Wortgames
'Draught' is not a beer style - it's a lifestyle
Hi everyone, just thought I'd post a quick update on these conicals. We are hoping to have the first prototype built within a week or so, and all details are still subject to change.
Basically the first model will be about 300mm in diameter and a bit less than 600mm tall without legs. The capacity will be about 28L to the brim, which gives you a 20% headspace on a 23L batch and 10% headspace on a 25.5L batch.
The lid is likely to be a 6mm polycarbonate disc with a silicone seal around the edge, which attaches with a stainless steel lever-lock ring.
The fermenter is constructed from 1.6mm 316 stainless (better than 304 due to improved resistance to caustic cleaners. Both are food grade). It will terminate in a 1.5" triclover ferrule at the bottom, and at this stage they will be supplied without a side port option, although we hope to have some good options for that by the time we are shipping them.
The prices are still yet to be confirmed and there are lots of variables, but the fermenter and lid arrangement (no tap or legs) will probably come in under $300. Not sure yet whether this will be for a 'raw' one or fully polished.
It looks like we've been able to get some good pricing on sanitary valves and fittings, and we will probably offer 5 bottom valve options:
Valve option 1: The cheapest option is to provide you with a threaded spigot that will clamp on, which can then accept any BSP threaded valve (eg $8 in Bunnings). This spigot will probably cost around $20.
Valve option 2: For around $100 we can offer a threadless, stainless 1" sanitary ball valve, with full teflon seals and fully dismantleable, which will clamp straight onto the fermenter. The outlet of this will accept 1" PVC tubing. They are very tight fitting seals and unlikely to harbour gunk, so dismantling the valve should only be required occasionally (certainly not every brew).
Valve option 3: For around $170 you can get a 1.5" version of the sanitary ball valve. This will also clamp directly to the fermenter but offers the largest throat of all the options (possibly too large). It will also need larger outlet tubing.
Valve option 4: For the same $170 (approx) you can get a 1" butterfly valve. These are a thing of awesome stainlessy beauty (I have a couple here) and they have no cavity for bugs to lurk. They are also fully dismantleable for seal replacement - you shouldn't need to dismantle them for cleaning, just flush. However, if you regularly have solids in your fermenter, the fact that the butterfly sits mid-stream may lead to occasional blockages.
Valve option 5: For about $180, you can get a 1.5" butterfly valve. This will certainly handle hop detritus much better than the 1", but again requires fairly large diameter tubing on the outlet side.
A fully optioned, gleaming fermenter with legs will hopefully come in between $600 - $700, and a basic raw vessel, ready for you to finish will hopefully be under $300.
I'll be offering a discount in the region of 10% to AHB folks who order and pay before Christmas (assuming things go well with the prototype!), as the early customers will obviously help us get it off the ground. We'd like to retail these through homebrew shops so we won't be discounting once we've set prices. They will be far better and far cheaper than anything else available. The build quality will be superb and we intend to back these things up with a lengthy warranty.
When I have a prototype and some piccies and better prices I'll let you know the details. Obviously we'd like to make a quid out of these for all the folks involved, and hopefully the customer will still get a great Aussie-built bargain. However, if the mods have an issue with this becoming commercial please let me know and we can take it offline.
Anybody drooling yet?
:beer:
Basically the first model will be about 300mm in diameter and a bit less than 600mm tall without legs. The capacity will be about 28L to the brim, which gives you a 20% headspace on a 23L batch and 10% headspace on a 25.5L batch.
The lid is likely to be a 6mm polycarbonate disc with a silicone seal around the edge, which attaches with a stainless steel lever-lock ring.
The fermenter is constructed from 1.6mm 316 stainless (better than 304 due to improved resistance to caustic cleaners. Both are food grade). It will terminate in a 1.5" triclover ferrule at the bottom, and at this stage they will be supplied without a side port option, although we hope to have some good options for that by the time we are shipping them.
The prices are still yet to be confirmed and there are lots of variables, but the fermenter and lid arrangement (no tap or legs) will probably come in under $300. Not sure yet whether this will be for a 'raw' one or fully polished.
It looks like we've been able to get some good pricing on sanitary valves and fittings, and we will probably offer 5 bottom valve options:
Valve option 1: The cheapest option is to provide you with a threaded spigot that will clamp on, which can then accept any BSP threaded valve (eg $8 in Bunnings). This spigot will probably cost around $20.
Valve option 2: For around $100 we can offer a threadless, stainless 1" sanitary ball valve, with full teflon seals and fully dismantleable, which will clamp straight onto the fermenter. The outlet of this will accept 1" PVC tubing. They are very tight fitting seals and unlikely to harbour gunk, so dismantling the valve should only be required occasionally (certainly not every brew).
Valve option 3: For around $170 you can get a 1.5" version of the sanitary ball valve. This will also clamp directly to the fermenter but offers the largest throat of all the options (possibly too large). It will also need larger outlet tubing.
Valve option 4: For the same $170 (approx) you can get a 1" butterfly valve. These are a thing of awesome stainlessy beauty (I have a couple here) and they have no cavity for bugs to lurk. They are also fully dismantleable for seal replacement - you shouldn't need to dismantle them for cleaning, just flush. However, if you regularly have solids in your fermenter, the fact that the butterfly sits mid-stream may lead to occasional blockages.
Valve option 5: For about $180, you can get a 1.5" butterfly valve. This will certainly handle hop detritus much better than the 1", but again requires fairly large diameter tubing on the outlet side.
A fully optioned, gleaming fermenter with legs will hopefully come in between $600 - $700, and a basic raw vessel, ready for you to finish will hopefully be under $300.
I'll be offering a discount in the region of 10% to AHB folks who order and pay before Christmas (assuming things go well with the prototype!), as the early customers will obviously help us get it off the ground. We'd like to retail these through homebrew shops so we won't be discounting once we've set prices. They will be far better and far cheaper than anything else available. The build quality will be superb and we intend to back these things up with a lengthy warranty.
When I have a prototype and some piccies and better prices I'll let you know the details. Obviously we'd like to make a quid out of these for all the folks involved, and hopefully the customer will still get a great Aussie-built bargain. However, if the mods have an issue with this becoming commercial please let me know and we can take it offline.
Anybody drooling yet?
:beer:
