[goose]

To me maybe the greatest appeal of the 10 gal corny is that it is physically/ mechanically the simplest stainless option.  No moving parts, no valves, it's just a big keg.  Sealed, sanitary,  easy to clean, move around, etc. and uses the same fittings, tubing and such I already have for kegging.

Rob, how do you clean it, CIP with a pump or use a brush to get to the stuff on the bottom?  I would worry about getting my elbow stuck in the opening since It is roughly the same size as the 5 gallon version.

I mentioned this as I had a friend in the Mansfield Brew Club who wanted to remove beer stone from his 5 gallon corny.  I told him to mix up 1 oz per gallon of Star San and use that to remove the stone.  He put his arm in to clean the bottom and was afraid that it would get his elbow stuck in the opening and would have to go to either the ER of the local EMT's to get it out of there.  Obviously, he did not get it stuck in the keg.  The mental picture it painted had me rolling on the floor laughing!

[denny]

^^^^
I do the same.

Yep, same here.

[denny]

To me maybe the greatest appeal of the 10 gal corny is that it is physically/ mechanically the simplest stainless option.  No moving parts, no valves, it's just a big keg.  Sealed, sanitary,  easy to clean, move around, etc. and uses the same fittings, tubing and such I already have for kegging.

Rob, how do you clean it, CIP with a pump or use a brush to get to the stuff on the bottom?  I would worry about getting my elbow stuck in the opening since It is roughly the same size as the 5 gallon version.

I mentioned this as I had a friend in the Mansfield Brew Club who wanted to remove beer stone from his 5 gallon corny.  I told him to mix up 1 oz per gallon of Star San and use that to remove the stone.  He put his arm in to clean the bottom and was afraid that it would get his elbow stuck in the opening and would have to go to either the ER of the local EMT's to get it out of there.  Obviously, he did not get it stuck in the keg.  The mental picture it painted had me rolling on the floor laughing!

Goose, I use Craftmeister Alkaline on mine.  Cold water, no scrubbing needed.

[Robert]

To me maybe the greatest appeal of the 10 gal corny is that it is physically/ mechanically the simplest stainless option.  No moving parts, no valves, it's just a big keg.  Sealed, sanitary,  easy to clean, move around, etc. and uses the same fittings, tubing and such I already have for kegging.

Rob, how do you clean it, CIP with a pump or use a brush to get to the stuff on the bottom?  I would worry about getting my elbow stuck in the opening since It is roughly the same size as the 5 gallon version.

I mentioned this as I had a friend in the Mansfield Brew Club who wanted to remove beer stone from his 5 gallon corny.  I told him to mix up 1 oz per gallon of Star San and use that to remove the stone.  He put his arm in to clean the bottom and was afraid that it would get his elbow stuck in the opening and would have to go to either the ER of the local EMT's to get it out of there.  Obviously, he did not get it stuck in the keg.  The mental picture it painted had me rolling on the floor laughing!

Goose, I use Craftmeister Alkaline on mine.  Cold water, no scrubbing needed.

I use essentially the same procedure as for 5 gallon kegs. I remove the lid, posts, and gas tube for separate cleaning. I fill the tank with PBW or whatever to soak and toss in the spear tube. Since I can't pick it up and dump it like a 5 gallon corny, I use one of these and can rapidly direct most of the liquid to my adjacent floor drain, then dump the rest:
https://www.homebrewing.org/12-Simple-Siphon-Kit_p_7914.html
Rinsing is easy with a hose.

If I have to get in and scrub, I picked up a floor drain brush (like a giant bottle brush on a mop handle) from a janitorial supply store.   Scrubbing is not normally needed, but might be with a beer stone remover (like 5 Star BSR or, better  yet, a dairy milkstone remover,) these products just loosen the beer stone and some mechanical action is usually needed to remove it. (They are more effective  than Star San IME.) 

For sanitizing I fill with iodophor and drain with the siphon.  I see no need to waste gas pushing it out, I need air in there to start fermentation anyway.

All in all, minimal lifting and no extractions by the fire department!

[ynotbrusum]

How far up do you cut the dip tube when using the 10 gallon cornie keg for fermenting?  Also, how much does the 10 gallon cornie keg weigh when empty?  I am considering one now, too.

Cheers.

[Robert]

How far up do you cut the dip tube when using the 10 gallon cornie keg for fermenting?  Also, how much does the 10 gallon cornie keg weigh when empty?  I am considering one now, too.

