Conical Usage Questions

[bcmaui]

A few questions for those of you familiar with the conicals (also posted in another section of the forum, but more on topic here): Some are general and some are specific to the B3 conicals that I just received.

Is there some weldless fitting that I can add to the top of the conical? With all of the insulation on top I'm afraid of knocking stuff in when I insert the stopper, or not seeing if it is completed sealed - is there a way to extend the connection for the blowoff tube / airlock so it is above the insulation? Weldless barb or quick disconnect?

What is the best way to oxygenate? Do the conical users do it inline during transfer, or is there a way to rig up the 2 micron stone inside the conical. Or do folks just drop it in through the hole in the top and that is why #3 above is not done?

Can you use that upper port to introduce a slight amount of CO2 to assist in transfer to the keg? Others have mentioned that the Blichman can hold pressure, but I imagine based on the mechanism on the top you could introduce a slight amount of CO2 to transfer, or is there enough of a blanket on top already and this is not a concern and gravity transfer to keg is fine?

When you do final transfer do you still use the sample port and still leave some behind even though you already have dumped the trub and yeast prior?

I'd be interested in what Doc, Tasty, JZ, Shat (and you if you use these conicals) tips and tricks they have using these things.

I'm excited to be able to dump trub after a few days and harvest yeast with my new tool and be able to make better beer.

[Thirsty Mallard]

Hmmm... I think either you or I are confused.

I have a B3 conical (7 gal, temp controlled). The lid comes off, so I just use my oxy tank and micron stone to oxygenate without any problem. The insulation is a fairly dense foam. It won't crumble or anything if that is what you are worried about, so it shouldn't get into the beer. Also, no extention port is needed on the top. You can put the airlock on and then put on the insulation on top (which is free from the rest of the insulation).

I don't know if that helps, but I think that answered a few questions. Drop me a PM if I'm way off of what you were asking...

[Thirsty Mallard]

Oh, and dumping the trub is possible, but not really easy.

I don't know what kind of port you have on the bottom of the conical, but I have the one with the butterfly valve. When I open the port, the yeast sludge starts to come out, but as soon as the line gets a little clear, that beer on top of the yeast comes out too (and quite quickly and with some force...).

Granted, you can get alot of the trub out, but at the cost of some beer. Also, when you dump the trub, the racking/sampling port really isn't ideally situated. Basically, when the yeast and trub are still in that tube at the bottom, the beer sits perfectly at the R/S port. If you drain that trub, you will drop the beer down and create some deadspace between the bottom of the conical and the port, resulting in untransferable beer (unless you siphon).

I like to just transfer my beer from the conical, using the R/S port into a secondary (bright tank) and let it settle out (preferably in the fridge). Then rack out from there. I know it's an extra step, but I'm not fond of the mess or hassle of dumping the trub.

[bcmaui]

I also have a 1 1/2" butterfly valve at the bottom and a smaller 1/2" ball valve at the upper port. That bottom valve is huge. So for first go around I'll keep it simple, let it be and not worry about trub removal after the first 3-4 days. After I rack the beer from the upper r/s port to the keg, then I can try and recover some yeast I can then harvest it out of the bottom without all of the pressure of a full fermenter on top?

I have a 12 gallon with the insulation and 7 gallon without insulation sitting in a spare refrigerator. That makes sense leaving the top open, then putting on the metal cover and airlock, then the foam and clamping mechanism. I was thinking the thing had to be sealed up completely on the top before transfer and was afraid of knocking foam in the hole on top as I set the airlock. Using the carboys I had stuck in my mind that the top of the fermenter had to be sealed up too before transfer. I'll just be careful if I need to give the stuff an additional blast of O2 and do that through the airlock hole.

I'll try the bright tank idea as well. That would free up fermenter space and I feel comfortable pushing beer from one keg to the next in a sanitary manner. How far up do you suggest cutting the dip tub for a standard beer - an inch or two from the bottom?

[BrewTa2]

Can you use that upper port to introduce a slight amount of CO2 to assist in transfer to the keg? Others have mentioned that the Blichman can hold pressure, but I imagine based on the mechanism on the top you could introduce a slight amount of CO2 to transfer, or is there enough of a blanket on top already and this is not a concern and gravity transfer to keg is fine?

Yes, but it won't hold pressure. You can introduce a slight overpressure of CO2 to aid transfer if you have to blow out some yeast. You're right - adding CO2 is not a big concern to prevent oxidation since the CO2 blanket is sufficient.

[Henway]

and that's one of the unsung good things about the plastic fermenters--you can see the level of the trub/yeast when you are about to dump. (I said dump!)

I'd say CAREFULLY move your valve to dump out the trub. Remember there may be stratification in your conical, meaning when you initially crack the valve, it may shoot out under pressure for a tiny bit and then virtually stop as the trub starts getting viscous and starts moving down. Then you'll see the trub and then the yeast. I collect immediately after the CO2 production slows/the Krausen starts falling. It can have consistency between baby food and, well, like poo. Practice with your first batch to get a feeling for it--try collecting the yeast without expecting success the first time and you'll have a good experience!

I've been using my conical for a couple years but just started collecting the yeast. I used to dump out every few days after fermentation had crested just to get rid of trub. I never tossed away my yeast vials, so I've got over 100 of them. Never thought about using them and said "Duhhh" to myself when someone recommended them to store yeast. I just put a bowl below the outlet and then crack the valve a TINY bit to collect the yeast in the sanitized vials and if I spill it doesn't make a mess.

Now that you have a fermenter, what can it hurt to try? Since you are dumping out the bottom, it's not like it can affect your beer by adding bad bugs or anything... You now OWN the beer by having a conical, not the other way around like when you hope to transfer out of a carboy and pray it doesn't break or you contaminate it during kegging. Treat it like your bitch!

[808brew]

BC
Do you have a pix of your fermentation setup with the fridge? This is the last part of my set=up I am working on here with the intention of starting to brew in January.