Sanke Fermenter Kit

[hockadays]

Hi there,

Just thought I'd show what I've been playing with at the moment. I've been fermenting in a 50L sanke keg legally obtained of course as I'm sick of using two plastic fermenter for a 40L batch. First few batches went well but getting the beer out proved tricky. I then purchased a sanke fermenter kit from brewers hardware in the US and with a couple of extra bits from Ross at Craftbrewer I now have a very efficient fermenter. I have a John guest ball valve from Ross with a reducer that fits on the beer out part of the kit and a 3/8 silicone blow off tube for the airlock. The probe from my fridge controller goes down inside the thermowell to control temp. The whole fitting goes into the keg mouth with the spear removed and clamps on with a 2" triclover clamp. The welding on the fitting is very good and I'm very happy with the overall quality of the product from brewers hardware. The beer out tube is adjustable so you can lower it down to pick the beer up just above the yeast cake to minimize loss. After your finished racking to the keg you lower it a bit further to harvest the yeast. I attach my gas line to the blow off tube so I rack under pressure two kegs at once and this took about 10mins. You can obviously put a filter inline and rack via filter under pressure as well. CLeaning of the keg I fit a 2" blank triclover fitting and put about 10L of PBW at 60degc and let soak over night and it comes up very clean. Inspecting the cleanliness is the only downside but it can be done with a mirror and torch. I've done 10 batches in this so far and wont be going back to plastic and haven't had an infection. The next stage which is also possible with this setup is when the beer is 2/3rds fermented attaching a spunding valve to the airlock and letting it self carb up. I havent done this yet as Ive only just received the JG valve so i'll give this a go on the pilsener I'm about to make. enjoy!!

Hockers

 

[Bribie G]

Awesome, and all metal so if you have a source of steam you can steam clean the lot. I've just gone the other way and bought a 60L plastic. It's one big mofo of a fermenter, makes a normal 30L look like a teacup standing next to it. The plastic ones actually hold about 75L - the 60L mark is quite well down on the side of the fermenter.

I've bought a bulkhead fitting from Ross to take my naked gas line and the procedure is:

1. Double batch into the fermenter
2. After primary, crank the fridge down to -1 for a week
3. On kegging day slide the fermenter out onto my little flat trolley on castors and wheel it over to the gas
4. Remove clingwrap and fit lid and insert gas line into bulkhead
5. Turn gas pressure up
6. Fill first keg via silicone hose from tap
7. FV is now light enough to lift onto bench
8. Fill second keg via gravity.

I'm so impressed with the size of the thing I'm considering doing an over gravity 2-urn brew and filling 3 cornies = 57L will still leave mobs of headspace.
(cutting back with RO water at the same time as I pitch)

 

[A3k]

sweet idea, any idea if you can get them for different type kegs other than the Sanke ones? I'm guessing they'd require different clamps?

 

[hockadays]

Not sure have a look at the opening with the spear removed, it should be 2 inch and look similiar to a triclover fitting..

 

[mintsauce]

I want me one of these:

If anyone know's somewhere who can make one let me know

 

[Cortez The Killer]

If you wanted better access for cleaning you could get a 4" ferrule welded on top

Then you'd need a 4" inch clamp + blank + gasket

http://www.geordi.com.au/Products19d.htm

Cheers

 

[N3MIS15]

I want me one of these:

jealous?

Im planning to turn it into a carbonation keg like the 1 in your picture, but for now i mainly use it for parties and such.
Anyone with access to a tig should be able to convert 1 for you, all i did was cut a 19l corney at the top seam and a hole in the top of 50l keg..
Purge then weld and your in business. (and the dip tube worked out perfectly at the bottom)
Alternatively, you can buy them from America. Local brew shop has a few and thats what gave me the idea.

 

[mintsauce]

I'm reporting you to Tooheys you b*stard.

(that's a yes I'm jelous - thanks for the tips tho)

 

[N3MIS15]

I'm reporting you to Tooheys you b*stard.

(that's a yes I'm jelous - thanks for the tips tho)

was sitting in my old mans shed for about 5 years, no idea where he got it from.

but at least its been put to good use

 

[Bizier]

So the OP uses the top of the sanke with the outside of a triclover to attach the aftermarket bit?
Sounds good, and would be pretty easy to clean.

