New Blichmann conical...desperate for advice.

[Holt]

1. How are you guys sanitizing your conical fermenters? It seems like a waste of water and StarSan--14 1/2 gallons and 3 ounces every time.

2. I've heard either Palmer or Tasty talk about rousing yeast and/or dry hops with Co2. Can anyone tell me the process for doing so.

When should I dump my trub and yeast? I am planning on dry hopping with pellets (no bag).

Thanks in advance!

[11amas]

So when I bought my B3 14 g conical the instructions told me something like 5 gal PBW and 2.5 gal starsan (don't exactly remember) but I do this when I clean. I use about 5g of PBW and fill the unit, use a soft sponge to wash the inside, the lid, and run a bunch through the racking port. Then I dump through the valve a bit. Drain the stuff out after I am satisfied and put in a bucket. Then, take it all apart again and soak the pieces in the PBW mixture for an hour or so. Then, when the dump valve and racking port all look clean I rinse the parts and soak them in about 2.5g of starsan solution. Then reassemble with rinsed conical. Pour the 2.5g of starsan solution into the conical and use the sponge to gently clean the inside, the lid, and rinse some through the racking port and dump valve. Then I seal the lid and drain the remainder through the dump valve and racking port until empty. Now it is pretty clean. I then place in my fermenter cabinet and wait to brew when I will pour the wort into the sanitized conical.

When to dump, great question one which I am still working on. I tend to dump before pitching if I think I have a bunch of crap in the wort. If I ran it off pretty sparkly clear I just pitch. The downside to the initial dump that I see is that I have now hit the dump valve with sugary wort. If I want to harvest yeast a week or two later it will run over that sticky dried wort so if I dump and want to later harvest I follow the dump with a thorough spraydown with starsan so I get most of the wort rinsed back out. I think ales need dumped perhaps to get the yeast layer down lower than the racking port but I can move the racking arm so why am I doing this unless I am planning on reusing yeast. With lagers, I might rack 2-3 times over 2-3 weeks so I get dead and flocculated yeast out so my later dumps are cleaner...am I over or under dumping, not sure?

[bikefoolery]

1. pond pump, tubing and a bucket, recirculate sanitizer/ cleanser.

Some folks disassemble the valves, boil sanitize to starsan bucket and reassemble wet.
The Fool

[Holt]

Thanks, guys!

So in the past I have been used to the process of wort chilling and yeast pitching as quickly as possible. With the conical should I now wait for the cold break to settle and then do a dump before pitching the yeast? If this is the standard practice, then how long is this waiting period--and is it worth waiting, or is it better to just get the yeast in there ASAP?

[11amas]

If I can't chill down before pitching I do a dump but like I said, if I dump before I harvest I will spray the dump valve down so nothing grows up in there in the "in between" weeks before I harvest. I have only been doing batches in this conical for 3/4 of a year though so I am interested to see what everyone else says on the subject.

[Weenie Boy]

[quote="Holt"]

2. I've heard either Palmer or Tasty talk about rousing yeast and/or dry hops with Co2. Can anyone tell me the process for doing so.



I have a 3/8 inch tri-clamp hose barb that will be attached to the dump valve.
The first step is to dump your yeast that has dropped down into the cone. I usually do this at about day 4-5 for most medium gravity ales. Make sure to sanitize the dump port after the dump with a spray bottle of star san.

The second step is to dry hop the beer. After about 3-4 days most of the pellets have broken apart and settled to the bottom of the cone.

Attach the 3/8 inch tri-clamp hose barb to a hose coming off of the co2 tank and regulator. Sanitize (spray bottle) the tri-clamp fitting and run co2 through the still detached regulator, hose and tri-clamp fitting. Not much about 4-5 psi for about 30-45 seconds. Remove your cap on your dump port at the bottom of cone. spray with star san and attach your co2 assembly to the dump port. turn on the co2 again to about 4-5 psi and open the dump port valve. It will only take about 10 seconds to rouse the dry hops that have settled to the bottom. close the dump port valve, shut off the co2, disconnect and sanitize your dump port with your spray bottle.

Viola

Weenie Boy

[Holt]

Thanks for the info. guys.

[Holt]

Weenie Boy,

What is the purpose of this step: "run co2 through the still detached regulator, hose and tri-clamp fitting. Not much about 4-5 psi for about 30-45 seconds."

Please clarify.

Last night I kegged my first "Blichmann conical beer" with about 3 psi head pressure through the blow-off port and out of the racking arm assembly. I dumped the 8 ozs of dry hop material first and then proceeded to fill almost 2 full kegs without any problems. The kegs are happily carbonating (IPA with a FG of 1.008 and killer hop aroma).

Inside of the conical lid was a tragic sight of crusted on yeast and trub--but nothing some PBW and a scrubby couldn't handle.

Overall I'm very happy with the new conical!