Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: What 10 gal fermenter?  (Read 13974 times)

Offline anje

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 232
  • Lafayette, IN
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #15 on: January 22, 2013, 11:21:32 am »
I imagine they'd be difficult to handle, but what about demijohns? I see them in up to about a 15 gallon size.

15 Gal from Midwest
14 gal, currently out of stock
Overkill, 20 gal foodgrade plastic bucket
<-- microbiologist brewster n00b.

Hops and toothpaste don't mix.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #16 on: January 22, 2013, 03:02:29 pm »
By the way - any thoughts how you'll handle such a large fermenter?  10 gallons of liquid will weight ~80 lbs plus the container. That is significantly harder or impossible to carry, lift for racking, etc.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #17 on: January 22, 2013, 03:49:26 pm »
By the way - any thoughts how you'll handle such a large fermenter?  10 gallons of liquid will weight ~80 lbs plus the container. That is significantly harder or impossible to carry, lift for racking, etc.
Fill it where you want to ferment it and get a 5 lb CO2 tank, and some transfer hose with QDs to rack for service.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline dean_palmer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 84
    • The Beer Journals
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2013, 09:21:32 am »
I have used the 15 gallon cornies for about 8 years now. They are already plumbed and require NO modification. Just pop a hose on a gas disconnect and you have a blowoff tube. I have been praising these as a perfect solution for years now, and have only now just bought a conical for 15g batch sizes.


Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2013, 09:34:30 am »
I have used the 15 gallon cornies for about 8 years now. They are already plumbed and require NO modification. Just pop a hose on a gas disconnect and you have a blowoff tube. I have been praising these as a perfect solution for years now, and have only now just bought a conical for 15g batch sizes.



Have you ever experienced any clogging using the gas disconnects? 
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2013, 10:51:58 am »
Unless you have your brewery close to your conical fermentor, I recommend 5 gallon buckets for 10 gallon batches. I ferment in chest freezers in my basement and brew on my back porch. Carrying buckets down the stair is way easier than carrying carboys and I can't imagine how I would have plumbed a line to a 14 gallon carboy let alone carry it.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2013, 10:52:55 am »
I have used the 15 gallon cornies for about 8 years now. They are already plumbed and require NO modification. Just pop a hose on a gas disconnect and you have a blowoff tube. I have been praising these as a perfect solution for years now, and have only now just bought a conical for 15g batch sizes.



Wow! Those are awesome!

Offline thetooth

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 135
  • Long Beach, CA
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2013, 11:26:13 am »
I have used the 15 gallon cornies for about 8 years now. They are already plumbed and require NO modification. Just pop a hose on a gas disconnect and you have a blowoff tube. I have been praising these as a perfect solution for years now, and have only now just bought a conical for 15g batch sizes.



I'd love to have a couple of those, but the cost of them now would be crazy if you can find them at all.

Offline snowtiger87

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2013, 02:35:35 pm »
I have found that the plastic malt extract barrels (14 gallon) that homebrew shops get from Briess make great fermentors on a budget. They must be cleaned with chemicals (PBW seems to work fine) since the openings are too small to reach in to the bottom. Just make sure they save bit screw in lids so you can seal it up again. I put a stooper and airlock in the small opening for fermentation.
Brewing since 1989 - BJCP National Rank
Member of KROC and Foam on the Range

Fermenting: Double IPA
Conditioning: Saison du Potiron
On tap: Cider, Cream Ale, Bock, Rye Dunkel Doppelbock, Celebration Clone, Imperial Stout

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #24 on: January 24, 2013, 02:44:40 pm »
I'd love to have a couple of those, but the cost of them now would be crazy if you can find them at all.

$300 on eBay.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #25 on: January 24, 2013, 03:14:38 pm »
By the way - any thoughts how you'll handle such a large fermenter?  10 gallons of liquid will weight ~80 lbs plus the container. That is significantly harder or impossible to carry, lift for racking, etc.
Fill it where you want to ferment it and get a 5 lb CO2 tank, and some transfer hose with QDs to rack for service.
Oh I know how I'd handle it. I have a 60 gallon fermenter that I use occasionally. I just wondered if the OP had considered that.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline narcout

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2217
  • Los Angeles, CA
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #26 on: January 24, 2013, 07:19:19 pm »
I'd love to have a couple of those, but the cost of them now would be crazy if you can find them at all.

You can get new ones for $380 or refurbished ones for $265 from CHI.

I bought a refurbished 10 gallon corny keg from them for $175 a few year ago and love it.
Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC

Offline dean_palmer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 84
    • The Beer Journals
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #27 on: January 28, 2013, 09:15:12 am »



Have you ever experienced any clogging using the gas disconnects?
[/quote]

No, not even the most crazy blowoff has caused the gas connects to clog and I have found the blowoff bucket full of solids after some larger batches with reduced headroom. It simply pumps out whatever happens. Originally I took out the spring and plunger inside the connectors and the poppet in the posts, but after years of doing that I simply stopped as it proved to be a waste of time. I'm sure someone will have had something different, but I've been doing this for a long time now with no issues. I don't change anything in the keg or with the connects. Most batches are 10.5-11 gallons when they hit the fermenters, so that's a lot of headroom to compensate for krausen.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #28 on: January 28, 2013, 10:29:05 am »
The kegs are rated to 125 psi and I imagine the disconnects can take similar pressures (I know they handle 40psi during fast force carbonating). Hop particles and trub are probably no match for those pressures. If it did clog, the pressure would just build until it blew through.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: What 10 gal fermenter?
« Reply #29 on: January 28, 2013, 10:37:16 am »



Have you ever experienced any clogging using the gas disconnects?

No, not even the most crazy blowoff has caused the gas connects to clog and I have found the blowoff bucket full of solids after some larger batches with reduced headroom. It simply pumps out whatever happens. Originally I took out the spring and plunger inside the connectors and the poppet in the posts, but after years of doing that I simply stopped as it proved to be a waste of time. I'm sure someone will have had something different, but I've been doing this for a long time now with no issues. I don't change anything in the keg or with the connects. Most batches are 10.5-11 gallons when they hit the fermenters, so that's a lot of headroom to compensate for krausen.
[/quote]

Good to know, thanks.  Sooo, you don't shorter the out tube either?
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified