Chronicle Fermenter

[cockerhoop]

Been looking at SS Brewtech Chronicals and it’s got me wondering.
I know in the US many people re rack the beer after the first few days into a fresh carboid and allow it to carry on fermenting. I’ve never really understood why.
In the UK most people Homebrew with a plastic bucket, as do I.
I’ve tried the same recipe and sometime transferred it off the trub after a few days and sometimes just left it for up to 3 weeks. I’ve never noticed any discernible difference. It’s also very easy to simply have a tap at the bottom of the bucket, positioned high enough So the beer just drains out without disturbing the dead yeast.
So what are the benefits of using a chronical fermenter over a plastic bucket with a tap?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

A chronical fermenter would give you a detailed account of your brew. I think you mean conical.

 

[MickDundee]

A chronical fermenter would give you a detailed account of your brew. I think you mean conical.

No, SS Brewtech do a range of conical fermenters called the “Chronical”
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/7-gallon-chronical

 

[Cheshire Cat]

No, SS Brewtech do a range of conical fermenters called the “Chronical”
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/7-gallon-chronical

 

[Andrew Elliott]

I think the Brewtech stuff is great, I ferment in a 14gal generally producing a volume enough to fill two corny kegs. The main advantage I've found is the ability to control temperature and cold crash without needing a fermentation chamber. My latest brew is currently cold crashing before transfer to 2 corny's.

Their temp control setup is really easy to use.

Hope this helps

 

[MyQul]

Conicals on the HB scale are a bit of a waste of money UNLESS you have a specific function in mind. Some of the plastic ones you can pressure ferment in (not sure if you can pressure ferment in SS ones but I imagine there are some you can do that in). Conicals are good for yeast harvesting or if you want to bulk age and need to remove the yeast.
Other than that a plastic FV with a tap is fine on the homebrew level.

One of the downsides of the Chronical , from what a forumite who owns one says, (cant remember who) is that there's lots of bits to clean

 

[clyne]

I’ve got an SS brewtech chronical (5gal) and love it. Several reasons. It’s stainless so much less risk of infection. I can harvest yeast easily so can get several batches of beer from one liquid yeast (if you are only using dry yeast less of an issue). Less trub transfers when you transfer to keg. Can do pressurised transfers reducing likelihood of oxygen intake. Plus I think they look the business. Are there a few more bits to clean - yes. But it maybe adds 5-10 mins to brew day. I love it. Check out my vids to see it in action. Search for BrewBru on YouTube.

 

[Andrew Elliott]

I've got an SS Brewtech Chronical and dont find them difficult to clean at all, I've just kegged an nice brown ale whipped the lid off drained off the settled yeast and trub through the bottom valve and rinsed it out with hot water before spaying with starsan and sealing it up, the whole exercise took around 15 minutes. I find them really easy to use.

 

[Session]

I've got an SS Brewtech Chronical and dont find them difficult to clean at all, I've just kegged an nice brown ale whipped the lid off drained off the settled yeast and trub through the bottom valve and rinsed it out with hot water before spaying with starsan and sealing it up, the whole exercise took around 15 minutes. I find them really easy to use.

Do you not need to clean the tri-clover fittings between batches?

 

[Andrew Elliott]

I don't generally bother every exposed surface is rinsed and then sprayed with starsan, if I've got stubborn dirt I'll fill the whole fermenter with hot sodium percarbonate solution to give it a good clean.

I've never had any issue with off flavours or infection and stainless steel is less likely to harbour bacteria than plastic