KK - 'Fermentasaurus' conical PET fermenter

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Thanks for the replies guys. I was referring more to having to remove and reattach the dump bottle more than once a batch which would be normal.

I do have the dump sight glass on my Chronical connected to the FV at the start of the Brew. However even if this sight glass (or dump bottle in fermantasaurus' case) is filled to the brim with sterile water or wort or hop tea (or filled with CO2 gas which I do) there is still a small volume of air that will be trapped in the bottom of the butterfly valve that you cannot avoid. I've tried blowing gently some CO2 into the space as I connect the sight glass but it's not perfect and I am pretty sure a small amount of air (oxygen) will come into contact with the beer once the butterfly is re-opened. It's probably insignificant, but when wanting to brew the best lager that has 100% had zero oxygen exposure it's far from an ideal process, so has anyone given it thought from that perspective?
 
DJ_L3ThAL said:
Thanks for the replies guys. I was referring more to having to remove and reattach the dump bottle more than once a batch which would be normal.

I do have the dump sight glass on my Chronical connected to the FV at the start of the Brew. However even if this sight glass (or dump bottle in fermantasaurus' case) is filled to the brim with sterile water or wort or hop tea (or filled with CO2 gas which I do) there is still a small volume of air that will be trapped in the bottom of the butterfly valve that you cannot avoid. I've tried blowing gently some CO2 into the space as I connect the sight glass but it's not perfect and I am pretty sure a small amount of air (oxygen) will come into contact with the beer once the butterfly is re-opened. It's probably insignificant, but when wanting to brew the best lager that has 100% had zero oxygen exposure it's far from an ideal process, so has anyone given it thought from that perspective?
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Hi DJ,
I purged the gas (CO2 and the minuscule amount of oxygen that popped in) once I've done the bottle swap and flicked the valve open.
With the bottle filled to the brim with "hop tea" I'd be surprised there'd be more than 5ml of oxygen going in, if that.
I could be wrong of course.
 
Hi all. I found success by not opening the valve into collection bottle for about an hour or two. This allowed a good settle of trub and it seemed to push through ok. I remove the bottle after a few days.. by then there is yeast as well to reuse. I dont put bottle back on and if I need to.. just dump a bit more into a container and throw away. This eliminates and oxygen issues. Of course if dry hopping and you want to use it then you can. On another note... I found using the pressure lid for kegging brilliant. I remove the pressure valve and use the airlock for brewing. Then when ready to transfer to keg.. reattach the valve and put in co2 to about serving pressure. I run from a disconnect into beer line and into keg with just a bronco tap to control flow. Put this into the bottom of keg and it has a nice slow pour without adding unwanted oxygen. Worked quick and clean for me. Loving this fermetasauris.
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Why not fill the keg using the beer out post? That way no oxygen gets in while you fill.
 
bradsbrew said:
Why not fill the keg using the beer out post? That way no oxygen gets in while you fill.
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Exactly what I'll be doing once setup for kegging.
The current batch will be bottled though with the same pressure method to extract brew and using the generic $5 bottle filler.
 
I have 2 lines. One with a beer disconnect and a picnic tap, the other is two beer disconnects.
 
bradsbrew said:
I have 2 lines. One with a beer disconnect and a picnic tap, the other is two beer disconnects.
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Brad, do you mean you've got like a Y-splitter of sorts running from the main "beer out" disconnect?
I'd be doing this too but are you concerned about contamination getting in through the tap?
 
Make sure when transferring under pressure you get all the air out of the keg first. You don't want to push air into solution under pressure.

I have been pressure fermenting in kegs recently and transferred under pressure to a corny. Signs of oxidation after less than a day in the keg in one batch from not properly purging the keg.
 
Best way to purge the kegs is to fill one to the brim with starsan/idophor. Hook the gas to the keg and then out post to outpost transfer line to another empty keg. You end up with a keg and your transfer line sanitised and completely purged with CO2. I do double batches so need 3 kegs- 1 purged into 2 purged into 3. The 3rd keg is then sealed and used for the next batch.
Make sure when hooking up your outpost line to the pressure fermenter that the pressure inside the fermenter is greater than in the kegs to avoid blow back.
Once hooked up, I connect my spunding valve to the recieving keg and set to allow CO2 to flow out as the liquid fills the keg. This also allows control of the fill rate.
 
Droopy Brew said:
Best way to purge the kegs is to fill one to the brim with starsan/idophor. Hook the gas to the keg and then out post to outpost transfer line to another empty keg. You end up with a keg and your transfer line sanitised and completely purged with CO2. I do double batches so need 3 kegs- 1 purged into 2 purged into 3. The 3rd keg is then sealed and used for the next batch.
Make sure when hooking up your outpost line to the pressure fermenter that the pressure inside the fermenter is greater than in the kegs to avoid blow back.
Once hooked up, I connect my spunding valve to the recieving keg and set to allow CO2 to flow out as the liquid fills the keg. This also allows control of the fill rate.
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Yeah I might start doing it this way. I was worried about the extra CO2 used but its worth it to not stuff up your beer!

How does the volume of CO2 used to purge a keg of sanitiser compare to the volume of CO2 used to carb a keg of beer I wonder?
 
Just to add to this- you can also filter direct from the fermenter if needed. Same process, just pop the filter in line with the outpost to outpost line and it will also purge and sanitise.
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Im not sure Lion man, I but Im willing to bet it is less. A few cents of Co2 to improve $50 and 6 hours of cost to brew a beer i reckon well worth it.
I dont need to do any force carbing anyway as I close the spunding valve and the beer is fully carbed once it hits the keg and ready for immediate consumption.
 
Recommend the droopy approach. Exactly what I do for all the same reasons.

Having a dedicated keg for starsan is the best plan as well.

I've smashed all my glass carboys (by accident) and my only fermenters are the kegmenter and the fermentasaurus. Both integrate perfectly into this approach. Prior I racked to a purged keg and then proceeded with the above. Now I have two pressure vessels as fermenters - booyaa
 
Droopy Brew said:
I dont need to do any force carbing anyway as I close the spunding valve and the beer is fully carbed once it hits the keg and ready for immediate consumption.
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But this only when not filtering right? I watch the filter nucleate every nanogram of CO2 out of my lovely beer. I'm hoping that with the fermentasaurus I'll have cleaner beer without any filtering and will do so less.
 
Yeah can you filter carbed beer? would have to be super slow flow rate if it works at all. Maybe a really course filter membrane?

I like the idea of dedicated starsan keg. Handly for flushing lines as well as kegs.
 
Yes no problems filtering carbed beer. It isnt so much the flow rate but pressure differential. As long as the pressure in the receiving container is only slightly less than that in the holding container then there is minimum foaming. Of course this slows it a bit but still probably less than 10 minutes per keg.
Zorco, I find you loose some of the carbonation but not a great deal. A day at serving pressure and it is fully carbed again.
I dont usually filter however this was only a couple of days after cold crash and TC Debbie was looking like giving us a spanking (as you can tell by the bikes and **** in my brewery) so I thought I would need to get that beer out while I had power and a roof over our head and it was still fairly murky. Also needed something to drink while watching the show which luckily for us never eventuated.
 
Droopy Brew said:
Just to add to this- you can also filter direct from the fermenter if needed. Same process, just pop the filter in line with the outpost to outpost line and it will also purge and sanitise. View attachment 108106
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i didn't know you were such a keen cyclist ;)
great set up and much to consider in my simple keg filling set up.
i am not sure how i would be able to replicate this out of a fermenter to a 5mm ball lock, i must find away!
Top stuff DB!
 

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