameter to be a dump valve so it won't block.

You have to look at things with a more critical eye, I wouldn't be reading a thread about one brewer and his dirty ball valve to make me change my modus operandi, and that probably goes for hundreds of thousands of brewers who use ball valves. For me I would be thinking what his cleaning regime was like during the lifetime of that ball valve, not very sanitary I would say.
I use them on the hot and cold side, and for both it is customary to take out, inspect and clean intermittently, especially if it has a retaining nut and washer on the liquor side, over the years have never found them to be wanting much of a scrub, ball valves are one of the least things I would worry about.

 

[dkril]

A couple of years ago I pulled my valves apart while i was rearranging some plumbing. Not a speck in any of them after a decade of all-grain brewing (OK, on the HLT valve that shouldn't be a surprise ).

One problem is that people use these valves in ways they are not designed to be used. Ball valves are not meant to be used for throttling flow -- they should be either fully open or fully closed. Most ball valves use disc shaped seals to form a seal around each end of the ball, rather than something that will both seal, and completely fill the space around the ball. As a result, a standard ball valve has hidden recesses where crap can collect, especially if it is used in a halfway position.

Use a type of valve that is designed to be used for throttling flow, like a butterfly or globe valve.

 

[Truman42]

Ive considered buying a stainless conical fermenter for years but still havent had anyone convince me that the beer quality is that much better when compared to úsing a plastic standard fermenter and cold crashing.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Ive considered buying a stainless conical fermenter for years but still havent had anyone convince me that the beer quality is that much better when compared to úsing a plastic standard fermenter and cold crashing.

Doesn't make beer any better and it would be impossible to distinguish a beer fermented in plastic as to stainless steel. I would say the only advantage is it's longer lifespan. I was thinking about getting a couple when I first saw the sample in KK, but the Snubby came out so I got those which suit me just as well being economical and fitting in the fridge.

A couple of years ago I pulled my valves apart while i was rearranging some plumbing. Not a speck in any of them after a decade of all-grain brewing (OK, on the HLT valve that shouldn't be a surprise ).

One problem is that people use these valves in ways they are not designed to be used. Ball valves are not meant to be used for throttling flow -- they should be either fully open or fully closed. Most ball valves use disc shaped seals to form a seal around each end of the ball, rather than something that will both seal, and completely fill the space around the ball. As a result, a standard ball valve has hidden recesses where crap can collect, especially if it is used in a halfway position.

Use a type of valve that is designed to be used for throttling flow, like a butterfly or globe valve.

The reason I put an 8 mm reducer in the pick up tube, to get a slower flow from the kettle without having to throttle.

 

[Truman42]

Doesn't make beer any better and it would be impossible to distinguish a beer fermented in plastic as to stainless steel. I would say the only advantage is it's longer lifespan. I was thinking about getting a couple when I first saw the sample in KK, but the Snubby came out so I got those which suit me just as well being economical and fitting in the fridge.

I was just checking out the snubby on their website. So do you carbonate and serve from this fermenter? Or do you just use it to ferment and then transfer to a keg?

 

[Reg Holt]

Nothing to stop you carbonating and serving straight from the snubby or transferring to a keg. Quite a lot of posts on the later end of the KK Fermentasaurus conical Pet fermenter thread.

 

[Meddo]

Looks like an interesting alternative to the brew bucket, but don't think you can call it a "unitank" until/unless it actually comes with a pressure lid.

The lack of a dump valve is the biggest issue with the brew bucket to my own personal taste, it's good to see an alternative with that feature. 3/8" threaded fittings is a concern though - small and unsanitary, compounded by the ball valve. A simple 1.5" tri clamp port would be spot on, as would a half-batch sized version.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

One of the good things about this fermenter it does come with the option of the pressure or none pressure lid. For a price point of under $200 not a bad purchase, the other option is to wait for the KK Fermentasaurus 2.
As Truman42 asked, does a s/steel fermenter make a better quality beer than a $35 plastic fermenter with a plastic tap?