Conical Fermenters

[slin]

Does anyone use a conical? What are the benefits of it over the old bucket. I know it makes it easier to re-use yeast and probably more sanitary but besides that?

Anyone have general comments on it?

[ZZ]

I want one because it looks kewl!

[baltobrewer]

I used to have one. I sold it because it wasn't worth the hassle of dissassembling the threaded connectons and sanitizing them every time:


Now I use a converted keg. I can pressure transfer out of primary with CO2 to avoid oxidation, which I love!

[Bugeater]

I bought one because folks told me that it would make me sexy and irresistible to women. They were wrong. That said, I still haven't gotten around to using it and am not sure it won't be more trouble than it's worth. If I don't get it into use by summer, I will probably just sell it.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[SunkenBier]

Their nice and shiney but Im to poor to buy the cooled/heated ones. Ill stick with glass carboy.

[Mylo]

Does anyone use a conical? What are the benefits of it over the old bucket. I know it makes it easier to re-use yeast and probably more sanitary but besides that?

Anyone have general comments on it?

Versus a bucket there are only a few advantages - being 1) non porous, 2) 60* angled bottom, 3) spigot at the bottom, and 4) capacity.

Perceived benefits:
They are not inherently more sanitary - they are not subject to the scratching that can cause issues with plastic over time. But realistically you can buy 100 new buckets with the same money and avoid the scratching issue altogether. As far as yeast harvesting is concerned - many have said that the most viable would be found floating in the krausen - which you can get from both the plastic and the conical.

Actual benefits:
Because of the porosity of the plastic you cannot use them for lengthy secondary fermentations. The 60* bottom and bottom spigot of the conical allows you to drop trub (after you have dropped trou ) - potentially making your light lagers cleaner. You can put a spigot on the bottom of the bucket - but they are notoriously hard to sanitize and you wouldn't get all the trub out anyway. Finally, the larger capacity allows you to ferment in one vessel - meaning no "splitting" of your yeast starters, and only one vessel to clean at the end.

Everybody knows the cons. Unless you are a dentist and drive a Hummer, you cannot afford them...


Mylo

[Thirsty Mallard]

I have one of the fancy schmancy cooled and heated ones. It is nice and I can ferment at perfect temperatures. Although the conical can only go so far below ambient temperatures, so I still can only ferment at lager temps in the winter (which in Texas is about 2 weeks out of the year).

The other great thing about my conical is the sampling port. All I have to do is sanitize a tube and turn a valve and I can sample my brew and get gravity readings without having to set up/sanitize a siphon and risk oxidation or contamination.

On the negative side, I find assembling it can be a bitch. Seems like no matter what, when I pour the sanitizer in the conical, it always leaks at the seals, so I have to take it apart and reconnect it and try again. It's inevitable and not very fun. And it isn't as easy to clean as a carboy. Plus it's shape makes it bulky and akward... especially when it is full of beer.

[Brew-boy]

I have one and I love using it. Taking samples is easy as pie and reusing the yeast is great. I transfer all the wort from the kettle and let it settle 30 mins in the conical then I drop all the trub. The only thing I dont like is you cannot watch those yeasties have sex.