Cheers.

I cut the dip tube to leave almost 2 quarts of liquid, just for ease of yeast harvesting.   You'd have to decide on your own what you need to do.  It has a deeply concave,  almost hemispheric, bottom profile, so yeast and trub should settle in a much smaller volume.  The dip tube is straight, but the slight angle of the mounting of the post on top puts the end straight on the center at the bottom.  Others can probably help you more with this.

They are made in Pennsylvania of much heavier gauge steel than the 5 gallon kegs;  empty weight is about 20 lbs.

If you're interested,  Chi Company is probably the best source.   They work directly with the manufacturer and IME offer excellent customer service.

[Bob357]

I use 7 gallon Fermonsters and love them. Never use a blow off any more and they're easy to clean with the wide opening. First one I got isn't ported, but the second one is. I'm spoiled now and going to install a spigot on the original.

[joe_meadmaker]

For 5 gallon batches I still use plastic buckets.  I recently stopped racking to a carboy for secondary.  I just leave the batch in primary for a little longer and rack directly to a corny.

For larger batches, which for me are primarily meads, I have a 1/2 barrel SS Chronical.  Like some others have mentioned, I'm also a fan of stainless.  I will switch my 5 gallon process over to stainless at some point.  Just not sure when.

[narcout]

How far up do you cut the dip tube when using the 10 gallon cornie keg for fermenting?  Also, how much does the 10 gallon cornie keg weigh when empty?  I am considering one now, too.

Cheers.

I cut the liqiud dip tube to 21 9/16 inches, which has been working perfectly.

The 10 gallon keg is 17.2 lbs. when empty.

[Robert]

I cut the liqiud dip tube to 21 9/16 inches, which has been working perfectly.

The 10 gallon keg is 17.2 lbs. when empty.

Wow, that is far more precision than I've applied to either of those subjects.  (But 17.2 is "about 20," right?) Thank you, sir.  You got me thinking so I just measured my spear (fermenter is conveniently empty awaiting this weekend's brew.)  It's 21 1/8 inches.   7/16 more would work fine for me too, I'm sure.  We seem to have dialed in the range pretty well!

(Some quick figuring shows narcout is leaving behind about a quart less beer than I am.)

[denny]

How far up do you cut the dip tube when using the 10 gallon cornie keg for fermenting?  Also, how much does the 10 gallon cornie keg weigh when empty?  I am considering one now, too.

Cheers.

For me, an inch is plenty.

[Robert]

How far up do you cut the dip tube when using the 10 gallon cornie keg for fermenting?  Also, how much does the 10 gallon cornie keg weigh when empty?  I am considering one now, too.

Cheers.

For me, an inch is plenty.

Practical Denny,  measuring from the other end!  (Then again I didn't measure at all when I trimmed mine, just poured a big Mason jar of water in the keg and trimmed where I marked the water line with an o ring.)  I see 1 inch translates to 21 3/4 inches, wow, a lot closer to the bottom than narcout and me.  Very good to know.  (Though I still want my big volume of bottoms for harvest.)

[Charles]

After 25 years of fermenting in 5 gallon glass carboys, I recently converted to a stainless steel cylindroconical fermenter. I made the switch after an accident with a broken carboy (my 1st ever) almost cost me my thumb! No more glass carboys for me!

[Robert]

After 25 years of fermenting in 5 gallon glass carboys, I recently converted to a stainless steel cylindroconical fermenter. I made the switch after an accident with a broken carboy (my 1st ever) almost cost me my thumb! No more glass carboys for me!

I hear you.  Been brewing about as long.  I almost lost a thumb once to a friggin' iced tea jar (sudden temperature change taking it out of the fridge to the hot back yard)... but kept using glass carboys for a couple decades after that lesson for lack of a better idea.  Then a couple  of years ago I went to doing a closed process with pressure transfers using a carboy cap-based rig.  A fellow regular at LHBS about that time was doing the same,  and luckily he turned away just as his carboy, with clogged dip tube,  exploded.  He had a lot of stitches in his back,  but it could have hit his face and neck.   That started my urgent quest for something  else.  Glass  is evil, no question.

[HopDen]

I'm very lucky to be married to a generous woman! After fermenting in the CF15 from Spike for a year, She surprises me with an early christmas gift of the CF30!! Just put together Monday and will be making 20 gallons of a Baltic Porter on the 15th! Me thinks she likes beer!