How to use a dump valve

[Thirsty Mallard]

On my new conical I have one of those fancy big butterfly dump valves as you see in this picture: http://morebeer.com/product_images/1/2658.jpg

I am about ready to transfer the schwarzbier I have in there... but I have no idea how I am supposed to use this dump valve. I did a test on it with water before using it and it comes out pretty fast and sprays liquid with some force... so I can't see myself just opening the floodgates to dump yeast.

Does anyone have any experience with the butterfly style dump valve that could help a brewin' brotha out?

[Speyedr]

Unless you are going to harvest the yeast and leave the beer in the fermenter, you don't even have to use the dump valve. Just use the racking port above to transfer the beer off the yeast, just like in a carboy.

If you DO want to harvest yeast at a later date, I have read suggestions (on the B3 forum) to use a rubber mallet or your hand and tap the fermenter a couple of times a day. This will help the yeast fall to the bottom for easier collection. You may want to do this regardless of whether you will collect or not, just to get all the yeast to the bottom.

Once it is all in the bottom you should be able to collect pretty easily. The forums say that the yeast comes out pretty slow, and in turd form Once it comes out though the beer will start flowing. You may want to open the port slowly, and only as much as necessary. Don't just open her up full bore.

This is all second hand info though. Check out the B3 forum, Northern Brewer Forum and Brewboard.com and just search for "Conical".

[keggermeister]

When you dump yeast you will notice a colour change from dark to light as the yeast emptys. The Brownish yeast is mostly dead and full of trub so just discard it until you see the yeast become bright and healthy looking. Some Brewers taste the yeast as it flows to detect dead yeast.

Pay attention to the colour of the yeast for the first few batches and you will see what i am talking about.

If your conical is only 10 gallons this transition may be too fast to be selective, depending on how fast the yeast flows. The last time i harvested yeast from a conical it was 30BBLS and I had lots to dump!

Hope this helps!!

[Thirsty Mallard]

UPDATE:

So I transfered from conical to keg today... I don't know what I was freaking out about... that was the easiest transfer I have ever had!

The dump valve was a non-issue until cleaning. The racking port worked like a dream.

Just goes to show you that the addage, "Relax. Don't worry, have a homebrew." prooves true again!

[Speyedr]

Good Deal Man! My Fermenator showed up Friday. My Wife called me and told me so I left work "sick" and went home to clean up and get ready for my Sat. brewing session. 10gal of Premium American Lager in there right now...

[Push Eject]

Damn. That is just a beautiful thing. I wanna see porn pictures of you guys posing with your conicals.

Push Eject

[Speyedr]

I took a sample last night (ANOTHER one) and it is sooooo sweet. I think that part alone is worth the price of admission.

I'll try to get my Wife to take a pic, but here's one when it arrived...

[Bugeater]

Another batch of diaper pail ale?

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company