KK - 'Fermentasaurus' conical PET fermenter

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Hi guys, all set to do some bottling tonight - anyone got a good method for adding priming sugar to the fermentasaurus with minimal splashing etc.,? I'll do this so differently this time but right now don't have any great options..
 
dry hop.JPG
thought I'd share a couple of things I'm doing with my fermentasaurus...
Firstly, instead of a spunding valve, I use a carb cap with dip tube as an air lock,
I screw the lid on loose at the start of ferment, then I screw it up and undo one quarter turn, it lets it pressurize a few psi, and you check it by squeezing the bottle.
You can guess the pressure by what a bottle of beer feels like after bottle conditioning in PET bottles.
I'm not fussed about fully fermenting under pressure, so its good enough for me, ensuring positive pressure and no oxygen can get in.
The other thing I've been doing, which the shape of the fermentasaurus, allows perfectly, is dry hopping using magnets.
When the initial vigorous fermentation subsides, I open the lid, and stick my ( In this case) 2 dry hop additions, up near the top, so they dangle above the beer.
I purge with Co2 just to be sure, then after a couple of hours ( when the O2 in the hops has had time to go),
I lower the first addition into the beer, for the 4 days, or whatever, (You can also easily agitate the hops by sliding up and down a bit, to make sure the goodness gets through the muslin bag). then pull it up the side, and lower the other hops down , when they've both done their bit, they are both back up the top, out of the beer.
The hop bags have a couple of M12 stainless bolts in to weigh them down.
I disconnect the "airlock" , put in 25psi of Co2, and cold crash, then its ready for closed transfer, and carbed up ready to drink.

The inner magnets are coated in silicone, and zip tied in a bag, then zip tied inside the hop bag. When they are lowered, I make sure they stay above the beer just to be sure. The outer magnets are wrapped in towel, this way neither magnets will scratch the sides of the fermentasaurus.

By the way, that's Stone Ruination with 90g first addition, and 125g second addition... yum yum..
 
Just tasted my first brew from my Fermentasaurus tonight ! Wow. This is such a great piece of kit !

18 months ago i did some BIAB brews with a non temp controlled fermenter and had some interesting results. I managed to score a $90 full size fridge off gumtree and bought myself a Fermentasaurus and pressure kit. My dad made me a STC1000 controller which really is essential in my climate (Perth)

Right now I’m using fresh wort kits too - am a bit time constrained and they seem like great easy option. Not interested in extract - all grain or bust.

Anyways - I did the red ale / Mutiny IPA from Allinn Brewing. Fermented it with US05 @ 23 degrees / 15 psi ( spunding valve essential) for 8 days in total. It went from OG 1060 to 1014 in 5 days so after a 8 I decided to cold crash and sample. It’s not been dry hopped yet but that will happen this weekend. It’s also naturally carbonated and pours like a Guinness with beautiful fine bubbles. The head settles to a thin transparent layer which remains for the duration of the consumption. Well pleased.

After preliminary sampling tonight, I’ve had about 5 attempts at typing ”Fermentasaurus” and writing this post so the beer must be good. No off flavours or smells as far as I can tell. It’s still cloudy but should clear up in time.

Am well impressed with the Fermentasaurus - absolutely true to label. You can ferment, carbonate and serve in the one tank. Give one a go if you get the chance. It’s a ridiculously easy way to make excellent beer. Saison next.

B4D036A2-461A-48E5-96FF-8A0D005F202A.jpeg
C7E7506B-1ABD-48DD-B1E2-A616D7DDD372.png
 
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Is anyone capturing the gas for their Fermentasaurus to reuse later ? How could this be done ?

I’m becoming interested in “real ale” and beer engines, and am wondering whether an ale served from a F’saurus under its own natural carbonation is heading on the right track.
 
JayP said:
Is anyone capturing the gas for their Fermentasaurus to reuse later ? How could this be done ?

I’m becoming interested in “real ale” and beer engines, and am wondering whether an ale served from a F’saurus under its own natural carbonation is heading on the right track.
Click to expand...

I'm setting up for this in the following way:

Gas QD > pressure line > Liquid QD. Gas QD to go onto Saurus and Liquid QD onto an empty keg Out post. The empty keg gets the Spunding valve attached to its Gas post. This way the empty keg will be filled with CO2 at no cost, and ready for transfer. And you're still brewing under pressure / carbonating naturally.

And yes, you can serve from the Saurus directly (I have a Pluto gun set up for this). Not sure if a "Real Ale" is meant to be served as Draft but...
 
Of course - and I’ve already got everything already (idot). I pressure transfer from my ‘Saurus to a 9.5L keg at the moment using exactly the same line.

It’s all a bit new to me - I am on my 2nd brew in the F and never kegged before. Last time I transferred 9 L out to the keg, served the rest from the fermenter and added gas when required from a SS bottle.

I wonder if I will run into a problem using that stored gas to keep serve from the Saurus as it empties ? (Does a Fermentasaurus with 1-2 litres left in it still pour from a picnic tap without external gas supply ?)

If I have 30 psi stored in the keg I don’t necessarily want that much pressure to serve my beer. How do I reduce the pressure down to 10 psi for example without a regulator on that keg ...
 
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JayP said:
Of course - and I’ve already got everything already (idot). I pressure transfer from my ‘Saurus to a 9.5L keg at the moment using exactly the same line.
Click to expand...
My understanding that transfers are meant to be done into the OUT post of the keg, or else you're splashing your brew in the keg till it's filled through the Gas Post? Unless I'm misreading you a little..
 
Yuz said:
My understanding that transfers are meant to be done into the OUT post of the keg, or else you're splashing your brew in the keg till it's filled through the Gas Post? Unless I'm misreading you a little..
Click to expand...
Correct. I transfer into the keg using the liquid out port so it doesn’t splash, with a spunding valve on the gas port to release pressure as it fills. My transfer line has a grey gas disconnect at the keg end which fits into the liquid post just fine. I was told by my HBS that gas fits everything, liquid only fits liquid.

I edited my post to better articulate what I was pondering.
 
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JayP - ok that makes sense :) I've got the same "transfer hose" (Liquid to Liquid QD) but about to make one or two "gas salvage" hose (Gas to Liquid QD) to "prime" kegs with CO2 generated. Filling kegs with CO2 from the bottom and CO2 being heaving than air, this will achieve a guaranteed oxygen-free process :)
 
SS is non magnetic the bolts were only to weigh down the bag to stop it floating
 
Moog said:
View attachment 111920 thought I'd share a couple of things I'm doing with my fermentasaurus...
Firstly, instead of a spunding valve, I use a carb cap with dip tube as an air lock,
I screw the lid on loose at the start of ferment, then I screw it up and undo one quarter turn, it lets it pressurize a few psi, and you check it by squeezing the bottle.
You can guess the pressure by what a bottle of beer feels like after bottle conditioning in PET bottles.
I'm not fussed about fully fermenting under pressure, so its good enough for me, ensuring positive pressure and no oxygen can get in.
The other thing I've been doing, which the shape of the fermentasaurus, allows perfectly, is dry hopping using magnets.
When the initial vigorous fermentation subsides, I open the lid, and stick my ( In this case) 2 dry hop additions, up near the top, so they dangle above the beer.
I purge with Co2 just to be sure, then after a couple of hours ( when the O2 in the hops has had time to go),
I lower the first addition into the beer, for the 4 days, or whatever, (You can also easily agitate the hops by sliding up and down a bit, to make sure the goodness gets through the muslin bag). then pull it up the side, and lower the other hops down , when they've both done their bit, they are both back up the top, out of the beer.
The hop bags have a couple of M12 stainless bolts in to weigh them down.
I disconnect the "airlock" , put in 25psi of Co2, and cold crash, then its ready for closed transfer, and carbed up ready to drink.

The inner magnets are coated in silicone, and zip tied in a bag, then zip tied inside the hop bag. When they are lowered, I make sure they stay above the beer just to be sure. The outer magnets are wrapped in towel, this way neither magnets will scratch the sides of the fermentasaurus.

By the way, that's Stone Ruination with 90g first addition, and 125g second addition... yum yum..
Click to expand...


Big fan of the magnets. Thanks for the photos. Have not tried the magnets yet
 
Yuz said:
I'm setting up for this in the following way:

Gas QD > pressure line > Liquid QD. Gas QD to go onto Saurus and Liquid QD onto an empty keg Out post. The empty keg gets the Spunding valve attached to its Gas post. This way the empty keg will be filled with CO2 at no cost, and ready for transfer. And you're still brewing under pressure / carbonating naturally.
Click to expand...
I have done similar with three kegs(4 including the fermenter) linked in series. I have a 58L corny keg that I ferment in so I connect three 19L cornys to it when I pitch the yeast then gravity transfer to them.

Don’t use a Spunding valve though. Just a blow off on the gas post of the last keg that I disconnect when fermentation is near complete.

I have also done it with a plastic fermenter and pre-filled cubes for real ale with co2 from it.
 
7% Saison finished today in the ‘Saurus. This thing is an absolute Beer Machine. For a Noob like me using FWK it’s a no brainer.

Apologies for the stoke but it’s all a bit exciting. I can make $250 of high gravity beer for $50 !!!

(This was poured warm, prior to chilling tonight @ 8psi)

5A42EA6F-9F51-49EA-A112-55A8994BF1D2.jpeg
 
Has anyone got specs yet on the new models (Fermentasaurus2)? interested in the supposed 27L, hoping its skinner and can get two in the ferment fridge.
 
PTG said:
Has anyone got specs yet on the new models (Fermentasaurus2)? interested in the supposed 27L, hoping its skinner and can get two in the ferment fridge.
Click to expand...

The Fermentasaurus 2 will not be much skinnier but it will be shorter. We have also made a few modifications to the layout to make them not require so much headspace. We have made a lot of other improvements though and we will have a specific fermenting fridge to fit both the new models and also the old models.
 

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