Conical Fermenter

[travjohn92]

My wife surprised me this year at Christsas and got me a 7.3 gallon stainless steel conical fermenter.  It was on the wish list, but didn’t think I would get it.  Well now I have started using it and my primary fermentation has completed and now I am not sure what to do or better yet the best method of doing it.

There is of course a side spout (not sure of the proper name), but I was opening that to take my gravity samples.

What is the best method for transferring and procedural order for getting to my secondary or keg?

Do I open the bottom and collect of the yeast sediment that built up and dispose of that and then go into my secondary or keg?

Do I open up the side and go into secondary / keg that way?  That doesn’t seem correct as I may be not collecting all of the clean beer as some may be below the side spout.

Are there any other steps I am missing?

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[a10t2]

Typically I would:

1. Cold crash and/or fine for 2-3 days.
2. Dump yeast/trub from bottom port once a day.
3. Dump side port to clear, then rack beer through side port. CO2 push if you can’t do it with gravity alone.

If you have a racking arm and sight glass you can rotate it down until you start to see sediment, then back off a bit. The volume below the side port of a 7 gal conical has to be really small though.

[ibru]

The bottom valve is for dumping trub and yeast. The side valve is for pulling samples and transfering. There will only be a couple cups of liquid below the side valve.

After cooling wort and transfering to the conical, let it settle for at least a couple hours, then dump the trub out the bottom before adding O2 and yeast.

Congratulations, you’ll love it.

Bruce

[travjohn92]

@a10t2

1. Cold crash and/or fine for 2-3 days.
2. Dump yeast/trub from bottom port once a day.
3. Dump side port to clear, then rack beer through side port. CO2 push if you can’t do it with gravity alone.

Where would I hook the CO2 to if I wanted to push it with CO2?  I am confused

[a10t2]

@travjohn92

Where would I hook the CO2 to if I wanted to push it with CO2?

Some sort of top port; either a blowoff or CIP port. Not knowing the specifics of your fermenter, I can’t say.

[travjohn92]

@a10t2

@travjohn92

Where would I hook the CO2 to if I wanted to push it with CO2?

Some sort of top port; either a blowoff or CIP port. Not knowing the specifics of your fermenter, I can’t say.

There is a hole on the top lid for a bung and airlock so I guess I could hook co2 there, correct?

[thirsty_monk]

@a10t2

Typically I would:

1. Cold crash and/or fine for 2-3 days.
2. Dump yeast/trub from bottom port once a day.
3. Dump side port to clear, then rack beer through side port. CO2 push if you can’t do it with gravity alone.

If you have a racking arm and sight glass you can rotate it down until you start to see sediment, then back off a bit. The volume below the side port of a 7 gal conical has to be really small though.

If you want to reuse the yeast. Would you still put findings into the fermentor?
I am using BioFine Clear.

[a10t2]

@travjohn92

There is a hole on the top lid for a bung and airlock so I guess I could hook co2 there, correct?

If it’s just a grommeted hole then it probably won’t hold much pressure, but as long as you only have to push the beer up a foot or two that will probably work.

@thirsty_monk

If you want to reuse the yeast. Would you still put findings into the fermentor?
I am using BioFine Clear.

No, in that case I only do it in the bright. Normally with BioFine Clear I do both - 30 mL/bbl in the fermenter before crashing, and again in the bright.

I guess if the timing worked out you could also harvest just before crashing/fining.

[thirsty_monk]

@a10t2

@thirsty_monk

If you want to reuse the yeast. Would you still put findings into the fermentor?
I am using BioFine Clear.

No, in that case I only do it in the bright. Normally with BioFine Clear I do both - 30 mL/bbl in the fermenter before crashing, and again in the bright.

I guess if the timing worked out you could also harvest just before crashing/fining.

I usually harvest after racking. I could try harvesting before racking, adding BioFine Clear and rack.
Thank you for the idea.

[snowtiger87]

I have this same fermentor and the biggest problem I have with it is how low to the floor the bottom port is. Makes it a PIA to get any decent sized contanier underneath. I want to build leg extensions for mine.

[ibru]

I have my conical inside a converted upright freezer. The freezer is on a hydraulic cart I bought at Harbor Freight (around $130). I can control my temps and wheel the fermenter around and raise it up if I need to. Been very handy.

Bruce