tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post3323394409871252485..comments2024-03-28T00:14:10.834-07:00Comments on Ben Krasnow: DIY stainless steel conical beer fermenter Pt.1Ben Krasnowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04234629396863486242noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-41586223742256859702019-09-15T09:39:44.815-07:002019-09-15T09:39:44.815-07:00For making a hole, in relatively thin stainless ve...For making a hole, in relatively thin stainless vessels I've found the cleanest, fastest, and cheapest tool is a stud driven sheet metal punch. You can use a ratchet or a hydraulic tool. <br /><br />https://www.mcmaster.com/sheet-metal-punches<br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040412443810605075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-40651145177339703422010-10-23T12:24:48.914-07:002010-10-23T12:24:48.914-07:00William, I'm glad to hear you have finished yo...William, I'm glad to hear you have finished your project. You can email me a picture: ben at magconcept dot com. Happy brewing!Ben Krasnowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234629396863486242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-33684024525914338102010-10-23T07:45:43.024-07:002010-10-23T07:45:43.024-07:00Hey Ben - I'm up and running. Is there a way t...Hey Ben - I'm up and running. Is there a way that I can send you a picture? I got the 2 conical hoppers and placed spigots at either end and about 4" up from each end, then bolted the flanges together. I cooked my grains and then drained and sparged through a counter-current wort chiller after placing my yeast culture in the hoppers. After 4 days it started bubbling so I'll drain the yeast off the bottom every 3 days and then when it stops bubbling I'll pour in a pint of sterile malt and seal it. I'll need to stop by the welding supply for a CO2 tank to keep it charged while I drink. Next time I'll get a bigger boil pot, and find a bar with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap and get the first pint of the kep for my yeast starter.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02012322955184565617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-14253936606593063422010-02-17T11:20:37.973-08:002010-02-17T11:20:37.973-08:00Looks Awesome! I wish I had the equipment and know...Looks Awesome! I wish I had the equipment and know how to do that also.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03843332474461412654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-47042890227785579212009-10-26T09:16:35.052-07:002009-10-26T09:16:35.052-07:00The hopper from TMS is very sturdy. You could def...The hopper from TMS is very sturdy. You could definitely weld two together and fill with it with 10 gallons if you wanted. The flanges are especially thick and very flat on the model that I bought.<br /><br />So far, I have been satisfied with partial-boil extract brewing, but I may try all-grain later.<br /><br />Good luck!Ben Krasnowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234629396863486242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-68700568694587022712009-10-25T20:37:20.048-07:002009-10-25T20:37:20.048-07:00I was thinking about getting 2 conical hoppers, pr...I was thinking about getting 2 conical hoppers, probably need to beef up the flanges, and bolt them together at the flanges. The TMS121114 has a section of cylinder and cone, the cylinder resisting deformity at the flange, and volume of 6.7 gal in each segment so a total of 13.4 gal. Big enough for a 10 gal batch. My concern is that the wall of the hopper is pretty thin and I'm wondering if I should double wall it somehow. It looks like TMS will do a lot of the custom work for this.<br /><br />I would rather boil in a separate pot, with a perforated stainless plate at the bottom to strain grain, and a spigot below that to run the wort through the counter-current wort chiller into the fermenter/carbonator. That way the sterile wort never gets exposed to the air, only sterile equipment. This assumes a grain recipe.<br /><br />So I need a valve at the bottom to drain off yeast and dispense beer. A valve at the top to introduce wort and yeast and attach a bubbler. After the primary fermentation is done, I could introduce a little more sterile wort for the secondary fermentation, then attach a pressure relief valve. I'd need a second valve at the top to connect CO2 so it doesn't lose pressure as it emptys.<br />Hopefully it all fits in a fridge.<br /><br />I started thinking about this process when my brother was in the Army in Germany and said that many of the breweries that he visited had unhopped beer. To make that you need very sterile conditions and although I have done it at home, the results have been spotty. Then I sat down at a bar for a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap, and the keg was new. The bartender threw away the first glass because it was very yeasty. After that he started saving them for me so that I could use it for a starter. The grain brewing started after visiting a home-brew supply shop and smelling the grains available. The Papazian book has some good recipes, but once you start to think in terms of taste and smell, you will make up your own recipes. One thing that I do that I haven't seen elsewhere is with my approach to hops. Freeze dried vacuum packed are great. I use 5-10 ozs for a 5 gallon batch. I boil for about 30 seconds, then pull it out. You get a great herbal hoppy flavor and just a little bitter. Also a great foamy head.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02012322955184565617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-38230629242865235432009-10-04T10:27:16.923-07:002009-10-04T10:27:16.923-07:00Hello, thanks for the comment. I agree that carbo...Hello, thanks for the comment. I agree that carbonating inside the fermentor would be a challenge. I usually carbonate at 10-15 psi, and the lid is 14" in diameter (surface area of about 22 in^2). At 15 psi, the lid will have 330 lbs of force pushing it off the fermentor. This is not too much stress for metal supports, but the amount of force will deform the lid and cause small leaks at the edges unless there is a really secure mounting system. I'm sure it's possible, as the tank itself and valves should easily hold 15 psi. Let me know if you go forward with your plans.<br /><br />My idea is to do the boil in the stainless conical tank, ferment it, then transfer to a keg for carbonation. I'll really be interested to see if boiling the wort in the fermentor works, as this would save many steps, and also sanitize everything by heat.<br /><br />You can search my blog for "conical" to see all of my fermentor related posts.<br /><br />I'd be interested to hear some of your favorite recipes, but so far, I am still an extract brewer and haven't tried all-grain yet.Ben Krasnowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234629396863486242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401164737462963207.post-4254583555579146262009-10-03T13:11:12.478-07:002009-10-03T13:11:12.478-07:00Ben - You are living my dream. I asked a local wel...Ben - You are living my dream. I asked a local welder of stainless if he could make something like this and he agreed but suggested I look at the 'fermenator'. The 'fermenator' looks great but they recommend not carbonating in it due to the pressure. I'm thinking about modifying the 'ferminator' to handle the pressure and would appreciate seeing your results. I'd be happy to share some grain recipes that might provide inspiration.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02012322955184565617noreply@blogger.com