Conicals

Buying, building and using brewing equipment and apparatus. Product reviews and questions.

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Madbrew
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Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2003 8:54 am

Conicals

Post by Madbrew »

What is the best conical fermentor for the money? Would you consider some of the plastic ones like Minibrew? Is there a problem with brewing 5 gallon batches in 12 gallon fermentors? Thanks for your opinions!
dartedplus
Strong Ale
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Location: Hummelstown, PA, US

check these out

Post by dartedplus »

first...5 in 12 is OK. next, go to www.usplastic.com in the search area type 9349, and then click on the item that comes up. I think this would be an acceptable start, you would just need to add a dump valve and hole for your bubbler or stopper. Next, go to www.toledometalspinning.com Here, look at the stainless steel hoppers, specifically the 12.2 (12.5??) gallon model. you would just need to get a lid for it (16 inch I think) and come up with some kind of stand for it. Add your dump valve and you have a SS coni for about $200 (as compared to $500 on many brew supply websites) There is a picture in one of the posts on this page of the one some guy made with parts from toledo... and his stand http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=5555

just some food for thought. Also I have a website from a guy who made his own copper coni for about $75 http://hbd.org/conical/

Thats it for me
this is Ed signing off......
Gravity Thrills
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copper stopper

Post by Gravity Thrills »

There was a Mr. Wizard column a couple issues back in BYO that discouraged fermentation of other "cold side" brewing processes in copper, because the long contact time could result in some leaching from the metal. i think the issue was more of an off-flavor thing and not health, but I can't really recall. That guy's copper conical is nice though. Anyone else out there with insights into fermenting in copper vessels?
fitz
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Two things

Post by fitz »

One thing is copper has toxins in it, that are leached out when hot. If you put your wort into the fermentor hot, you'll be leaching these toxins into your beer. Also, copper corrodes easy. The acidity of the wort, would probably corrode the copper quickly. I would stick with the SS or Plastic to be safe unless the fermentor is lined with another food grade metal. Shiny copper would be a beatiful fermentor if the other problems weren't there. If I had the cash, I'd get a SS and have them emboss the copper on the out side.
Madbrew
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Copper

Post by Madbrew »

Why is this not a problem with wort chillers then? Most people use copper tubing and even boil it in the wort for sanitizing.
fitz
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???

Post by fitz »

Don't know, maybe because no one ever asked.
I won't use a copper wort chiller though.
If you look at copper cookware, the pans are always lined, unless they are for show, and not useable.
Gravity Thrills
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I think it is pH

Post by Gravity Thrills »

Fitz, I think you were right about itbeing a pH-related problem as far as fermentation. The low pH of fermented wort combined with the contact time would make this a problem over the use of copper tubing in chillers where contact time is minimal.

I also think the health issues with toxins leaching from copper and bronze during "hot process" brewing procedures are minimal if the materials have been treated appropriately beforehand (vinigar soak, etc.). California, I think, is the only state that requires a health warning to accompany copper and bronze fittings, suggesting that the risk is statistically only large enough for Californians to care about.

Trace amounts of copper are needed as yeast nutrients, and I make a point of using treated copper scrub pads as the outlet filters on my boiling kettles to make sure there's a little copper for the yeast to use. The historic and present-day use of copper kettles (or "coppers") without a lot of of anecdotal evidence on associated illness suggests the risk is small - as opposed to the lead lining of the Roman aquaducts, for example. Then again, affluent Romans actually put fine-ground lead filings on their food like we use salt, and some historians think that's where most of the lead poisoningcases actually came from.

Silly Romans...
Freon12
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Stainless Coni

Post by Freon12 »

I ordered a $82.00 model conical cylinder from Toledo Metal spinning and talked a buddy into welding two swageloc 316 stainless fittings on it.(bio/pharm grade) Now for the stand......... Looks good so far!(and it has been cheap so far). Let's see, $82.00 plus lid plus fittings and gasket ..about $165.00 and the stand looks to be about 120.00 if I use 304 stainless.

Steve.
Madbrew
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Price Increase

Post by Madbrew »

Unfortunastely they just raised their prices dramatically. I think $152 for the 12.2 gallon hopper.
dartedplus
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Yeah

Post by dartedplus »

yes, when I was looking/dreaming before christmas, the price on the hopper was $88, lid $44, oh well, I waited and the cost has almost doubled. Now I'm thinking about doing that plastic jobbie from USPlastics. who knows!!!
scruz
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Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 10:32 pm

MINIBREW

Post by scruz »

Hey, I have a plastic mini brew. It is great, I just keep diligent when cleaning and caring for it. Other than it not being as durable as SS, I dont have any complaints. You just have to be a stickler for cleanliness. If you all have any questions, let me know. Best to you.
BillyBock
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2nd The Minibrew

Post by BillyBock »

I second the motion on the minibrew since I also own one and have no complaints. Works great. Just be careful with cleaning and it should last a long time. However, if you're looking for stainless, the boys at B3 have some stainless conicals and some with built-in temperature control. Check 'em out at http://www.morebeer.com

Cheers!

v/r
Bill
johnbarley
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Why is this best?

Post by johnbarley »

I'm fairly new at brewing at use a bucket for primary and then a carboy for a secondary. What would be the advantages of having a minibrew? Thanks
John
BillyBock
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Check Here

Post by BillyBock »

Below is a link to the Minibrew Site page for their conicals.

http://www.mivamall.com/Merchant2/merch ... ry_Code=FM

Conicals aren't for everyone, and best for me may not be the best for you. If you're happy with your current procedures, and you're making good beer stick with what you've got. On the other hand, if you're tired of cleaning two vessels, doing a transfer, etc., then a conical might be what you're looking for.

In general, conicals are good because you minimize the amount of transfers (and chances for infection) needed in order to get the beer off the yeast--primary and secondary are carried out in the same vessel. Additionally, you can bottle or fill kegs/minikegs directly from them. And you can reharvest your yeast through the bottom dump valve. Combine these advantages with the Minibrew's price and you can see why I have one.

The only disadvantage that I've had, since I have the 15 gal version, which stands about 45" tall, is keeping it cool. I've recently moved to Texas, so I'm working on an enclosure to recirculate cold air from my chest freezer. But if you have a basement or other place with constant cool temperatures, it might not be an issue. Let me know if you want to know more specifics.

v/r
Bill
johnbarley
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Sounds good

Post by johnbarley »

But....
I thought you would want to transfer from primary to secondary. I thought that was part of the process to get a cleaner beer? Am I wrong? Like I said I am very new at this and if something makes the process a lot easier I would go for it. I actually looked at it before when I first started brewing.

One question though- I want to brew bigger batches than the normal 5 gallon. Say I got the 15 gallon but I wanted to make a small batch of something, can I use this with smaller batches? Or do I have to use my bucket and carboy system?

Thanks for all the help!
John
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