Water Bottle Conical

[frogman]

Have been rather busy this morning.

Trying out one for the masses.

Got two "free" water bottles from work.
1st used for half size batch (half a two can mix) Coopers Lager + yeast filled to 11.5lt


2nd attempting to make a conical fermenter.
Photos will explain most things.
So far total costs =$2.60 for rubber bung.
All other items I had lying around.


Water Test........................................ Inside Bung. Dip tube used for inside breather pipe.

Breather hose..................................... Set up + running

Better safe than sorry for initial test any way.

Contains other half of two can brew. Coopers dark ale + yeast. Filled to 11.5.
No damage done to water bottles so will be able to swap at work every few batches.

FROGMAN

 

[Brewer_010]

Frogman

that's a really bloody good idea for those on a budget - it would be a safer alternative than glass too.

How do you think it will stand up to heat / sanitisers like idophor/napisan etc?

Top stuff! :beer:

 

[frogman]

Frogman

that's a really bloody good idea for those on a budget - it would be a safer alternative than glass too.

How do you think it will stand up to heat / sanitisers like idophor/napisan etc?

Top stuff! :beer:

Survived boiling water/kit mix. Swirled to mix.
Sanitised with Hy-san. Had no obsereved negitive effect.
If sterilisers effect it may need to swap bottles every batch.

FROGMAN.

 

[Jye]

I dont know if you have seen this Frogman, LINK.

I think the problem you will have is that the dump tube diameter isnt large enough and will quickly clog with trub and yeast.

 

[Andyd]

The other problem with this idea that I've heard from others who have tried, is that the neck gradient is less than 60 degrees, so the yeast and trub tends to settle on the bottom of the vessel and won't flow out of the dump valve...

Have you managed to overcome this?

Andy

 

[frogman]

The other problem with this idea that I've heard from others who have tried, is that the neck gradient is less than 60 degrees, so the yeast and trub tends to settle on the bottom of the vessel and won't flow out of the dump valve...

Have you managed to overcome this?

Andy

Brew has only been going for 1 day so still waiting to see where yeast settles and how it all goes.
If the experiment is a failure. I will then try using the water bottle in the same way that people are currently using cubes in the dispensing from cubes thread.
May need to strap the bung down to cope with carbonating/dispensing pressures.

I am just trying a few different things to keep me amused whilst brewing and to have SHMBO not get too upset about the 5 brews experiments currently on the go.


FROGMAN

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Not sure how the "conical" one will go (good luck) But I can say for sure that the bottles work really well as just plain old fermentors. They are fine with Iodophor, bleach solution and Phosphoric acid based solution.

I found that after a few brews thye started to get a bit foggy with what I presume is a version of beerstone, but an over night soaking in percarbonate (nappisan) fixed that up no worries.

I have run tap water as hot as I can make it through with no problems, but I dont know if I would risk it with actually boiling water, they are PET and you know what soft drink bottles go like when they get boiling water on them.

You seem to have found bigger ones than I found though. Mine are pretty much at 15litres when the top starts to narrow. I use them when I brew experimental BIAB batches. Mine handle a 10-12 litre batch perfectly.

 

[reVoxAHB]

Nice work, frogman. I like your style :super:

I own the fermentap, and you'll notice from the photo Jye put up, it uses a clamp to secure the valve body (including bung) to the bottle itself. A compression nut secures the cane to the valve. I would be very weary of your bung not being secured, as you pointed out... maybe the fermentap design will spark ideas for your rig:

valve kit, from instructions


and


As the others have pointed, the angle at which the bottle drops will not be significant enough to properly drop your yeast/slurry. Having said that, a few users here have reported that if you swirl the carboy before and during the dump, you can remove most or all .

Take a look at BrotherNutz (pete's) setup:

and his thread with more info here.

Having said all of that, stick with it mate .

Sure they'd work as plain old fermenters, but you've come this far... may as well make it work for you. You may have to modify the rig a dozen times until settling on something you're satisfied with, but it seems like you're resourceful enough that it won't cost you anything but time.

Best of luck and keep us updated with progress,
reVox

 

[tangent]

show us a photo at the end of ferment (especially the neck), if you can please.

 

[warrenlw63]

I dont know if you have seen this Frogman, LINK.

I think the problem you will have is that the dump tube diameter isnt large enough and will quickly clog with trub and yeast.

Having constantly handled full 23 litre glass carboys I'd also add that those things looks just plain bloody dangerous.

Wouldn't take a lot of effort to tip them over I'd say.

Warren -

 

[reVoxAHB]

Having constantly handled full 23 litre glass carboys I'd also add that those things looks just plain bloody dangerous.

Wouldn't take a lot of effort to tip them over I'd say.

Warren -

Yep. Warren's right... doesn't take hardly anything to tip 'em off of that plastic stand. Even when I'm just drying an empty sterilized carboy, the bastards slip quite easily.

I picked up the Fermentap/Stand as a kit from G&G a few years ago, on a closeout sale. Got it all, for next to nothing. Bought it for the stand only, but lately have been toying with the idea of trying the fermentap as test.

I picked up 3 of these

on Friday.

reVox

 

[Goddo]

I'm a bit of a noob here.. But can someone tell me what the benefit is of using a fermenter this way (ie. "upside down")?
Something to do with separating the trub better?

Cheers

 

[reVoxAHB]

I'm a bit of a noob here.. But can someone tell me what the benefit is of using a fermenter this way (ie. "upside down")?
Something to do with separating the trub better?

Cheers

The main reasoning (or use for this) is so you can remove your yeast after primary fermentation, allowing your beer to further condition on it's own, as if it had been racked to a secondary fermenter (leaving the yeast bed behind, in first). There's a bit of debate as to whether or not this is required at all, on a home brew scale and style specific (see Racking, Do you do a good rack?).

The purpose of two-stage fermentation should be to isolate your beer from prolonged contact with an inordinate amount of inactive yeast cells.

 

[Goddo]

Ok cool, thanks for the explanation That makes sense.
And yeah, I understand the basics of secondary and have done it before, just didn't realise the purpose of using a fermenter in this way.

Another interesting thread... I might have to give one of these bottles a go as an extra fermenter too.

Cheers

 

[frogman]

Did it work?
Yes and no.
Have been able to harvest yeast for reuse. = Yes.
All yeast sediment removed. = No
I agree neck angles cause a problem, So dose the bottle size i.e. 19lt only enough for half size batches.
Still think it is well worth people having a play with.


Next step is to try the water bottle in the dispensing from cubes manner.
It already has 1 too many lines so it will be an easy experiement.

For anyone else wanting to try this the hardest bit was drilling three holes in the rubber bung.
Just waiting for someone to ask how that was done.

FROGMAN

 

[tangent]

the angle isn't right
conical fermenters have a sharp angle like a roof where it snows heavily.
it's all been done before on here but the search function is a bit crappy.

 

[clintmo]

how did you drill the holes in the bung ?