I have been thinking about getting one of these CIP balls after being spoilt using a sprayball station at work.
http://creameryparts.com/index.php/fitting...spray-ball.html

 

[beerbrewer76543]

So the OP uses the top of the sanke with the outside of a triclover to attach the aftermarket bit?
Sounds good, and would be pretty easy to clean.

I have been thinking about getting one of these CIP balls after being spoilt using a sprayball station at work.
http://creameryparts.com/index.php/fitting...spray-ball.html

What sort of pump would you get to run it though? The old march pump wouldn't have enough pressure...

 

[jimmysuperlative]

Great set-up hockers! :icon_drool2:


Would you mind taking a close-up pic of the tri clover fitting and keg opening.

Just want to see if its going to work on my European type keg?


Cheers!

 

[ThatKiwiFella]

Those are all sweet set-ups! :beer:

 

[iralosavic]

I'm looking into switching to kegging and have contemplated using this conversion kit to ferment with. Being new to kegging, I'm a little unclear with the racking process you've mentioned.

Do you kind of treat it like a Corny keg with a gas and beer post? ie Attach your c02 line to the blow off outlet and pressurise the fermenter so that the beer is forced out the racking cane, using a John guest ball valve to make attaching and detaching beer line easy? Does the 3/8" tube suit a normal/micromatic style regulator?

The brewers hardware site advises against placing their kit under pressure - well it says it wasn't designed for it. If my interpretation of what you're doing is correct, how's it holding up?

Cheers

 

[Camo6]

I'm currently building a Sanke fermentor kit rip off from bits lying around and wondering if there's anyone using this system and if so are there any changes they'd make. I'm planning on using 12mm SS tube for the racking arm and blow off. The racking will be adjustable to raise it above the yeast cake. I haven't decided whether to add a separate thermowell or just use a sealed length of tube that I can swap with the racking arm. I'd also like to try fermenting under pressure and am looking around for any ball lock fittings to suit 1/2" BSP fittings. Appreciate any advice.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I'm currently building a Sanke fermentor kit rip off from bits lying around and wondering if there's anyone using this system and if so are there any changes they'd make. I'm planning on using 12mm SS tube for the racking arm and blow off. The racking will be adjustable to raise it above the yeast cake. I haven't decided whether to add a separate thermowell or just use a sealed length of tube that I can swap with the racking arm. I'd also like to try fermenting under pressure and am looking around for any ball lock fittings to suit 1/2" BSP fittings. Appreciate any advice.

20140829_191025.jpg

20140829_190958.jpg

1/2" BSP (female) ball locks were use on Mytton Rodd kegs, thing is as these kegs are getting reasonably rare posts are exy Ebay and STPV. I don't know if the second one are still trading so give them a call, oh and let me know how you get on with this.

MB

 

[Camo6]

Cheers MB. Crikeys they're not cheap! I may have to devise a cheaper alternative. Thanks for the links.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Cheers MB. Crikeys they're not cheap! I may have to devise a cheaper alternative. Thanks for the links.

or watch out for a mytton rodd keg in the usual places going cheap

 

[Camo6]

I see KK have something that I could probably use:

but I may not have room on the tri-clover fitting and don't want to have to drill into the keg.

Problem is I can see ten ways of building this but don't see the sense in buying too many fittings or over complicating what should otherwise be a simple device. Hmmm.

 

[MastersBrewery]

The yanks pressure ferment in sankes with little or no change to the keg so stem and valve remain in place, the coupler has the NVR removed. If you then get ball locks to attach to the coupler you can add and remove at will. so spunding pressure release( to maintain constant pressures, I have seen where this is attached to a corny, with the corny being used as emergency over flow/blow off, therefore protecting the spunding). At the same time on the liquid side you can attach a picnic tap, to allow gravity samples, later switch to a transfer hose. take 20mm off the stem and you should have clean transfers of already carbonated beer. I believe most ferment around 10 to 15psi. There is a thread some where on here covering this in more detail and then there's a couple of threads link the on HBT that are ..... well Huge. My issue was getting a thermowell or sensor in place without compromising the vessel. oh and I'd prefer the head space offered by the yanky kegs.

Just my $0.50

MB