Kegmenter. Are they good to use?

[MastersBrewery]

The whole pressure thing reduces esters thrown at higher temps (off flavours) this is for any yeast. Word of caution to high pressure and you'll crush your yeast . But ale @ 15psi@ 26c should be clean as. D rest is important. 10 days grain to brain. As stated earlier google and forum search will serve you well can't link from the phone sorry.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

So to report and answer my own question. Are they good to use? You Betcha!! I cant believe how good this is. It does produce beer much faster like many would mention. The first beer I made was a hoppy Pale Ale between APA/IPA thing. Set the fridge for 18c like normal. It hissed away at 15psi for 4 days while I nudged up the temperature 1c per day after the 3rd day. To get a sample I just used a beerline disconnect with 80cm hose into a jug. Just click on and let some into the jug to let it decarbonate for a hydrometer test (and taste test wow) it seems ready!
On 7th day I set the fridge at 1c to chill for ~ 36hours. Best to chill before transfer. Maybe not necessary I'm not too sure. So the beer was around 5c for transfer. I know some just leave it in the keg and drink it off the yeast cake. I rather transfer off the yeast cake into 2 X 19lt kegs.




As simple as: Purge the receiving keg with co2 (as normal). Remove spunding valve from kegmenter and connecting co2 bottle set at 10psi to the gas post. Connecting jumper lead from beer post to beer post. Click on the spunding valve to the receiving keg gas post and set it to 7psi. The beer slowly and gently transfers from the kegmenter to the receiving keg. Now this is mostly why I chilled. Its to get a condensation line on the receiving keg just to indicate how much beer is in there otherwise I wouldn't know.


No risk of oxygenation. Fastest beer I've ever made. Very clean tasting beer even when its green. Save on Co2, and time, and steps of procedures. Just to have a Stainless Steel fermenter is good. I also did something I've never dared to do before and that is to rack my next brew onto the yeast cake. An IPA slowly dribbled onto the yeast cake and sealed and shaken. BANG! Practically instantly fermenting. So this second beer actually brewed faster than the first. It was at FG in 2 -3 days. Now its just got to wait and condition until the 19lt kegs are free again.
:beerbang:

Oh as for aerating the wort prior to fermenting. When I rack the chilled wort via silicon hose into the kegmenter with a sanitized chux rag to protect the opening I just let it dribble slowly from as high as you can so its splashing all the time into the kegmenter. Then seal and shake well for a few minutes (as I've always done). 40lt brews have at least 10lt headspace etc.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Ah. I forgot I have these polished stainless kegs that will show a condensation. They are OB kegs its what I started kegging with. As far as I have tried you cant get them anymore. Checked online as well cant find them. I don't know if there is any source? I like them.

 

[Tahoose]

The other option for extra head space is to run a gas out line from the kegmentor into the liquid post of a corny keg. And run your spunding valve on the corny.

This will store your co2 for later in the corny if you want to do that.
Also this can work as a blow off tube if you want to collect some yeast.

 

[lickapop]

I use a coke bottle with a carb cap and a beer line splitter but the corny is a good idea too. I like it.
The other option is whack the valve on after primary fermentation.

 

[MastersBrewery]

question for those with the KK jobie. does it have a thermowell?

 

[Brewsta]

Danscraftbeer, I'm guessing this a Keg King kegmenter? if so how do you find the quality? I've heard their kegs are made in China so curious on the construction, welds & machining work before parting with my dough. Also, how do you find cleaning it with the 4" opening? Apart from that they look like just what i need, thanks for your pics & informative post!

 

[rude]

I like the idea of this, have asked for a quote from a sanitary welder in Bibra Lake but no reply
Anyone know of a welder in Perth who could do the job like Likapops job
Found 6" triclamp & ferrule on Evil bay for $80
40 litres would be heavy so would have to pitch & pour cube in ferment fridge in the garage
which would make me a bit nervous :unsure: its not the cleanest place bit windy
Spose I'de try the Danscraftbeer method using sanitary chuxs rag
Also would like to oxygenate for lagers whats the best way disposeable O2 with reg & just hose into
wort do the job

 

[rude]

Ok so have got 3 quotes, all around the $400 mark

so $400 + $80 for ticlamp ferrule & blank end

Then fittings, spunding valve, gauge, themowell pipe, gas & beer out posts plus prv

Not cheap in the end

Keg King $289 delivered but only 4" hole which would be hard to clean & I'm unsure of the quality

Wish I was rich or in Townsville as I think Likapop is selling 2 for $400 but no prv

 

[lickapop]

Yes definitely not cheap. I sold those 2 yesterday which was basically a giveaway for what they cost. I just don't like seeing gear sitting there unused.
I think those keg king ones are great value. Sure they are 4in and no thermowell but in reality you don't really need to get your arm in there to clean. You get your Mrs or small child's arm in there to clean..or use a chemical and a brush on a stick.

