• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

concial fermenter

B

birdsung

I have just recieved my 15 gal. True Brew concial fermenters. I have my first batch fermenting in 1 now. The only thing is, I am not sure when I should drain the trub and dead yeast from the bottom of the fermenter. How much should I draw off?

Question 2: After adding my sweet wort ;D  to the concial fermenter, I placed an airlock through the lid. The next morning when I woke up to check the brew, I had a very active fermentation but no co2 was escaping through the airlock. I then realized that the lid for the fermenter did not have a gasket. Still a tight fit, the co2 must be escaping around the lid. Does anyone think that there will be a problem with contamination. True Brew claims that there is no need for a gasket.

Thanks
http://birdsung.com/brew.htm
 
You shouldn't have to worry about contamination from the lack of gasket.  Remember CO2 is heavier than air, and the fermentation is forcing CO2 somewhere (either the airlock or the sides).

I brew in 5 gallon home depot plastic paint buckets that don't have gaskets and have never had any infections (crossing my fingers now). With these though, you do need to be careful and not leave in primary for more than a week or two. I believe the type you have is not air permeable.
 
Hello, I too have a conical fermentor and the same technique questions. I brew 10 gallon batches and have 15 gallon brew ability.
My best understanding is to not be concerned about the gasket. I fill the space with Co2 before I fill with wort.  I fill the space well and aerate the wort. I dump the chill sentiment after 30 minutes gravity test and pitch the yeast.
I use an upright freezer to hold the fermentor, kind of a mini clean room. I don’t use the freezer; I took out the compressor and shelves to hold my fermentor, the lid sits 3/4” down off the ceiling and don’t use and air lock.

My biggest question is the same :-/ how long to let the beer go in before dumping the trub; if you can’t see the airlock move or sit still how do you know when it’s done.  ???
My best tool for this is the take a gravity test; I look at the results at 5 days and dump the heavy sentiment if it will move. If not I batch into secondary tanks for 5 to 7 days more to sit.

My .02 hope it helps.
JT
;D :-/




     

 
My biggest question is the same, how long to let the beer go in before dumping the trub; if you can’t see the airlock move or sit still how do you know when it’s done.  

Many people make the mistake of thinking airlock activity is the key indicator of fermentation activity. The airlock can lead you astray.

Use your hydrometer.

Check the gravity on two consecutive days. If it has not changed (and you are reasonably close to your estimated target gravity), then it has stopped fermenting.

-L
 
The brewpub I worked in dumped the TRUB after 48-72 hours. They dump 1-2 liters out of 200 liters. Then on the day of transferring, they dump about a liter, harvest 4 liters, and then dump until they get more or less clear beer.

When I was using my conical, I did kind of the same thing -- after 2-3 days, I would dump a cup or two of sludge. Then before transferring, I would dump a cup or so, then harvest 2 liters, then transfer from the side port, tilting the fermenter to get nearly all of the beer out. It worked very well.
 
How did you guys set up the equipment profile in Beersmith for the fermentation schedule using the conical ( no secondary )?
 
>>
then harvest 2 liters,

>>

What are you doing with this? Is this still yeast that you will repitch?

Thanks,

Eric
 
Back
Top