In regards to oxygenating, I use an inline airstone after the chiller when I pump from the kettle but I have also just popped the triclamp and run an airstone in from the top too.
Both work fine.

 

[rude]

Do you use an oxygen canister & if so what type

Pricey all right but stuff it you only live once bit the bullet bought some
weld in posts , prv & will order triclamp, end cap & ferrule

Gunner save up for the job one bloke I talked to sounded like the full bottle on it
he has made stills before so gunner go with him

Bloody kids school fees killing my brewing by keeping me poor

Hope I make better beer with it :lol: never done a proper lager here comes a munich dunkel

 

[Tahoose]

I'm going to do a el cheapo ghetto version, have a spare keg at home and a coupler that does t get used very often.

Turn the keg upside down, cut the dip tube, cut a hole and install a corny keg lid in to the old "bottom". Also install a weldless gas post, this to be used for the prv.

Additional cost above what I have will be $50. Being a new corny lid, and the weldless fitting.

 

[rude]

Sh#*t commited too early to the 6" triclamp jobby

When you do it Tahoose put up some pics great idea mate

 

[Mardoo]

I picked up a couple 50L Mytton Rodds yesterday to use as fermenters. I'd assume shortening the dip tube would be in order. Anyone have any suggestions as to how much space to leave at the bottom of the keg? I was thinking 6-8cm. Guessing it might be easier to forgo dry hopping and keg hop instead.

 

[lickapop]

I shortened the dip tube. 6-8cm from the bottom sounds about right. Put it around the same height as the tap on a 50l plastic fermenter

 

[Mardoo]

Nice one. Cheers. Do you do much dry hopping in your kegmenters?

 

[siege]

Guessing it might be easier to forgo dry hopping and keg hop instead.

Im wondering about this too. As I'd like a completely closed system with sanke kegmenter and then by 19l sanke serving kegs but the issue is where to dry hop. I can't get a hop bag into the serving kegs as there is no lid. And I'd rather not keg hop with loose pellets and then have floaties in all my beers.

If you added dry hops at the beginning of fermentation in a pressure fermenter would it work out? Or is enough pressure vented through the prv that you would still lose all the aroma?

 

[lickapop]

Currently I use a blichmann hop rocket because I like the added bonus of filtering most of the trub and its great for serving as well
But I do throw in loose pallets at various stages depending on what I am making.
Never really had any dramas apart from a couple times when I had to vent the keg and clean out the liquid post. Most other times if flow is restricted when I rack off to secondary or serving keg, I give the liquid post a squirt with co2 and its all good.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I'm now set up with an O2 bottle. (without details its a price tag of ~ $350)
Ok details. $200 for the o2 bottle + $70 filled. $70 to swap and go. (swap is unknown but over a year at least or the rest of your life)
You get your $200 back for the bottle if you give it back. (doubtfull ha!)

Fermentation procedure: (chilled wort)
Purge the kegmenter with bottled o2.
Carefully drain in chilled Wort. Pitch activated yeast as to calculations.
Seal. Crank in o2 to around 4psi. (Its a note I read somewhere) So not to rely on the air around you with all its unknowns for the oxygen for your yeast.
Shake and roll that fucker like usual. Sit in its home and take a sample. Set the reg to release pressure between ~ approximately variably 5 to 17 psi?
Those variables are all good as far as I know. For 4 - 5 days. Then raise the temp 1c a day for 2 days then close the pressure release.
The finishing pressure are variable. That's ok when your kegging all the way.

Enjoying this. B)

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Danscraftbeer, I'm guessing this a Keg King kegmenter? if so how do you find the quality? I've heard their kegs are made in China so curious on the construction, welds & machining work before parting with my dough. Also, how do you find cleaning it with the 4" opening? Apart from that they look like just what i need, thanks for your pics & informative post!

Oops I missed this. It is the KK kegmenter. It looks all good to me. I cant really judge it negatively in any way but it is my first. Welds are very neat. Construction as strong as any keg. I cant actually get my arm inside. Or if I did get past my forearm I'd be worried about getting it back out again so a spunge washer mit on a stick type is the go to wash the lower half. Then just a mit for the upper half. I shortened the dip tube ~25mm. There is no thermometer. I may install one but not that fussed with a temp controlled fridge.
I like the fact you can literally boil water and heat sterilize it on the burner.